DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT
2 years renewable
I. ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas in developing countries. It does so by financing projects and programmes that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and by advocating at the local, national and international level for policies that enable poor rural people to overcome poverty.
II. DIVISIONAL CONTEXT
The Controller's and Financial Services Division (CFS) is located in the Financial Operations Department. CFS supports the mission of IFAD by providing sound financial management practices, effective financial accounting, payments and reporting that supports decision making, and developing innovative solutions to assist the Fund in achieving its strategic goals. A Regional Team within CFS has the overall responsibility for the financial management arrangements in Fund projects, and the timely and efficient delivery of loan and grant administration services for the portfolio within the assigned cluster of countries, in line with the CFS work plan.
The Senior Finance Officer is a Team Leader, Loans and Grants (for Latin America and the Caribbean region) and works under direct supervision of the Manager, Loans and Grants on an assigned group of countries within the assigned Region. S/he will be highly committed to the delivery of objectives and activities assigned; and keep abreast of the financial management developments and skills required to respond to the divisional work plans and results. S/he is accountable for the regional team work plan establishment and supervision of a team of Finance Officers, Associates and/or Assistants of the assigned cluster.
III. POST'S ORGANISATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Senior Finance Officers at this level manage a complete financial operation, encompassing a wide variety of funding sources, a large volume of transactions and extensive dispersed activities. The accountabilities / key results include:
- Finance Practice Leader
- Finance Business Partner
- Financial Management
- Agent of Change
Key responsibilities for the Senior Finance Officer, Loans & Grants, include management of a complex portfolio and some challenging fiduciary issues that require careful handling. S/he will proactively undertake early identification of financial or fiduciary risks in the Fund's lending program and the development of mitigation strategies thereon to ensure improved results of the financial management of IFAD projects and programmes in line with the Fund's objectives and divisional work plans and in compliance with Fund's Financial Management Strategy and Guidelines.
IV. KEY RESULTS EXPECTED/MAJOR FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. FINANCE PRACTICE LEADER: The Senior Finance Officer at this level is accountable for technical leadership in his/her operational area at the corporate level and/or responsibility for leadership of other Professional and/or General Service staff ensuring compliance with financial principles and concepts, policies, regulations and rules as well as for soundness of judgement and conclusions. S/He directly supervises a finance unit with responsibility for work planning and organization, supervision of the work of the unit/section assigned and establishing and monitoring performance management indicators of success. The Senior Officer develops, implements and monitors the interpretation and application of new financial policies, regulations, rules, practices, procedures and systems to meet the evolving needs of the Fund. His/Her authoritative knowledge of the Fund¿s governing structure, mandate, long-term business strategy, financial rules and regulations as well as of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The Senior Officer ensures accuracy and enhances accountability in the preparation of IFAD's financial statements, policies and procedures.
2. FINANCE BUSINESS PARTNER: The Senior Finance Officer is a credible, trusted partner to the client offices served and the Department/Division/Unit where assigned. S/He contributes directly to the development of the Fund's financial strategy and plans as well as models a commitment to financial integrity by acting as a responsive and constructive service provider with a focus on results. In all interactions s/he promotes the concept of results based management and accountability for the financial resources entrusted to IFAD.
3. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: At this level the Senior Finance Officer is a team leader with the capacity to develop as well as authoritatively interpret and apply a broad range of international and IFAD financial policies, rules and regulations as well as systems, standards and techniques. Activities performed by all finance occupations include (a) contributing to the development and continuous evolution of strategic frameworks; (b) adapting rules and establishing financial procedures relating to the assigned operation; (c) creating effective monitoring systems including operational oversight to ensure effective management of assigned operations, including ensuring due regard to segregation of financial tasks as required; (d) financial reporting and preparing responses for management on queries raised and views expressed by IFAD's Governing Council and other relevant shareholders/partners; (e) reviewing audit reports and providing guidance lo IFAD staff and projects on sound financial management practices; (f) leading the preparation of timely, substantive replies to internal and external audit observations concerning the assigned financial operation; and (g) analysing IFAD experience with other IFIs and development organizations to adopt best financial management practices in administering IFAD's financial resources. Representative occupational activities include:
- Senior Finance Officer (Loans and Grants)posts are responsible for providing leadership to Regional loan and grant activities, including formally supervising Finance Officers who in turn are responsible for managing the full range of complex loans and grants portfolio(s). Representative activities include approving Borrowers applications for withdrawal of funds from loan and grant accounts; participating in loan negotiations to articulate the Fund 's lending policies and operational procedures; coordinating financial management dialogue and actions on Loans and Grants involving Fund operational staff, cooperating institutions, borrowers, co-financiers and projects; and maintaining operational links with borrowers and project staff and cooperating institutions during implementation.
