Public Finance Officer

Host entity: UNICEF

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Economics, poverty reduction, livelihoods, Finance, accounting, Community development

Application deadline: 13/09/2026

Mission and objectives

UNICEF helps build a world where the rights of every child are fully realized. It is our conviction that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created in 1946 to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. It has global authority to influence decision-makers, and a wide variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and Governments.

Assignment context

Zambia continues to face serious nutrition challenges despite policy commitments under the Eighth National Development Plan. Thirty two percent of children under five are stunted, including ten percent severely stunted, while three percent are wasted, a life-threatening condition that reflects persistent gaps in child survival and development.

Nutrition financing remains critically low, accounting for less than 0.01 percent of the K253.1 billion national budget. Although allocations increased slightly in 2026, these gains were eroded by inflation, leaving real funding levels unchanged from 2025. Nutrition was absent from both the 2026 Budget Speech and the Medium-Term Budget Plan, and the implementation of dedicated nutrition budget lines and mainstreaming across sectors remains limited.

Public finance is therefore central to addressing malnutrition in Zambia. The Government continues to mobilise financial and technical resources through the Medium-Term Budget Plans, with nutrition investments coordinated under the Public Finance Management for Nutrition in Children (PF4C-N). Under the decentralised system, strengthening Local Authorities’ capacity to plan, track, and report on nutrition budgets is critical. Increased and better coordinated investments across health, education, agriculture, fisheries and livestock, water and sanitation, and social protection are essential to improve outcomes for children, adolescents, and women.

Task description

The Public Finance Officer will support the Nutrition Section, specifically working closely with the UNICEF Nutrition Specialist. S/he will contribute to the section’s policy work, focusing on Public Finance Management for Nutrition in Children (PF4C-N) and multi-sectoral nutrition coordination capacity building at sub-national level, to support the Government of Zambia’s making informed budgetary decisions to address malnutrition. Areas to be covered include:

i. Annual Planning and Budget Formulation: Supporting the alignment of national nutrition plans with Mid Term Budget Plans (MTBP) processes, to help ensure focus includes linking policy commitments in development of plans. This includes contributing to costing of nutrition plans.
ii. Monitoring Budget Allocation, Tracking, and Execution: Assist in monitoring and tracking nutrition budgets, especially at sub-national levels, to understand the level of budget allocation and execution towards nutrition intervention.
iii. Building Capacity in Public Finance Management: Support and capacity building for Government programme managers in public finance management for nutrition and governance at provincial and district level.
iv. Support capacity building for District Food and Nutrition Coordinators and their Local Authorities supervisors in multi-sectoral nutrition coordination for joint planning, budgeting, and monitoring.
v. Supporting Data Analysis and Reporting: Support data extraction, analysis, and reporting within frameworks such as the UNICEF Public Finance for Nutrition (PF4C-N), contributing to evidence-based decision-making and advocacy.

Skills and experience

• Demonstrated interest and/or experience (up to two years) in working in a reputable organization or related public sector institutions, with preference for experience within the Ministry of Finance and National Planning or allied ministries.
• Demonstrated interest and/or experience (up to two years) in budget analysis and public finance management, including reviewing, scrutinizing, and interpreting national and subnational budget documents.
• Practical understanding of key budget instruments including Yellow Books, Medium-Term Budget Plans (MTBPs), Annual Budget Estimates, and Budget Speeches.
• Strong understanding of decentralization and intergovernmental fiscal processes, including Local Government planning and budgeting systems in Zambia.
• Exposure to nutrition related programs will be considered an added advantage.
• Be able to work independently as well as with a team in an international, multicultural and interdisciplinary environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Excellent communication and writing skills of the English language, including ability to present information at different levels and to different technical and non-technical audiences as well as drafting publishable documents.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; and office technology equipment.
• Strong communication, coordination, drafting, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and ability to support reporting, documentation, and stakeholder engagement processes.

Competencies and values

Accountability
Adaptability and Flexibility
Ethics and Values
Integrity
Respect for diversity

Living conditions

Zambia is a land-linked, resource-rich country with sparsely populated land in the centre of Southern Africa. It shares its border with eight countries (Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe) that serve as an expanded market for its goods.

Lusaka is the capital of the Republic of Zambia. The climate is sunny and temperate, but it can be very cold during few months, with freezing temperature at times especially during the night. It is therefore advisable to bring warm clothing and foresee using heaters and other heating options when necessary. As the commercial and cultural centre of Zambia, Lusaka has seen rapid development in recent decades, with reasonable transportation connections and widely spoken English making the city highly attractive to vacationers and experts alike. Unemployment and poverty are issues in the city, and beyond. Key industries for the region and Zambia as a whole, include mining, agriculture, and tourism. Like most Southern African cities, life in Lusaka will require some adjustments for a person moving from outside the region, but the potential rewards and opportunities for experiences are well worth the effort.

Lusaka hosts several international organisation and embassies/diplomatic missions, therefore there is a very large community of expatriates from around the world. Housing is most of the time readily available and of good standard options are available. Most foodstuffs, beverages, household goods, furniture, and clothing, mostly imported from South Africa, Europe, and China while some ranges of local brands are available at a competitive price to imports. Meat, fish, fresh fruits, and vegetables are reasonably priced and abundantly available.

The basic infrastructures roads, utilities, and telecommunications are of reasonable standard, although the city experiences power outages from time to time. Medical facilities are still largely inadequate, although several private clinics and hospitals provide reasonably good routine care. Several restaurants around the city serve local or international cuisine and there are numerous social and sports facilities (fitness, tennis, swimming, riding, golf, etc.) in the major hotels or in different establishments around the city. There are no major or special security concerns within Lusaka city limits. For more information, please visit http://zambiatourism.com.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.