The Senior Finance Specialist at this level manage a complete financial operation, encompassing a wide variety of funding sources, a large volume of transactions and extensive dispersed activities.
They are typically accountable for unit work plan establishment and supervision of a team of Finance Specialists, Associates and/or Assistants.
Position specifics: The scope of the role of the Senior Finance Officer (Environmental Finance) includes coordination with internal and external stakeholders for financial accounting and reporting activities, being a key stakeholder towards external and internal auditors and the various multilateral climate finance donors. The incumbent should have an in-depth knowledge of multilateral climate funds such as Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), Adaptation Fund, EU, etc and related financial and administrative procedures applicable to other IFAD supplementary funds agreements. S/he is a senior professional with an in-depth understanding of relevant financial management and accounting principles, standards, and methods applicable to operations financed by financial institutions/ international aid organizations. The incumbent plays a key role in the fulfilment of FCD`s financial management and reporting function of the GCF Trust Fund, Rural Resilience Trust Fund, the Global Environmental Facility, Adaptation Fund, LDCF, SCCF, Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GASFP), EU (etc.) and other Financial Reporting requirements.
Key Functions and Results:
Finance Practice Leader:
The incumbent 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 Specialist 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 Specialist ensures accuracy and enhances accountability in the preparation of IFAD’s financial statements, policies, and procedures.
Finance Business Partner:
The incumbent 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.
Financial Management:
The incumbent 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 contributing to the development and continuous evolution of strategic frameworks; adapting rules and establishing financial procedures relating to the assigned operation; 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; financial reporting and preparing responses for management on queries raised and views expressed by IFAD’s Governing Council and other relevant shareholders/partners; reviewing audit reports and providing guidance lo IFAD staff and projects on sound financial management practices; leading the preparation of timely, substantive replies to internal and external audit observations concerning the assigned financial operation; and analyzing IFAD experience with other IFIs and development organizations to adopt best financial management practices in administering IFAD’s financial resources.
Agent Of Change:
The incumbent 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 workflows. At this level the Specialist 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.
Managerial Functions:
The incumbent is typically a team leader with accountability for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This may include: 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; Resource Management by providing strategic and data inputs into the divisional budget preparation exercises; Knowledge and Content Management by ensuring knowledge content within functional area is continuously updated and available to colleagues and clients best practices are continuously identified, documented and distributed and 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.
Education:
Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in Accounting, Business Administration or Finance or related field is required The advanced university degree may be substituted by a first university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) in the above-mentioned subjects plus at least four additional years of relevant professional experience, over and above the minimum number of years of experience outlined below.
For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in the IFAD’s Human Resources Implementing
Degree must be an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php .
Experience:
At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience.
Three (3) years in an International Financial Institution.
Position-specific experience:
At least 5 years of experience with managing a team to ensure motivation and high performance. Experience working with IFRS is required.
Experience in managing expenditure verifications from multilateral donors such as EU and, budget management of supplementary funds and related management fee is required.
Experience in financial reporting to multilateral donors and knowledge of PeopleSoft –Oracle BI systems is considered an asset.
Professional training in audit is considered an asset.