4. AGENT OF CHANGE: The Senior Finance Officer understands and applies the principles of change management and proactively serves as a role model for transformation and capacity for acceptance of change. S/He uses a seasoned knowledge of results based management and budgeting, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other information technology to develop, analyze and promote acceptance of new methods of work and automated work flows. At this level the Officer manages change through consultations with inter-organizational and internal finance colleagues and outreach to client offices to build understanding of and to ensure open and regular communications pertaining to current and planned changes in the Fund's financial standards, regulations and rules.
5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Senior Finance Officer is typically a team leader with accountability for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This may include: (a) People Management through work plan development, recruitment, performance and career management of P and GS staff as well as learning management establishing learning plans and ensuring staff supervised meet their development needs while meeting the needs of IFAD; (b) Resource Management by providing strategic and data inputs into the divisional budget preparation exercises; (c) Knowledge and Content Management by ensuring (i) knowledge content within functional area is continuously updated and available to colleagues and clients (ii) best practices are continuously identified, documented and distributed and (iii) appropriate and up-to-date information and learning tools are available to the Fund's managers, supervisors and staff; and Information Technology Management through leveraging ERP functionality for improved business results, simplification of transaction and reporting processes and improved client services.
V. IMPACT OF KEY RESULTS/KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Senior Officers at this level are accountable for authoritative advice and guidance in regard to the Fund's financial policies, regulations and practices and authoritative interpretation to resolve difficult and unusual cases. They make recommendations to senior management on questions of financial policy, including those that may be the subject of inter-organizational consultations.Senior Finance Officers are also accountable for leading and ensuring the accuracy of a complete, complex financial operation identified by the variety and number of funding sources, diversity of currencies, and the requirement for producing various reports to legislative bodies, member governments, and others interested in the activities of the Fund. S/He achieves finance programme goals and objectives through innovative program design or redesign. The work requires the development of new and/or modifications of existing policies, practices and techniques as well as the revision of finance Officer and analyst work performed at lower levels, taking corrective and adaptive actions.
The key performance indicators for Senior Finance Officers at this level include leadership, both technical and team.
VI. REPRESENTATION / WORK RELATIONSHIPS
Internally Senior Finance Officers are authoritative technical advisers to the Fund's managers, other budget holders and staff in their area of assignment and advocate for accountability and integrity in the allocation and management of the Fund's financial resources. Contacts extend throughout the organization and include Country Office management, internal auditors and evaluation Officers. Externally work relationships require collaboration and coordination to ensure the effective implementation of financial rules and procedures, with particular reference to the use of donor funding through contacts with Borrowers and Contributing institutions. S/He will also be in direct contact with external auditors and counterparts in other IFI and UN organizations and with senior representatives of key financial service providers and counterparties.
VII. COMPETENCIES
Organizational
- Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence
- Demonstrating Leadership: Leads by example; initiates and supports change
- Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Challenges, innovates and contributes to a learning culture
- Focusing on clients: Contributes to a client-focused
- Problem solving and decision making: Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact
- Managing time, resources and information: Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources
- Team Work: Fosters a cohesive team environment
- Communicating and negotiating: Acquires and uses a wide range of communication styles and skills
- Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally
- Managing performance and developing staff: Manages staff and teams effectively
Technical/ Functional
- Authoritative knowledge of the principles and concepts of financial management including IFRS.
- Ability to provide technical and administrative leadership to staff supervised and to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
- Capacity to develop and adapt policies, approaches and models to meet emerging system needs and to enhance the continuing accuracy, integrity and accountability of the Fund's financial resources.
- Ability to identify and analyze systemic issues, formulate opinions and make conclusions and recommendations to resolve same.
- Analytical, organizational and supervisory skills.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a diverse organization tailoring language, tone, style and format to match audience.
- Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equitable consideration of women and men in all assigned HR activities.
- Excellent knowledge of information technology systems and tools as they pertain to financial systems.
VIII. MINIMUM RECRUITMENT QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in accounting, finance, business administration or other job related field.
- Relevant professional accounting qualification (Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Chartered Accountant or equivalent would be an asset.
Experience
- At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, financial management and accountability funds, budget analysis or management analysis, including relevant work in a leading audit firm. In lieu of an advanced university degree, a Bachelor's degree in any of the above named areas and at least twelve (12) years' of relevant post-qualification experience.
- Relevant experience in any of these sectors would be an advantage: bi/multi-lateral international aid organizations, development, financial and/or public sector institutions.
Languages and other skills:
- Full command of English and Spanish language is required.
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to speak persuasively and explain portfolio and procedural guidelines effectively, in writing and orally; ability to deal with a wide variety of clients and stakeholders at all levels.
IX. OTHER INFORMATION
Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.
Interested candidates are requested to apply by completing IFAD's Personal History Form (PHF) in English. A separate CV may be attached if you so desire, only as a supplement and NOT a substitute to the PHF. The application should be made through the online system only. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY the instructions in 'How to Apply' before you start.
In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful.
Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews
Credit to https://job.ifad.org/index.html?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&SiteId=1000&JobOpeningId=1364
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