BACKGROUND

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GoE) and the International Development Association (IDA) have signed a Financing Agreement (FA) on June 15, 2016 for Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP). The project covers a period of five years (from 2016 – 2021). IDA will finance the project by investing 100 Million US Dollar which will be spent in community driven development activities in five targeted regions viz’, Afar, Benshingulegumuz, Gambella, Somali and Tigray. The Project is under the process of restructuring with additional financing (AF) to scale up the operation and extend the project duration.

The development objective of DRDIP is to mitigate the impact of refugee presence on the hosting communities, through expending access to community demand-driven social and economic services. DRDIP has four components ;(i) Social and Economic Service and Infrastructure; (ii) Sustainable Environmental Management; (iii)Livelihoods Program and (iv) Project Management and M&E.

Social and Economic Service and Infrastructure

DRDIP will support the Social and Economic Service and Infrastructure which aims to promote refugee hosting communities’ access to basic social and economic service and infrastructures prioritized by beneficiary communities. It will strengthen decentralized and participatory planning procedures at the community, Kebele and woreda levels by building community-based institutions and pertinent capacity at both the community and local government levels. The process will follow a community-driven development approach.

Sustainable Environmental management

The objective of this component is to ensure environmental and natural resource are carefully and sustainably managed to support current and future needs and livelihoods of the beneficiary communities. Supply side interventions of this component will support enhanced and sustainable environmental and ecosystem services including integrated natural resource management; development of small scale, micro and household irrigation schemes. On the other hand; demand side interventions of this component will support the reduction of the unsustainable exploitation of natural resource, including mitigation of risks and other challenges and help address gender issues by reducing drudgery (time and energy spent on collecting fuel wood), exposure to risks and violence as well as improving health and indoor air pollution through the use of cleaner fuels and fuel saving cooking technologies

Livelihood Program

The objective of this component is to improve livelihoods and increase of refugee hosting communities based on a market-system approach. The component will support intervention aimed at improving the productivity of traditional livelihoods and non-traditional livelihoods. Traditional livelihoods will focus on improving productivity of crops and livestock and improved market linkage and adoption of best practices. Non-traditional livelihoods will be identified based on market assessment to impart skills for increased employability, enterprise development and promote other income generating activities .The component will strengthen existing Community Based Organization (CBOs) that is an organized community group established for discussing and solving social issues in varies aspects of development. It also supports formation of new Community Based Organizations.

Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation

The objective of this component is to ensure the time implementation of the project according to its core principle and Project Development Objective (PDOs), effective monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of results, including results to crosscutting issues. M&E activities will include regular monitoring of implementation performance, independent process monitoring (including inter alia regular assessments of community level planning and review of the effectiveness and quality of capacity building efforts). Outcome/impact evaluations at end of project, and annual thematic studies.

Job Description

Tasks Summary

The Financial Management Specialist will be responsible to ensure sound financial management system for the successful implementation of the DRDIP following the government’s public financial management systems and the World Bank’s financial management procedures consistent with the DRDIP legal agreements between the GoE and the World Bank. The Financial Management Specialist will be responsible for the overall management of the project financial management arrangements and will work closely with project team and MoA Finance Directorate.

Specific Tasks

Assists the senior Financial Management Specialist in ensuring the availability of working manuals, documents and approved financial management staff at all levels including:

• Financial Management Manual
• Accountable documents like Payment Vouchers, Cash Receipt Vouchers and Journal Vouchers, Goods Receiving Vouchers, Goods/Store Issue Vouchers, and Goods Return Vouchers;
• Approved Annual Work Plan and Budget(AWPB) by implementing entities
• Working formats like IFR formats, Fixed Assets registers;
• Computers in a safe condition from virus and unauthorized access (and free from unnecessary interaction with external medias including flash disks and CDs); and
• Complete contact list of federal, regional and woreda accountants,
• Maintain Project FM staffing database and ensure positions are filled and maintained,
• . Recording and reporting functions including maintaining books of accounts in accordance with DRDIP Financial Management Manual, he/she is responsible to:
• Ensure that all implementing agencies have installed the required FM system acceptable to the World Bank;
• Install, implement, and advise on accounts control and other accounting systems for the Project;
• Maintain an up-to-date and reliable financial management system;
• Monitor the performance of fund flow mechanisms of the Project;
• Check payment sheets and formats before approval by authorized body
• Prepare fund transfers letters from federal to regional level
• Follow up receipt of Monthly & quarterly reports from project implementing agencies;
• Ensure compliance of budgetary and internal control procedures;
• Ensure that external audits are arranged at least once a year and internal auditor to plan and support the project throughout the implementations;
• Facilitate the conduct of audit processes as before, during, and after the audit engagements as per the pertinent audit ToR, and Bank requirements,
• Make sure that all accounting information is made available to internal and external auditors and answer queries regarding accounting and financial records and statements;
• Preparation of IFR and year-end financial statements accurately and timely as indicated in the Financial Management Manual of DRDIP. This includes: Accounting transaction processed at the Federal level and Consolidation of the Regional reports.
• Ensure that Monthly & quarterly reports are sent to the World Bank and Ministry of Finance according to the financing agreements and PIM (in less than 45 days after the end of the quarter)
• Ensure that audited financial statements are sent to World Bank and Ministry of Finance according to the financing agreements and PIM,
• Ensure that the audited financial statements are publicly disclosed in a manner acceptable to the Bank (such as on the website of the Ministry)

Conducting monitoring and financial management activities including:

• Ensuring monthly bank statements are received and reconciliations are prepared immediately;
• Preparing payrolls to contract DRDIP employees;
• Ensuring the timely preparation of vouchers and payment to Vendors and other payees;
• Ensuring that payment of tax obligations including income taxes, withholding taxes, VAT and cost shading deduction to ERCA;
• Monitoring the reconciliation of transfers to the Region, advances and prepayments;
• Reviewing and approving monthly and quarterly financial report;
• Making sure that all fixed assets acquired are provided with identification number and recorded on the fixed asset registers; counted and reconciled to the register at least once a year
• Following up on receipt of monthly& quarterly Balance Sheet and Revenue expenditure statements from Regions.
• Ensuring count of cash in hand balance at least once a month to confirm existence of recorded cash balance, and other assets at least once a year.

