Recruitment of Financial Management Specialist at MUI for FPCU

Source: World Bank — Urban Productive Safety Net and Jobs Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES -INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION)

MINISTRY OF URBAN AND INFRASTRUCTURE

URBAN FOOD SECURITY AND SAFETY NET OFFICE

Urban Productive Safety Net and Job Project (UPSNJP)

Grant Number D732-ET

Assignment Title: Financial Management Specialist

Ref #. ET-MUI-401086-CS-INDV

Number of vacant position: One (1)

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) has received financing from the World Bank to the cost of the Urban Productive Safety Net and Job Project (UPSNJP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The Consulting Service (The Services) include to obtain the services of a qualified and experienced Financial Management Specialist who will assist in providing and expected to engage in collaboration with MoF, responsible for financial issues of the UPSNJP-financed activities through planning, budgeting and coordinating disbursement of funds of the City and its accountability according to finance and accounting regulations of the UPSNJP and achievement of project development objectives. In addition, capacity building and monitoring services to the federal implementers, regions and their respective UPSNJP cities in areas involving of local government finance, accounting and audit.

The Financial Management Specialist among others will have the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Reviews and gets acquainted with the Urban Productive Safety Net and Jobs Project (UPSNJP) implementation documents: The project Implementation Manual (PIM), Financial Management (FM) and other manuals, region and City specific implementation plans. 
2. In conjunction with MoF, will involve in reviewing the financial management manual, prepare training materials and provide training to the UPSNJP accountants at the Regional Bureaus of Finance and Economic Development and Cities. 
3. Facilitates and ensures timely release and flow of resources to Project implementing agencies by writing fund flow release instruction to MoF based on the annual work plan and budget approved for the project.
4. Ensure timely submission of expenditure documents of the Ministry to MoF.
5. Prepares the Interim Financial Report (IFR) of the UFSSNO for the funds it has received and disbursed and submits to MoF within the set timeline.
6. Prepare quarterly expenditure forecast and cash requirement.
7. Prepare periodic Financial report and additional statement as per the UPSNJP Financial reporting relating to the ministry (as stated in the UPSNJP Financial Management Manual)
8. Ensure that the Project budget and disbursement schedules are regularly updated and maintained.
9. Ensure that proper financial records are maintained at the Ministry;
10. Ensure the quality and consistency of all financial data reported by the Ministry;
11. Reconcile monthly UPSNJP bank accounts managed by the Ministry with the bank statements.
12. Strengthen the Capacity of UPSNJP accountants in collaboration and under guidance of MoF;
13. Prepare annual consolidated financial statements as  determined in the FM Manual  and ensure that these are submitted to MoF for consolidation;
14. Copy financial reports to MUI for proper follow-up of the implementation and the Project fund utilization;
15. Assist  regions and cities  in producing and getting approval of annual work plan and budget
16. Assist, together with MoF, regions and cities in  submitting  their financial statements  on time; 
17. Assist regions in facilitating project audits and addressing audit findings
18. Monitoring implementing entities for compliance with UPSNJP FM manual and PIM ;
19. Together with MoF and under MoF’s guidance, conduct supervision, provide technical support and guidance to Regions and Cities including management on financial matters;
20. Perform other duties assigned by the Project Coordinator.

Level of effort and Timetable

It is expected that the assignment is a full time job and will start in April 2024 depending on availability. The specialist will be based at UFSSNO under Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure with frequent travel to cities and regions and other destinations as necessary.

 Contract: one year contract, with possible extension upon satisfactory performance of the specialist /consultant.

Expected Deliverables

• Review reports and comment on the Projects' financial progress.
• Monthly Progress Reports within 7 (seven) days of the end of the month on the consultant activities/ achievements during the month and plans for the next month.
• Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annual and annual UPSNJP, Ministry level Project financial statements, semiannual financial reports, internal audit reports, annual external audit reports
• Quarterly expenditure forecast and cash requirement.
• Semiannual accounting reports, the format of which has been agreed, will be used to report on the use of Project resources.  These reports will be submitted to the MoF based on agreed timetable on the FM manual  
• Internal audit reports to the MoF and MUI within 30 days of completion of the audit report together with a proposed action plan. 
• Summary of progress against UPSN&J PROJECT’s performance indicators semiannually.
• Regular semiannual financial report including variance analysis.
• Quarterly reports to identifying poor implementation and budget utilization
• Reconciliation of fund disbursed to the Project with the expenditure.
• Draft Final Report of the specialist/consultant’s work three weeks before the end of the assignment; and
• Final Report of the Consultant’s deliverables, one week after receiving comments from the coordinator.

Qualifications Required

The UPSNJP Financial Management Specialist/Consultant should have experience in financial management of Projects. He or she should have adequate knowledge and understanding of Project implementation, and experience with financial management.

The Financial Management Specialist/Consultant should possess the following qualifications/competencies:

• MSc/BSc degree or equivalent in Accounting, Economics, Financial Management or related field of studies plus a minimum of a Post graduate diploma in Financial Management or Business Administration preferred.
• A minimum of 8/10  years’ experience  for masters and bachelor respectively in GOE/IDA funded Projects thorough understanding of World Bank’s, Federal and regional government FM procedures, public sector finance and financial audit, including experience in similar Projects and geographic areas, with 5 years of experience in aspects of local government finance, accounting, internal and external audit.
• Training in FM or a professional qualification in Financial Management.
• At least 4 years’ experience in GOE/IDA funded Projects thorough understanding of World Bank’s, Federal and regional government financial management procedures
• Excellent report writing skills in both Amharic and English.
• Excellent command of computer Projects and applications with significant capabilities in computerized database, spreadsheet constructions and preferably knowledge of IBEX and IFMIS system.
• Excellent change management skills and strong commitment to sharing expertise and experience in order to develop others (helping others to achieve goals), resolving conflict successfully.
• Knowledge of the urban sector issues in Ethiopia is an advantage.

Urban Productive safety Net and Job Project under Urban Food Security and Safety Net Office now invite eligible individual consultants/Specialists to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Specialist/Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The shortlisting criteria are: Qualification and Experience as Financial Management Specialist in GOE/IDA funded Projects thorough understanding of World Bank’s, Federal and regional government FM procedures, public sector finance and financial audit, including experience in similar Projects and geographic areas and their capability on the basis of academic background, general and relevant experience, and knowledge of local condition.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III paragraph 3.16 and 3.17 of The World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers Procurement In Investment Project Financing Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services (recent Edition) (“Procurement Regulation”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. 

A Consultant will be selected in accordance to Section VII para 7.34 to 7.39 of The World Bank Procurement Regulation based on qualification and relevant experience of the applicants to the assignment.

Remunerations: will be as per the Ministry of Finance channel one salary scale.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 8:30 am to 12 in the morning and from 2:00 to 5:00 pm local time in the afternoon.

Expressions of interest (including recent and comprehensive CV with a letter of application and other relevant supporting documents) must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by e-mail) by April 01, 2024 on or before 4:00pm

The address:-Attn:Ato Birhanu Teshome, Head, Urban Food Security and Safety Net Office 

Email- sbirhanu1@gmail.com

             and

Ato Mesfin Ekubu, Urban Productive Safety Net and Job Project Procurement Specialist

Email- mesfinekbupsnjp2@gmail.com

In front of National Bank of Ethiopia, Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure, 5th floor, UPSNJP Procurement Section, Country: - Ethiopia.