Public Finance Officer
Organizational Context
UNICEF is dedicated to realizing the rights of every child globally, viewing child nurturing as fundamental to human progress. Established in 1946, UNICEF collaborates to overcome barriers like poverty, violence, and discrimination affecting children. Operating in 190 countries, it champions child health, nutrition, education, and protection. In Zambia, despite policy efforts, severe child malnutrition persists, exacerbated by critically low nutrition financing within the national budget. Public finance management is therefore crucial for improving child outcomes.
Job Purpose
This role supports UNICEF's Nutrition Section in Zambia, focusing on Public Finance Management for Nutrition in Children (PF4C-N). The objective is to strengthen multi-sectoral nutrition coordination and capacity building at the sub-national level. The Public Finance Officer will assist the Government of Zambia in making informed budgetary decisions to combat malnutrition. Key contributions include aligning national nutrition plans with budget processes, costing nutrition initiatives, monitoring budget execution for nutrition interventions, and enhancing the public finance management skills of government officials and local authorities. This work is essential for improving nutrition outcomes for children, adolescents, and women.
Responsibilities
The Public Finance Officer will support the UNICEF Nutrition Section, working closely with the Nutrition Specialist. Key responsibilities include contributing to policy work on Public Finance Management for Nutrition in Children (PF4C-N) and enhancing multi-sectoral nutrition coordination capacity at the sub-national level to aid the Zambian Government in making informed budgetary decisions for malnutrition reduction. Specific duties involve: - Annual Planning and Budget Formulation: Assisting in aligning national nutrition plans with Mid-Term Budget Plans (MTBP) and contributing to the costing of nutrition plans. - Monitoring Budget Allocation, Tracking, and Execution: Helping to monitor and track nutrition budgets, particularly at sub-national levels, to assess allocation and execution towards nutrition interventions. - Building Capacity in Public Finance Management: Supporting capacity-building initiatives for government program managers on public finance management for nutrition and governance at provincial and district levels. - Supporting Capacity Building for Local Authorities: Assisting District Food and Nutrition Coordinators and their supervisors in multi-sectoral nutrition coordination for joint planning, budgeting, and monitoring. - Data Analysis and Reporting: Supporting data extraction, analysis, and reporting within the PF4C-N framework to inform evidence-based decision-making and advocacy.
Work Experience
While no specific prior experience is mandated, a demonstrated interest or experience in public finance, economics, development planning, public administration, or social policy is beneficial. Experience in budget analysis and public finance management, including interpreting financial information, is desirable. Exposure to social-sector financing is considered an asset. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required.
Skills
Core competencies include Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Ethics and Values, Integrity, and Respect for Diversity. Technical skills and expertise areas encompass economics, poverty reduction, livelihoods, finance, accounting, and community development. Strong analytical, communication, and drafting skills are essential for presenting information clearly to diverse audiences.