THE POSITION:

The Chief Regional Financial Management Coordinator (RFMC) will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and will functionally report to the Manager, Financial Management Division, and administratively to the Regional Implementation Support Manager. He/she is expected to lead a team of Country Office based Financial Management Specialists (FMSs) within the East Africa Region in conducting (i) national or sector level fiduciary diagnostic work; (ii) operational support missions at the request of Project Team Leaders (PTL) throughout the project cycle; and (iii) technical support activities to improve borrowers’ financial management systems, including support for designing operations that focus on FM reform/development.

KEY FUNCTIONS:

Under the supervision of the Division Manager, Financial Management, the Chief Regional Financial Management Coordinator will perform the following duties:

• Providing technical guidance at the Country Offices in the financial management activities of projects and programs within the framework of the Bank’s policies and guidelines throughout the project life cycle;
• Taking a proactive role to ensure ‘Quality at Entry’ in assessing the adequacy of the Borrower’s project financial management systems and the Borrower’s ability to manage and monitor Bank financed projects. This includes budgeting, internal control, treasury management, accounting, financial reporting and external auditing;
• Undertaking Country Fiduciary Risk Assessment (CFRA) during the preparation of Country Strategy Paper (CSP) or  latest at appraisal stage for consideration in eligibility criteria for the use of Country Public Financial management Systems;
• Overseeing the review of and provision of comments on financial management aspects of assigned projects and programs as documented in concept notes, feasibility studies, appraisal reports and other relevant documents to ensure consistency and enhance the quality of projects/program from the financial management perspective;
• Attending negotiations and ensuring FM issues are appropriately taken into account in the financing agreement and other associated documentations;
• Participating in project/program launching missions to assist the project/program team and building the capacity of executing agencies in the area of financial management;
• Undertaking on-site and desk supervision missions based on assessed risk, and providing inputs to the aide memoires and FM performance ratings;
• Carrying out supervision work to ensure that project financial management systems are functioning appropriately, including the periodic review of project financial management reports for adequacy of financial performance;
• Ensuring compliance with the Bank’s audit and other FM requirements;
• Providing advice and support to borrowers and the Bank Project Teams on matters affecting financial management and disbursement;
• Providing financial management guidance for the development of technical assistance programs and evaluating and monitoring their implementation;
• Assessing the selection and engagement of external independent auditors, ensuring their suitability including their independence, and competence to perform;
• Applying remedial actions in case of non-compliance with financial management requirements in accordance with Bank policy;
• Ensuring the quality of the Bank portfolio at country level and at regional level through agreed portfolio KPIs;
• Participating in PEFA, SAI-PMF, and ROSC-AA assessments and on that basis, providing inputs to Bank operations and other initiatives in the countries concerned;
• Playing a leading role in CPPRs from the financial management perspective and drafting the FM part of the CPPR report;
• Undertaking Capacity building on FM issues in the countries and in sector departments in the Bank;
• Participating in donor coordination meetings within the country or region (if applicable) and in country dialogue platforms between the country and the donors on the basis of the Bank’s overall strategy to support aid effectiveness;
• Supporting the accountability institutions (PAO, SAIs, Parliaments) in the Country or Region on the basis of the Bank’s overall strategy to support aid effectiveness; and
• Supervising and coaching of country FMSs.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, economics or a related discipline and a professional accounting certification (such as CPA, CA, ACCA, Expert Comptable or equivalent);
• A minimum of seven (7) 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;
• Sound knowledge of the African Development Bank’s FM Policy and Procedures or other multi-lateral development Banks’ FM Policy and Procedures or other similar International Financial Institutions;
• Experience 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;
• Ability to develop and implement complex and multiple tasks and to recommend decisive action under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently in the region;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language is required for this role.  A working knowledge of French language will be an added advantage;
• Competence in the use of Bank standard software (SAP, Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint).