View Vacancy - Finance Officer, UK Mission to the United Nations

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)
HR

The British Government’s Mission to the United Nations (UKMIs) has an exciting opportunity for an active and dynamic person to join the Corporate Services Team as a Finance Officer. This opportunity is a rewarding role which supports and further develops the special relationship between the UK and the UN, supporting work at the forefront of international diplomacy in order to make a real difference globally.

The Mission is part of the wider British Government’s network of Consulates and Government Offices in the United States and offers a unique career enhancing opportunity. The Network is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k programme. It also promotes a culture of flexibility which enables people to better maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance approach that encompasses hybrid working, including working from home and flexible hours, where possible. In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment to support UK diplomats, armed forces personnel and other country based staff operating across the Mission.

The New York British Government Office is comprised of over 200 staff, across two offices, 8 Government Departments, and a wide range of policy priorities. The successful candidate will therefore be working with a diverse range of stakeholders and issues – exceptional people management and clear written and spoken communication skills are essential. The jobholder must have an adaptable approach with a willingness to learn and work flexibly across a broad range of issues, including new areas not covered above, which might emerge during the individual’s time in the role. Therefore, the successful candidate will be collaborative, proactive and willing to help others enthusiastically.

The Finance Officer’s role leads on the provision of financial management, reporting, and forecasting services for the Mission’s budgets reporting to the Mission’s senior managers.  To carry out day-to-day functions on purchasing and procurement, and to support the implementation of finance processes within the Mission’s overall operation.  To complete other ad hoc finance-related tasks as directed by management – the prime focus is on financial reporting. This is a great role for candidates looking to develop their career in business management and operational support. 

Roles and responsibilities

The post of Finance Officer is within the Mission’s Corporate Services Team.  The Finance Officer acts as a vital interface with staff in the Mission, central Finance and Procurement teams in the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and a number of external contacts. 

Key responsibilities include:

Budget management:

  • Provide stakeholders with in-depth analysis of the business results vs. Budget and budgetary forecasting leading to the identification of risks and opportunities and recommendations for appropriate actions to address them.
  • Lead work on preparing options and recommendations for senior managers on the allocation of and adjustments to the Mission’s budgets through the full financial year cycle so that adequate resources are utilised and optimised for the Mission.
  • Manage the Mission’s budget, through leading work on monitoring, forecasting and reporting the Mission’s expenditure and performance against budget allocations and maintaining oversight of devolved budgets and budget-holders within the Mission. 

Financial management:

  • Create and analyse monthly, quarterly and annual reports and ensure financial information has been recorded accurately.
  • Analyse the balance sheet accounts and ensure information is accurately and effectively reported and ensure financial management indicators are robust and issues resolved appropriately within agreed timescales.
  • Foster collaborative links with central finance operations hubs to ensure the Mission meets overall standards, provides the central finance team with the information it needs and to resolve and reconcile budgetary problems and differences.

Financial Processing

  • Support Purchase to Pay (PtP) processes, advising senior managers at the Mission, working with the central finance team and ensuring the Mission has the services and equipment it requires to fulfil its work purchase in line with internal procurement policies and regulations.
  • Provide advice and support to non-finance staff in the Mission on their own financial processes, use of finance systems, and their claims and expense processes.

Resources managed

The role has direct oversight of a multimillion dollar budget – providing key guidance to senior stakeholders.


The successful candidate will be an excellent, highly numerate finance operator, able to engage colleagues not expert in financial matters, build a rapport with all the staff in the whole Mission and carry the confidence of the Mission’s senior managers and colleagues in the central finance team. The job holder will have excellent organisational skills, an eye for detail and the ability to multitask and troubleshoot problems creatively without a drop in financial standards or service to colleagues and managers. Candidates will need the following:

  • strong analytical, planning, time management, and organizational skills;
  • experience of Microsoft Windows 10, including a strong understanding of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, and with bespoke data, record-keeping, personnel and finance IT systems;
  • at least 2 years of previous budget and financial forecasting experience;
  • multi-tasking, self-motivated and able to work as a part of a team; and
  • strong written and oral communication skills.

Language requirements

Fluent written and spoken English.

Other skills/experience/qualifications

  • Comfortable in working in a high paced office environment.
  • A foundational knowledge in finance.
  • Strong communication skills – written and verbal.
  • Familiar with MS software – especially EXCEL.

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office.  Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa.  All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. 
*A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.


Familiarity with Purchase to Pay systems - Oracle systems is preferred.

Experience working in the government sector.

3-5 years of work related experience.

Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Working Together
10 August 2022
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
New York
UK Delegation
1
USD
$74,000
3 October 2022

Learning and development opportunities

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development (communicating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc).

Working patterns

This role is 40 hours a week, with an expectation that the core hours are covered (9:00am to 3:00pm daily).

The British Embassy and its US Network embraces hybrid working, allowing its staff to typically work from home 2 or 3 times a week.  We are an organization that also recognises the critical value of team work and we embrace and endorse collaboration by ensuring that all staff attend the office flexibly yet regularly.


The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount. Internal candidates must inform their supervisor before they apply to a different position. Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed. The British Embassy is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law.


Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.