Director, Office of Strategic Budgeting - Rome

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

The Office of Strategic Budgeting (OSB), as a part of Corporate Services Support Group (CSSG), aims to strengthen IFAD's budgeting function and is responsible for ensuring a strong link between planning, resource allocation, results monitoring and strategy. Within a ten-year Strategic Framework, the process aligns medium-term priorities to the allocation of financial and human resources. OSB is responsible for implementing results-based budgeting through this process and tracking costs from activities to results. By leading these functions, OSB helps IFAD think and act strategically to enhance performance, impact and value for money.
The key processes the office manages are: (i) strategically focused budget consultations, and earlier communication of budget envelopes; (ii) results-based budgeting and enhanced systems to enable cost tracking at the activity and output levels; (iii) consolidation of corporate planning functions through facilitation of a strategic prioritization process with the Executive Management Committee (iv) flexibility for budget holders to manage staff and non-staff budgets; (v) management of positions and workforce planning with the redistribution of key responsibilities of the organizational developmentfunction within IFAD and (vi) strategic advice on efficient result based budgeting and support to divisions in the decentralized context.

The Director will lead, manage and motivate a team of managers/senior specialists who are also supervisors, specialists and assistants, under the overall guidance and supervision of the President, Vice President or an Associate Vice-President.

The Director, OSB works under the supervision of the Vice-President of IFAD, OPV.

Job Role  

Directors are responsible for managing a Funding division and office and serve on IFAD's senior management team. The main focus of Director positions is strategic leadership, innovation and management. Most typically as a member of a departmental management team, they are responsible for managing and supervising the delivery of a division's programme of work within an allocated budget.

The Director OSB, plans, manages, organizes, directs and supervises the Fund’s annual Budget and therefore leads IFAD's strategic prioritization in organizational change and budgeting processes. In particular, s/he (i) plays a key role in the annual corporate dynamic workforce planning exercise, (ii) directs the process of results-based budget preparation, development and presentation taking into account IFAD’s priorities, (iii) manages and reports to senior management on corporate budget allocation and utilization, (iv) supports the IFAD-wide Efficiency Action Plan in collaboration with all department and division heads and lead the benchmarking and identification of appropriate cost and efficiency targets across IFAD (v) develops a consolidated financial reporting system on the budget (vi) facilitates the strategic management of IFAD’s budget in line with evolving priorities of organizational change and (vii)  leads and supervises the work of the budget team to support workforce and organizational planning, budget preparation and execution, resource rationalization and corporate reporting.
 
The Director, OSB is a member of IFAD’s Operations Management Committee, IFAD Management Team and select Working Groups.

Key Functions and Results  

1.    VISION & STRATEGY: Directors develop and promote a strategic vision for translating IFAD’s corporate and departmental mandates; strategies, goals and objectives into a divisional programme of work and for ensuring evolving divisional programme activities are integrated in the evolution of departmental goals and objectives. They participate in the design of IFAD’s and departmental strategic approaches and ensure that corporate strategies are fully integrated in the design of assigned activities. Directors set and communicate clear strategic and operational objectives and are held accountable for the division being seen as a credible and trusted partner in  managing for results and as an innovator in its field.

2.    POLICY DEVELOPMENT & ADVICE: Directors provide leadership in the development and interpretation of major policies, regulations and rules, and systems that govern the work of a division and ensure they support divisional goals and objectives within the overall Fund mandates and strategies. Directors also serve as a trusted business/programme advisors with a significant role in authoritative policy advice within the Fund at the senior management level as well as in policy dialogue in their representational activities. 

3.    PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT: Directors provide leadership in 
a.    all phases of the division’s medium term planning and management, including operational requirements such as (i) establishing annual work plans, (ii) ensuring regular programme assessment and (iii) identifying opportunities for innovation and implementation of best practices generated within the Fund as well as in peer organizations, both private and public;
b.    reviewing and innovating core processes of the division in order to achieve better efficiency and effectiveness, as well as financial sustainability, of operations;
c.    enhancing synergy among divisional staff and holding staff accountable for results and
d.    ensuring the preparation of all divisional publications, reports and governing bodies documents. 

4.    MANAGEMENT  OF RESOURCES: Directors are accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources (human, financial and material). This includes:

People Management through workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, learning and career management of P and GS staff:
a.    Identifies best qualified candidates for vacancies, with appropriate regard for gender balance and geographic distribution;
b.    Motivates, coaches and supports staff of the division, wherever they are located, to create cohesive teams that work effectively to achieve common divisional goals and objectives;
c.    Manages staff performance and development through regular performance feedback, mentoring and career planning.

Divisional Budget Management by leading divisional strategic and data inputs into the departmental budget preparation exercises and by ensuring accountability and fiduciary integrity in the Division’s budget execution; 
a.    Material Resources Management through accountability for the material resources assigned to the Division.
b.    Knowledge and Content Management to achieve innovative outcomes and cost effective processes as well as to promote the generation, validation and dissemination of knowledge by ensuring (i) knowledge content is continuously updated and available, (ii) best practices are continuously identified, documented and distributed and (iii) appropriate and up-to-date information and tools are available as appropriate.
c.    Information Technology Management through leveraging ERP functionality for improved business results, reporting processes and client services.

