Public Finance Specialist

Public Finance Specialist General Description of the assignment title Public Finance Specialist Country of assignment Côte d’Ivoire

Location

Location of work on a premises Expected start date 01/10/2026 Duration 12 months (with possibility of extension)Long-term benefits and allowances Sustainable development goal

• 16. Peace, justice and strong institutions UNICEF Host Organization Modality On site Type National Volunteer Category Specialist UCoS from Apr2026 Full-time work schedule Number of assignments 1 Details Mission and objectives UNICEF is present in 190 countries and territories to advocate for the rights of every child, everywhere, and help them reach their full potential. Its equity strategy targets the most disadvantaged and marginalized children and families. In Côte d’Ivoire, the cooperation programme 2026-2030 aims to reduce the vulnerability of girls, boys and adolescents, including those with disabilities, to poverty and economic, social and environmental shocks through more efficient public investment and more adequate social protection programmes. The Social Policy Section takes this agenda through four areas: generating evidence on child poverty, social protection, public finances for children and inclusive local governance.

Job overview

Other information

Côte d’Ivoire has entered a new strategic cycle: the National Development Plan (PND) 2026-2030 and the UNICEF-Côte d’Ivoire Cooperation Programme (CPD) 2026-2030 were adopted in the first quarter of 2026 and both place human capital development, equity and solidarity high on the agenda. The state budget continues to grow steadily. This assignment is part of Output 1 of the CPD 2026-2030 “By 2030, government and local authorities have strengthened capacities to improve planning, resource mobilization and efficiency of public spending for girls and boys.” The UN Volunteer will work within the Social Policy Section, in close interaction with national public finance actors including the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Budget, the Ministry of Planning and Development, social sector ministries, local authorities, the National Institute of Statistics, other agencies of the United Nations system and technical and financial partners. Description of the task Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Social Policy Section, the UN Volunteer (UNV) will be responsible for the following tasks: 1. Budget analysis of social sectors and monitoring of implementation

• Monitor the annual budget analysis activities of the social sectors according to the methodological framework in force in the Section, covering the allocations of the finance law for the year and the execution of the previous financial year;
• Apply and consolidate the budget marking grid for children’s rights, ensuring the final harmonisation of thresholds between existing methodological versions;
• Calculate and interpret public finance ratios for children (social expenditure related to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), child budget related to the total budget, implementation rate, personal composition / functioning / investment) and situate them in relation to regional and international normative commitments;
• Produce annual sector briefs and ready-to-use data sheets for program sections, national partners and advocacy; 2. Fiscal space analysis (FAS)
• Figure the financing needs of the social targets of the National Development Plan (PND) 2026-2030 and the National Social Protection Strategy, calculate the funding gap and simulate the levers of budgetary space on the horizon 2028-2030; 3. Budget advocacy and public policy dialogue
• Ensure close monitoring of the national budget cycle and alert the Section to advocacy windows, including preparation of finance laws;
• Documenting the debt-servicing trajectory of social spending and drawing from it quantified and defensible advocacy messages;
• Prepare policy briefs, decision-making briefs, language elements and alignment matrices for financial and planning administrations, sector ministries, oversight institutions and regional public finance fora; 4. Local finance and child-sensitive local governance
• Support the implementation of activities to strengthen participatory local governance and child-sensitive local budgeting; 5. National and local capacity-building

Education / Qualifications

• Develop and facilitate, with national partners and partner agencies, training modules in public financial management, programme budget and public finance for children, targeting the annual target of trained cadres set by the UNICEF-Côte d’Ivoire Cooperation Programme (CDC);
• Develop pedagogical tools, updating guides and methodological notes to enable national ownership and the sustainability of analyses; 6. Knowledge management, monitoring and cross-cutting support
• Ensure a structured watch on public finances, taxation, debt and financing of the social sectors, and feed into the Section’s strategic watch products;
• Support other sections of the UNICEF Country Office (United Nations Children’s Fund) in preparing public expenditure reviews, cost-effectiveness analyses and expenditure follow-up surveys to beneficiaries;
• Perform any other relevant tasks assigned by the supervisor. In addition, United Nations Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading UNV documentation and external publications, and take an active part in UNV activities;
• Become familiar with and take into account traditional and local forms of volunteering in the country of assignment;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action undertaken, including by participating in regular discussions with the host entity;
• Contribute articles or testimonials to UNV publications, websites and newsletters;
• Support the UNV programme in identifying and mobilizing national volunteers;
• Contribute to the definition and implementation of local UNV activities, including the celebration of International Volunteer Day on 5 December;
• Contribute to the UNV Annual Report on Volunteering. Eligibility criteria Âge 18 – 80

