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General Information

Position Title
Finance Specialist - Planning and Budgeting
Job Category
Finance
Duty Station(s)
Copenhagen
Seniority Level
Mid Level
ICS Level
ICS 10
Contract Type
ICA - IICA - Regular
Contract Level
IICA 2
Posting Start Date
09-Feb-2026
Posting End Date
19-Feb-2026
Duration
Ongoing, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

Job Highlight

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the financial stability and strategic direction of a leading UN organization. The position offers exposure to a wide range of financial planning and budgeting activities, interaction with senior management, and opportunities for professional development in financial analysis, corporate advisory, and knowledge management.

About the Group

The Finance Group serves as a strategic partner and fiduciary advisor, ensuring transparent, accountable, and effective resource management across UNOPS. The Group defines financial strategy in alignment with organizational goals, establishes finance policies, systems, and processes, and leads corporate budgeting to enable full cost recovery and ensure long-term financial sustainability. Throughout the project lifecycle, the Finance Group provides expert guidance, oversight, and tailored financial solutions. Responsibilities include delivering comprehensive financial and corporate performance reporting, strengthening financial capacity across the organization, and continuously enhancing resource planning and allocation. In addition, the Finance Group prepares and oversees the implementation of finance-related policies, upholding the highest standards of financial stewardship and supporting UNOPS in achieving operational excellence and fiscal responsibility.

Job Specific Context

This role is pivotal in supporting the financial planning and budgeting processes within UNOPS, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and effective resource allocation. The Finance Specialist will contribute to the development of financial KPIs, analyze financial results, and provide advice to senior management on financial trends and opportunities. The role also involves coordinating finance activities related to the UNOPS Provident Fund and contributing to knowledge management and innovation within the organization.

Role Purpose

The Finance Specialist Planning and Budgeting supports the implementation of the bi-annual and annual budgeting cycles, and the general administrative budget management and budgetary position management based on strategy requirements. The role is also responsible for developing organisational analysis on progress towards strategy implementation.

Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Financial planning and budgeting

  • Provide input and advice on the organisation-wide processes for bi-annual and annual budgeting, forecasting, target setting and resource allocation.
  • Provide input to key assumptions required for the bi-annual and annual budgeting processes.
  • Consolidate UNOPS overall bi-annual and annual budget and prepare any related documentation and reporting to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Provide input and advice as required to ensure budgets are appropriate and that action plans are established to achieve the necessary financial outputs.
  • Monitor and evaluate the implementation of budgets and position tables, highlighting deviations.
  • Review funding requests for special purpose activities
  • Support the responses to oversight recommendations related to financial planning and budgeting
  • Coordinate the finance activities related to UNOPS Provident Fund, including the Provident Fund Committee, supplier relations, financial reporting and response to oversight recommendations


2. Corporate advisory

  • Provide advice on the development of financial and non-financial KPIs.
  • Review actual financial results to understand key business drivers and variances to  budget/forecast and propose corrective action.
  • Participate in discussions on the development of UNOPS Strategic Plans and Mid-Term reviews and development results reporting.
  • Support in working with the Senior Management to help them better understand financial trends and financial opportunities.
  • Support in policy updates and implementation of oversight recommendations and Executive Board decisions


3. Knowledge management and innovation

  • Contribute to the development of internal capacity across the organization in terms of business planning.
  • Constantly monitor and evaluate policies, procedures, methods, tools and associated systems to ensure its utility, applicability and efficacy.
  • Design/approve refinements to processes to maximise the benefits of management information system to enhance efficiency and facilitate organisational/management monitoring, oversight and reporting.
  • Lead/organise training events and design/set training agenda to build capacity of stakeholders on business planning.

Skills

Budget Analysis, Budget Management, Budget Monitoring, Financial Advisory, Financial Analysis, Knowledge Management, Stakeholder Management, Budgeting
Strategic Perspective
Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.
Respect
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Collaboration
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnerships
Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Excellence
Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Adaptability
Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Decision-making
Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Communication
Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience OR

  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Experience Requirements

Required

  • Relevant experience is work in budgeting financial planning in a large international organisation or business corporation or related areas. 


Desired

  • Experience in an international organization or the UN system is desired.

Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirement
EnglishFluentRequired
SpanishBasicDesirable
FrenchBasicDesirable
ArabicBasicDesirable

Additional Information

  • Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
  • Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
  • Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
  • Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
  • UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
  • Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. 
  • We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
 
Terms and Conditions
 
  • For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
  • For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here
  • For more details about the contract types, please click here.
  • All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
  • It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.