WDA Financial Management Specialist Job Vacancy in Rwanda

BACKGROUND:

Rwanda’s
long-term development vision, as outlined in the Vision 2020, is to be a middle
income export-oriented economy, operating as a knowledge-based service hub by
2020.The Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) 2008-2012
targets economy-wide productivity improvements and an economic transformation
from subsistence agriculture towards commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and
services. These strategies are expected to raise demand for better and more
appropriately skilled workers.

Recognizing
the critical need for skilled human resources to be able to meet private and
public sector demands, the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has established the
Workforce Development Authority (WDA) to provide practical skills for the
Rwandese workforce. The WDA’s mandate is to promote, facilitate, and guide the
development and upgrading of skills and competences in order to enhance competitiveness
and employability of the Rwandese workforce. This will be achieved through a
strong and dynamic Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
system.

Considering
the Government of Rwanda’s strong emphasis on TVET, the GoR has negotiated for
a Credit with the World Bank to enable the WDA implement the Skills Development
Project (SDP) whose main objective is to improve access to quality and relevant
vocational training.

One
of the components of SDP is called Rapid Skills Delivery whose objective is to
minimize skills gaps by rapidly increasing the supply of skills in high demand
in the labour market. The instrument that will be used to achieve this is a
Skills Development Facility (SDF) that will provide sub-grants to eligible
applicants (training providers) on a competitive basis for the purpose of
raising the quality and volume of their training in demonstrated areas of
skills shortages.

A
Secretariat for the implementation of the SDF will be established, led by the
SDF Manager. The SDF Secretariat will carry out activities to generate
applications, evaluate proposals (together with an independent Grants
Committee), and to support the implementation of the winning proposals.

The
SDF is considered a pilot activity, and its performance will be used to help
determine in which manner the Government of Rwanda will continue to finance
training providers in the future.

It
is with this background that WDA is hiring the SDF Financial Management
Specialist on a long-term contract.

POSITION
SUMMARY:

To ensure that
sub-grant beneficiaries of the SDF have the adequate financial management
capacity to ensure compliance with applicable financial management
procedures.
To provide
management of the SDF’s finances through budgeting, directing and
controlling the SDF resources in line with WDA and World Bank Financial
policies and procedures, International accounting standards and ensuring
compliance with the World Bank regulations.

KEY
RESPONSIBILITIES:

Maintain
and keep custody of all SDF financial records and submit timely financial
accountability reports to the Manager (SDF).

Forecast
and monitor the financial resources usage (sub-grants) in line with World Bank
policies and guidelines.

a)
Financial Management Capacity of Sub-Grant Beneficiaries:

To
ensure that sub-grant beneficiaries can and do comply with applicable financial
management procedures, the Financial Management Specialist will:

Develop
financial management capacity criteria with which sub-grant beneficiaries
need to comply;
Evaluate to
which extent applicants and applications for SDF financing comply with the
criteria for financial management;
Determine the
scope of any actions or capacity building that applicants need to
undertake to comply with the criteria for financial management;
Support
sub-grant applicants and sub-grant beneficiaries in meeting the criteria
for financial management;
Monitor
compliance of sub-grant beneficiaries with the criteria for financial
management;

b)
Budgeting/Management/Commitments/Reporting:

Develop the
annual SDF financial operating budget plans and monitor actual
performance;
Prepare payment
requests for approved SDF sub-grants;
Perform proper
disbursement, accounting, and reporting of sub-grants;
Liaise with the
SDP Finance Officer to ensure adequate funding is available in line with
the projections of the SDP;
Provide
on-demand analysis to SDF Manager on all expenditures and financial
impacts;
Receive and
analyze the monthly (or any frequency stated in the agreements) financial
reports from sub grant beneficiaries/entities accounts;
Prepare and
submit financial statements (including expenses, receivable and payables,
funds requests, reconciliations) and other reporting requirements to the
SDF Manager within the designated time period;
Assist in
preparing reports that are compliance with the SDF and World Bank
requirements
Liaise with sub
grant beneficiaries/entities to ensure their compliance with the set
financial guidelines and procedures;
Prepare
close-out documentation at end of funding cycles in compliance with WDA
and World Bank regulations;
Facilitate
training and capacity building sessions on topics such as project budget
monitoring, accounting, internal controls and administrative systems for
the sub-grant beneficiaries;

c)
Audit/Compliance:

Coordinate the
preparation of the external audit exercise with the WDA Director of
Finance;
Address project
audits, providing required information to auditors on SDF related
transactions;
Ensure timely follow
up on audit findings on SDF sub-grants;

d)
Policy/Procedure Development:

Ensuring the
compliance with the SDF Financial and Accounting and operations Procedures
Manual and recommend it’s updating on a regular basis;

KNOWLEDGE,
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

A University
degree, preferably in Business Administration or Commerce with a major in
Accounting or equivalent practical experiences;
Postgraduate
qualification, MBA or full professional qualification in A.C.C.A, CPA or
part qualification with intention to finish will be an added advantage;
Knowledge,
skills and abilities acquired through a combination of formal schooling,
self- education, and prior experience or on the job training;
Proven
Sub-Grants experience (at management level) will be an added advantage;
Proven
experience with capacity building for and monitoring of sub-grant
beneficiaries in the area of financial management will be an added
advantage. This includes experience with community driven development
activities;
Must have proven
knowledge of International accounting standards and knowledge of the
accounting principles applied by GOR will be an added advantage;
A Significant
experience (more than 3 years) in handling Donor funded projects and more
specifically the World Bank or USAID funded projects;
Competitive
written and oral communication skills, team building skills, ability to
work successfully in a multicultural environment; high level of integrity;
High level of
proficiency in computer application particularly Excel and the use of accounting
software;
Good
interpersonal skills and ability to function well in team work
environment;
Good
organization and planning skills, ability to work quickly and accurately
to deadlines;
Good judgment
analytical and conceptual skills;
Ability to
demystify financial management through introduction of user friendly
approaches;
Ability to
develop and train finance and non-finance staff to implement the finance
policy;

REPORTING
ARRANGEMENTS:

The
SDF Financial Management Specialist will report to the SDF Manager.

Interested
Applicants should submit their Applications and Curriculum Vitae (CVs)
detailing their academic qualifications and professional experience in the
above mentioned areas. The Applicants will be selected in accordance with
procedures set out in the National Recruitment Guidelines and World Bank
eligibility rules and guidelines. Applications should be addressed to the
Director General, WDA.

Interested
individuals may obtain further information on the following website: www.wda.gov.rw , or call on Tel: (+250)
0255113365 from 08:00 am to 5:00 pm on from Monday to Thursday and from 8:00am
to 12:30 Pm on Friday.

Candidates
should forward an application letter, curriculum vitae, and photocopies of
academic certificates, two referees to WDA’s Head Office located at Kicukiro
Kigali or send to the above email address not later than 27th December 2011
at 5: 00 pm.

Done
at Kigali, 9th 2011.

Jerome
GASANA

DIRECTOR
GENERAL.