Experience

Nationality The candidate must be a national, legal resident or have refugee status in the country of assignment. Requirements of assignment Relevant experience 3 years Languages French, Level: Fluent, Required English, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable Level of training required Master’s degree in Public Finance and Budget Management; Fiscal Analysis of Social Sectors; Local Finance, Decentralization and Child-Friendly Local Budgeting; Development Economics; Social Protection and Social Policy Financing Skills and values

• At least two (2) years of professional experience, at the national level, in public finance analysis, sector budget analysis, public expenditure management or development economics, including proven experience in social sectors; experience gained within a financial administration, UN agency, international financial institution or international development organization is a significant asset;
• Operational knowledge of the public financial management framework in Côte d’Ivoire and in the WAEMU area: guidelines on financial laws, programme budget, budget nomenclature, budgetary information systems, budgetary programming and implementation documents (DPBEP, DPPD, annual performance projects and reports, management accounts); knowledge of the decentralization and local finance framework (financial regime of local authorities, transfers of the State, primitive budgets);
• Excellent mastery of Advanced Excel (dynamic cross tables, modeling, scenario simulation); the mastery of at least one statistical analysis software (STATA, R or Python) and a data visualization tool is an asset;
• Excellent writing and synthesis skills in French, with a demonstrated ability to transform complex budget data into short decision-oriented notes and clear advocacy messages;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and capacity for technical dialogue with public administration, technical and financial partners and civil society; cultural and social sensitivity; ability to work effectively within a multicultural and multidisciplinary team;
• Strong general knowledge of IT, including mastery of various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/Internet; familiarity with database management; and office hardware; A bachelor’s degree with two (2) additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted. Field of expertise Economics, poverty reduction, livelihoods, Project management, program development, strategy, Administration Driving licence Other information Volunteering is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken voluntarily, for the common good, without financial reward being the main motivator. Living conditions and remarks As this is a national United Nations Volunteer assignment, the United Nations Volunteer will be responsible for organizing his/her own accommodation and other essential elements of daily life. This position is based at Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on the premises of the UNICEF country office, with possible travel within the country (partner regions and local authorities). Abidjan has good quality infrastructure: running water, electricity, sanitation, housing supply, banking services, medical facilities and satisfactory connectivity. National UN Volunteers are part of the applicable insurance scheme and must demonstrate cultural sensitivity and adaptation to dominant cultures and traditions. Conditions of service of National United Nations Volunteers The contract has a validity period for the period indicated above with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funds, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, the assignment is not expected to be renewed. The applicable volunteer living allowance is paid monthly to cover housing, utilities and current living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependants) – with the exception of United Nations Community Volunteers), as well as final repatriation (if applicable). You can check all the rights to https: Declaration of inclusivity The United Nations Volunteers programme is an equal opportunities programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care and protected characteristics. As part of their commitment to UNV’s values, all UN Volunteers are committed to combating all forms of discrimination and promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, regardless of race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or any other status. Reasonable accommodation

Main duties

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation to UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal chaperones. We encourage you to disclose your disability when applying in case you need reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process and then in your mission. Note on vaccination requirements Covid-19 In addition to site-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of full SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) vaccine status with a World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine, which must be met before making the appointment. It does not apply to United Nations Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or interact directly with the communities with which UNICEF works, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF during their contracts. Warning of fraud The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interview, test or other fees as part of the application or recruitment process. If you receive a request for payment of any fee, please do not take this into account. In addition, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. You are therefore advised to exercise great caution when providing personal information on

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