REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
JOB TITLE: ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER
PROJECT: MACROECONOMIC STABILITY AND FINANCIAL INTEGRATION PROJECT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
Reference Number: SADC/3/5/2/224
Procurement entity: SADC SECRETARIAT
Number and titles of lots: 1
1. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat has received financing from the African Development Bank toward the cost of the Macroeconomic Convergence and Financial Integration Project and intends to apply part of the agreed amount for this grant to payments under the contract for anAssistant Finance Officer.
2. As part of implementation of the Project, SADC Secretariat is recruiting anAssistant Finance Officer. SADC Secretariat hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in the following Assignment: Assistant Finance Officer.
3. Objective of the assignment:
The Assistant Finance Officer shall coordinate and manage the implementation of. This will include providing operational oversight, financial management, procurement, reporting and communication with the SADC Secretariat and the African Development Bank.
4. Scope of Works
The scope of services of the Assistant Financial Officer will include, but not limited to the following:
Budgeting and Control
(i) Collaborate with the Finance Expert in preparing the annual and quarterly budget and work plans.
Budget and Expenditure Control
(i) Support the Finance Expert in undertaking budget and expenditure control on the project;
(ii) Review all new project commitments and check if they are only made against budgeted appropriations; and report exceptions to the Finance Officer.
(iii) Check payment requests against supporting documents and ensure they comply with the relevant conditions and rules of the Bank to be eligible for disbursements.
(iv) Assist in investigating variances and discuss with project Coordinator of potential overspent above-approved budget and seek justifications.
Accounting
(i) Retention (filing) of all accountable documentation to secure unqualified audit report).
(ii) Issue Monthly and Annual Projects Trial Balance and Draft Reporting Pack along with supporting schedules.
(iii) Financial services processed and products delivered in accordance with regulatory requirements and supporting documentation retained.
(iv) Prepare expenditure justifications/commitment documents.
(v) Process payments/disbursements for goods and services.
(vi) Prepare financial reports, income and expenditures incurred by the Project, perform relevant analysis and reconciliations to ensure completeness and accuracy; and submit to the Finance Expert for review.
(vii) Assist in providing relevant financial reports and analysis requested by the Bank and SADC Secretariat Management.
(viii) Monitor expenditure incurred by Grantees/Sub Recipients where applicable and report to the Finance Expert.
(ix) Provide relevant information for audit and clear audit queries.
Cash Management and Control
(i) Review project expenditures, ensure payment requests and supporting documents comply with the relevant conditions and rules of the Bank/Grant Agreement to be eligible for disbursements.
(ii) Prepare bank reconciliations and related schedules.
(iii) Prepare monthly cash flow reconciliations and forecasts; and submit them to the Finance Expert.
(iv) Analyse project expenditures, ensure payment requests and supporting documents comply with the relevant conditions and rules of the Bank/Grant Agreement to be eligible for disbursements.
(v) Report any exception to the Finance Expert.
Internal Controls
(i) Understand contractual requirements of the Bank regarding internal controls around project financial management and ensure these are effectively implemented. Promptly report exceptions to the Finance Expert.
(ii) Assist in implementing audit recommendations for better financial controls.
5. Duration and Timetable for the Assignment
The contract duration will be thirty-six (36) months. The Assistant Finance Officer will be expected to start work in March 2022. The Directorate of FIC in coordination with the Procurement Unit will oversee the implementation of the assignment.
6. Deliverables Expected
(i) Timely completion of annual budget exercise as per plan.
(ii) Budget variances were properly analysed, well documented, and reported on a timely basis to management.
(iii) Accurate and timely submission of reports with reconciliation and analysis.
(iv) No major audit findings on the management of ADF funds and non -compliance with the rules and procedures.
(v) Accurate and timely submission of cash flow reconciliations and forecast.
(vi) No major internal control findings from audit reports.
(vii) Timely implementation of audit recommendations.
7. Qualifications and Experience
(i) The Assistant Finance Officer will possess the following qualifications:
(ii) A minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or business management.
(iii) Professional qualification: Studying a professional accountancy certification such as ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, ICAS.
(iv) Member of an internationally recognised accounting body such as ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, ICAS, ACPA or equivalent.
8. Eligibility criteria, establishment of the short-list and the selection procedure shall be in
accordance with the African Development Bank’s Procurement Framework, dated October 2015, which is available on the Bank’s website at http://www.afdb.org. A shortlist of three to six individual consultants will be established after the deadline of the request for expressions of interest. The consultants on the shortlist will be judged on the following criteria based on their updated resume.
| Item No. | Category | Total Points (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qualifications (education and professional) | 30 |
| 2 | General and Specific Experience | 50 |
| 3 | Skills and competencies (computer literacy, organisational skills, etc) | 20 |
9. Interested Individual consultants may obtain further information at the address below
during office hours 08h00hours 16h30hours Central African Time (CAT), Botswana time.
10. Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below by Monday, 7 March 2022 at 15h00 hours Botswana time and mention: ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER FOR MACROECONOMIC STABILITY AND FINANCIAL INTEGRATION PROJECT IN SADC PROJECT.
11. Expressions of interest must be submitted electronically via this email:: finexpert@sadc.int by Monday 7th March 2022 at 15:00 hours Botswana local time and mention “ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER”.
Attn:
The Procuring entity: SADC Secretariat
Contact person: Acting Head of Procurement
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat
Plot 54385 New CBD
Private Bag 0095
Gaborone, BOTSWANA
Telephone: +267 3951863
Fax: +267 3972848
E-mail: pchifani@sadc.int
