African Dev Bank: Senior Financial Management Specialist

The African Development Bank Group AfDB is a development bank established with the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa. It is owned and funded by member governments of which Nigeria is a strong member, and has a public-interest mandate to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

Duties and responsibilities
Under the general supervision of the Manager, the incumbents will play a key role in the area of financial management in: (i) conducting analytic work and where appropriate, jointly with other donors to enhance the Bank’s knowledge, and (ii) providing sound technical support for the design and management of the portfolio. He/She will provide technical guidance at both the Headquarters and the Field Offices in the financial management activities of assigned projects and programs within the framework of the Bank’s policies and guidelines. Other specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Provide technical guidance at both the Headquarters and the Field Offices in the financial management activities of assigned projects and programs within the framework of the Bank’s policies and guidelines.
  
• Take a proactive role ensuring ‘Quality at Entry work’ in assessing the adequacy of the Borrower’s project financial management systems and their ability to manage and monitor Bank financed projects. This includes budgeting, policies and procedures, internal controls, accounting, financial reporting and auditing;
  
• Oversee the review of and provision of comments on financial management aspects of assigned projects and programs as documented in concept papers, feasibility studies, appraisal reports and other relevant documents to ensure consistency and enhance the quality of projects/program from the financial management perspective.
  
• Undertake project/program launching missions to assist the project/program team in developing capacity building of the Executing Agencies in the area of financial management.
  
• Carry out supervision work to ensure that projects financial management systems are functioning appropriately, including the periodic review of project financial management reports for financial performance;
  
• Provide advice and support to Borrower and the Bank Project Teams on matters affecting financial management and on capacity building in projects and with public sector accountability institutions;
  
• Assess the selection and engagement of auditors, ensuring their suitability including their independence, and competence to perform; and ensure that the borrower provides auditors with all the relevant information (including Terms of Reference and the Bank's own requirements) necessary to carry out their engagement;
  
• Handle the fiduciary aspects of new areas of business and provide relevant information on country specific issues to Country Teams (e.g. providing, inputs for Country Strategy Papers) sector staff and task teams on generic financial management issues for the given country.
  

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• A minimum of a professional accounting certification (CPA, CA, ACCA or equivalent) and a Master’s Degree or its university equivalent in accounting, business, finance, economics, or related subject is required;
  
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, preferably with particular expertise in public sector financial management (PFM) or with a major donor agency is required;
  
• Proven ability to conceptualize, design and implement country or sector level financial management analytical and capacity building initiatives is expected;
  
• Knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards, International Public Sector Accounting Standards and International Standards on Auditing is expected;
  
• An understanding of topical development issues beyond financial management such as donor harmonization, governance, public sector reform, environment and gender would be a plus;
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English and/or French with a working knowledge of the other language is preferred;
  
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) is preferred.

Deadline: 15th November, 2009

Method of Application
Applicants will only be considered if they submit (preferably electronically, to: [email protected]) 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.

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