Planning and budgeting including:

• Participating in the annual budgeting process at the federal level and implementing the same when approved;
• Ensuring that the budget for the project is approved through normal government procedures;
• Monitoring every payment is supported by budget and that there is no overspending;
• Reviewing, strengthening and approving the monthly budget utilization report;
• Ensuring recording of commitments payable at the end of the fiscal year.

Ensuring appropriate corrective actions are taken on audit findings

• Developing audit action plans that clearly define the actions to be taken, responsible body, and the timeline to address the findings;
• Following up audit action plans and preparing status reports for actions taken (to be submitted to the National Project coordinator and World bank);
• Visiting regions and woredas and providing the necessary support to ensure closure of outstanding findings.

Facilitation and dissemination of financial management information including:

• Coordinating and supervising accounting and financial management related activities at federal, regional, and wereda levels;
• Track FM performance improvement action plans and report to Bank on timely basis
• Ensure IFR and audit reviews and World Bank recommendations are timely followed up and communicated to all concerned, and ensure timely actions,
• Facilitating the completion of annual audit of project financial statements not later than six months after the close of the fiscal year;
• Ensuring timely replenishments are made to project implementing agencies and Maintaining the time of submission of withdrawal application for Disbursement by the world Bank; and
• Supporting and supervising the Federal and Regional accountants.

Communication (Having a strong working relationship) including:

• Overseeing the overall acquaintance with bank officers for follow-up on fund arrival and availability, advice, and bank statements;
• Networking with the woreda and regional offices in the Ethiopian Government structure and relevant sector offices within the public body;
• Reading and keeping full understanding of Project Implementation Manual and Financial Management Manual; and
• Liaising with the Government institutions and the World Bank and ensuring that accounting records are maintained and financial reports are prepared on schedule, delivered to the Government and to the World Bank as per legal agreements
• Responsible for managing client connection of world bank system for he required communication

Handing over report including:

• Handing over report including the action plan and status report as to the overall activities of finance before he leaves the office for leave more than 3 days; and
• Preparing comprehensive handover report when he/she resigns according to the handing over procedure indicated in the financial management manual and Civil Service rules and regulations.

Training and coaching including

• Planning structured training for accountants at all levels, at least once a year;
• Designing the needed training and arranging the pre-requisites;
• Overseeing and delivering training and coaching support to Regional and Woreda level accountants ;and
• Planning and conducting regular financial management supervisions and reviews at regional and woreda level, including subprojects financial management

Other DRDIP financial management activities as directed by the National Project Coordinator.

Deliverables

• The Financial Management Specialist timely submits quality quarterly unaudited Interim Financial Report (IFR) to World Bank and monthly, quarterly & yearly financial status reports of the Project, ensuring compliance with reporting requirements
• Prepare various reports as required (region and woreda review/supervision reports, action plans, audit findings status reports
• Prepare a clear presentation report for Biannual Joint Implementation support mission of the project

Job Requirement

• She/he should have a BA Degree in Accounting or Master’s degree in accounting and Finance from recognized university or ACCA certification
• At least ten years of practical experience for BA Degree and eight years for MA Degree or ACCA.
• The candidate should have demonstrated experience in donor funded projects preferably projects financed by World Bank/, and preferably also required to have knowledge of financial policies and procedures of the World Bank.
• Proficiency in computerized financial management systems is required Like Peachtree Accounting, Excel. Etc.
• Practical experience on Integrated Financial Management Information System/IFMIS and/or IBEX will have an added advantage
• Communication and training skills are essential,
• Good Command of English and Amharic languages

Reporting Line/Communication

• The Financial Management Specialist will report to the National Project Coordinator and work closely with MoA Finance Directorate, relevant directorates in the MoF, national project team, regional project implementing Bureaus, Woreda Finance and Economic Development Office, and development partners mainly with World Bank Financial Management staff.

Duration of the Assignment

• The duration of the assignment will be for one year, but extendable depending on the satisfactory performance until the project period.

Work plan

Based on the main and specific tasks in the ToR and overall targets of the project, the Financial Management Specialist is expected to prepare detail annual plan with quarterly and monthly break down

Performance Appraisal

• In line with Biannual Joint Implementation support mission of the project and based on the detail work plan of the specialist & the project; performance appraisal and rating will be conducted every six months.

Place of Work: Addis Ababa with frequent travel to project regions and woredas.

How to Apply

Application Deadline:- Interested Applicants can submit their CV and original testimonials with non returnable copies with in 7 days of this announcement on news paper.

Address: Around Gurd shola Adjacent to Agricultural Research Institute. Ministry of Agriculture Block C Ground Floor, Human Resource Development and Administration Directorate Office. For more information Tell:- 0116677346