African Development Bank (AfDB): Jobs and Vacancies

Position title: Principal Regional Financial Management Coordinator (Southern African Region)
Grade: PL- 4

Reference: ADB 10/068
Publication date: 28/05/2010
Closing date: 21/06/2010

Objectives

The Procurement and Fiduciary Services Department reports to the Vice President, Country and Regional Programmes & Policy (ORVP). The Department supports the Sector Departments in project cycle activities and in monitoring compliance in fiduciary safeguards related to the financial management of projects and programmes on the one hand and procurement activities on the other.

In addition, it is also responsible for engaging in framing financial management and procurement policies guidelines and rules. The Department is also mandated to provide training to Borrowers and to Bank staff relating to financial management and procurement. The Fiduciary Services Division (ORPF.2) is responsible for all financial management issues. It has an increasing country presence through a growing network of 26 field offices.

Duties and responsibilities

The Regional Financial Management Coordinator (RFMC) will be located in the Pretoria Country Office in South Africa and will report to the Manager, Fiduciary Services and will be supervised administratively by the Country Manager. He/she is expected to lead a team of Country Office based Financial Management Specialists (CFMS) within the Southern Africa Region in conducting:

• National or sector-level fiduciary diagnostic work;
• Operational support missions at the request of Project Team Leaders (PTL) throughout the project cycle; and
• Technical support to improve borrowers’ financial management systems, including support for designing lending operations that focus on FM reform/development.

Other specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Plan and prioritize FM work for the entire region and communicate the same to PTLs, Country Managers and the Fiduciary Services Manager;
• Take a proactive role ensuring ‘Quality at Entry work’ through supervision of CFMSs in assessing the adequacy of the Borrowers’ project financial management systems and ensuring consistency and quality of FM aspects in project/program documents. The RFMC will also be responsible for selected high-value or particularly complex FM issues;
• Provide technical guidance within the framework of the Bank’s policies and guidelines to PTLs, CFMSs and Executing Agencies with respect to the financial management activities of projects and programs for the region;
• Manage the resolution of complex financial management issues, etc. in case of differing views between the PTLs and CFMSs and where appropriate through interpretation of related Bank guidelines; international standards; or best practice;
• Provide financial management guidance for the development of technical assistance programs and evaluate and monitor their implementation;
• Carry out the fiduciary aspects of new areas of business and provide relevant information on country specific issues to country units, sector staff and task teams on generic country specific financial management and disbursement issues;
• Supervise, mentor and coach CFMSs within the region;
• Represent the Bank at regional financial management and other relevant fora.

Selection Criteria

Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• A minimum of a professional accounting qualification ( such as CPA, CA, ACCA or equivalent) plus a Master’s Degree or its university equivalent in accounting, business, finance, economics, or related subject.
• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant experience, preferably with a donor organization working on public sector financial management.
• Knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards, International Public Sector Accounting Standards and International Standards on Auditing is a requirement;
• Experience required in designing and assessing internal control systems and procedures using internationally accepted control frameworks such as COSO, with the ability to assess such systems and recommend remedial action where necessary;
• Proven ability to conceptualize, design and monitor the implementation of country or sector level financial management capacity building initiatives;
• Demonstrate an understanding of cross-cutting issues beyond financial management (e.g. procurement, governance, public sector management) at sector/country level;
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently in the region;
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English and/or French with a working knowledge of the other language;
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word. Excel. Access, and PowerPoint).

Only applicants who fully meet the Bank’s requirements and are being considered for interview will be contacted.

Applicants will only be considered if they submit (preferably electronically, to: recruit@afdb.org) a fully completed Personal History Form (PHF), available from the Bank’s web site, and attach a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV) indicating date of birth and nationality.

The President, ADB, reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level.

The African Development Bank is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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