5.    REPRESENTATION: Directors serve as designated representatives of the Fund. They catalyse effective partnerships with a broad range of institutions including borrowers, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, UN agencies, funds and programmes, international financial institutions (IFls), non-governmental organizations and academic  institutions  for the purpose of programme co-operation,  knowledge sharing,  policy dialogue and/or resource mobilization. Directors represents the Fund in official United Nations committees and networks, and in IFls, multilateral and bilateral meetings, symposia, fora and Global conferences upon request of the President, and builds organizational networks with peers in major private, public and international institutions.

Position specific: 

6. STRATEGIC BUDGET MANAGEMENT: IFAD's annual budget cycle consists of three main elements: the Regular Budget used for staff and non-staff activities, the Capital budget used for specific initiatives over a three-year period, and Supplementary Fund Management Fees used to support supplementary-funded portfolios. The strategic prioritization and budgeting process aligns these budget elements to priorities through a rolling, three-year prioritization framework and annual divisional planning against Results Pillars and Institutional Output Groups (IOGs). OSB facilitates a consultative process to aggregate priorities, allocate resources and help divisions prepare, submit and track annual plans relative to expenditures and outputs. The Director, OSB, (i) leads the budget preparation process with strategic budget management oversight in a highly decentralized organizational environment; (ii) negotiates and determines the staff and budget resource envelope for each organizational unit and for the major activity clusters of IFAD; (iii) ensures, in collaboration with the Strategy and Knowledge Department (SKD), that the annual budget is aligned with the Fund’s strategic priorities and objectives; (iv) ensures consistency of budget with the Dynamic Workforce Plan (DWP); (v) provides recommendations to management for efficient re-allocation of budgetary resources in line with evolving priorities; (vi) compares IFAD experience with other IFls and development organizations to adopt best budget management practices in administering IFAD’s budget; (vii) ensures proper utilization of IFAD’s capital and non-regular budgets (i.e. supplementary, complementary etc.); and (viii) responds to queries raised and-views expressed by IFAD’s Governing Bodies and determine necessary changes to be incorporated into the final budget.

7. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE LEADERSHIP :  The Director OSB, (i) plays a pivotal role in IFAD’s annual organizational and dynamic workforce planning exercise to establish the adequate staffing complement for each organizational unit and propose the overall authorized staff strength and levels needed to carry out IFAD’s programme of work; (ii) ensures position control procedures are enforced; (iii) provides recommendations to senior management on evolving budgetary priorities related to changes in the organization; (iv) manages relations with  all departments for optimal management of IFAD’s human, financial and material resources. 

Key Performance Indicators  

Within IFAD's overall Strategic Framework and Medium Term Plan, Directors establish IFAD's priorities for and provide leadership to division level programme and operational management activities and are accountable for a results-based approach to meeting assigned goals and objectives. Leadership activities include the optimum utilization of human, financial, technology and material resources for the achievement of greater efficiency and effectiveness. The incumbents' impact extends beyond the successful achievement of divisional goals and objectives to include larger departmental goals and objectives in strategic planning collaboration. The expected results directly and/or indirectly benefit the ultimate stakeholders, the rural poor in developing countries.

The key performance indicators for Directors include leadership in viable strategic planning, authoritative and relevant policy development and advice, sustainable programme decisions and integrity and accountability in the planning and management of the Fund's human, financial and material resources assigned to the division.

Working Relationships  

Within IFAD, Directors provide authoritative advice to senior management on the division's or office's vision, strategic planning, policy, and divisional programme and operational management. They are accountable for collaboration  and coordination  within  the Fund to ensure appropriate consultation, cross-functional synergy and coordination of programme planning and activities.

Externally Directors develop strategic partnerships and collaborative relationships with counterparts spanning a broad range of institutions including borrowers, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, UN agencies, funds and programmes, IFls, non-governmental organizations and academic  institutions  for the purpose of programme co-operation,  knowledge sharing,  policy dialogue and/or resource mobilization. They are also accountable for the provision of authoritative advice during Executive Board sessions, the annual Governing Council and related subordinate bodies including the audit and evaluation committees.

Directors represent the Fund in official  United Nations committees and networks, and in international financial institution, multilateral and bilateral meetings, symposia, fora and conferences upon request of the President, and build organizational networks with peers in major private,  public and international financial institutions.

Job Profile Requirements  

Organizational Competencies:

Level 2:

Education:

Experience:

Languages: 

Skills:

Position specifics

Other Information  

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD's Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation. 

Please be aware of fraudulent job offers. IFAD does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Official communication from IFAD will always come from e-mails ending in @ifad.org

All new staff members will normally be placed at the first step in the grade level for which they have been selected. Please visit IFAD compensation plan link and get acquanited of the salaries and benefits entitlements. https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.