Certifying Officer (APRM) at the African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Certifying Officer (APRM)

Requisition ID: 1657
Location: Midrand, South Africa
Job Grade: P2
Division: Finance
Contract Type: Regular
Reports to: Head of Finance
Organization: African Union
Directorate/Department/Organ: African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)

Purpose of Job

• To provide technical support and advise in the management of financial services and the broader management of the APRM regarding budgeting and financial reporting and analysis.

Main Functions

• Provides technical assistance in the preparation and implementation of  the programmes developed out of the Division’s strategic plan
• Liaises with APRM Member States and AU Policy organs on relevant matters as required
• Provides support in preparation and development of reports, budget and work programmes related to the respective area and the functioning of the Division
• Conducts analysis and generates accurate reports in a timely manner and for AU’s internal use.
• Liaises with the various Departments/Units of the Commission for coordination and alignment purposes
•  Provides support in budget preparation for the Division/Unit in accordance with relevant frameworks.
• Assists in the promotion of the activities of the Division including preparing leaflets, guidelines and fact sheets as may be required.
• Provides support in development of strategies, policies, programmes and plan
• Supervises employees under his/her supervision with regard to organization and performance evaluation.

Specific Responsibilities

• Certify that the payments are legal, proper, accurate and complete before the actual payment.
• Verify that funds are allocated for each payment.
• Pre-audit all payrolls, claims and other financial transactions upon certification by the authorized person that the amount was due and unpaid according to the records.
• Reviewing receipts, adjustments and disbursement requests
• Certify that travel advances and retirement are accurate, complete and timely settled.
• Assisting in identifying, assessing, and monitoring risks and implementing the necessary controls to keep the risk exposure to an acceptable level.
• Controlling all expenditures to ensure that budget appropriations are not overspent.
• Establishing controls, using policy guidelines and generally accepted accounting principles, for the prevention of waste, fraud and mismanagement.
• To report to management any financial irregularities as required
• Verify that financing agreements with development partners comply with Financial Rules and Regulations and relevant policies
• Verify the quality and completeness of financial reports to all stakeholders.
• Review and validate the approval of the annual budget before loading it into the system.
• Perform other related duties as may be assigned.

 Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Financial Management, Auditing, Accounting, or Commerce with 5 years progressive work experience in auditing, budgeting, accounting and financial management.
• A professional qualification in accounting such as CIA, CPA, CA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent from a recognized Institution will be and added advantage.
• Experience of working in a certification, audit or inspection type (or related) role within public sector institutions or similar organizations nationally, regionally and/or internationally is desirable.

OR

• Master's Degree in Finance Management, Auditing or Accounting, or Commerce with 2 years’ progressive work experience in auditing, budgeting, accounting, and financial management.
• A professional qualification in accounting such as CIA, CPA, CA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent from a recognized Institution will be and added advantage.
• Experience of working in a certification, audit or inspection type (or related) role within public sector institutions or similar organizations nationally, regionally and/or internationally is desirable

Required Skills:

• Experience in working on ERP-SAP
• Knowledge of the finance standard practices, procedures and technicalities
• Ability to interpret and implement financial rules and policies
• Analytical skills
• Interpersonal skills    

Computer Skills:

• Communication skills, report writing and presentation skills
• Planning, organizing and coordination skills
• Ability to work with a diverse team.

Leadership Competencies:

• Change Management
• Managing Risk.

Core Competencies:

• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Accountability awareness and Compliance
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating with Influence.

Functional Competencies:

• Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Job Knowledge and information sharing
• Drive for Result
• Continuous Improvement Focus.

Tenure of Appointment:

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$ 31,073.00 (P2 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment (57% of basic salary), a Housing allowance of US$ 21,832.68 (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Application Closing Date
2nd May, 2023.