Principal Disbursement Officer, FIFC.3 at African Development Bank

THE POSITION:

Under the Supervision of the Division Manager, the Principal Disbursement Officer will;

Ensure compliance with key fiduciary related articles in the Agreement Establishing the African Development Bank and Fund.

Verify, process and approve disbursement requests of up to UA 1 million for loans/grants given by the institutions of the Bank Group or administered by the Bank on behalf of certain co-operative institutions, such as IFAD, OPEC Fund, JBIC, RWSSI, AWF etc. in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Bank Group. Manage the financial aspects of contracts approved by the country departments in connection with loans/grants authorized by the Bank Group institutions.

Provide input into disbursement projections as needed with a view ensuring accurate income, cash flow plan and lending program projections.

Assist and advise borrowers, executing agencies and various third parties on aspects of administration of loans and grants approved by the Bank Group institutions. 

Assist and advise Regional departments and other departments on issues relating to loan administration.

Duties and responsibilities

The Principal Disbursement Officer will carry out the following functions:

Operational Advice and Support

1. Monitor effectiveness, disbursement ratio, special account ratio, counter- part funding issues and loan closing for the assigned portfolio of countries.
2. Provide technical support to sector departments, lead review and provide input to country and project teams of project documents such as Appraisal Report, Country Strategy and Program, Project Completion Reports etc.
3. Participate in country strategy preparation and midterm reviews including assessing capacity development requirements for financial management at the country level; and assist in completing country financing parameters, where necessary.
4. Provide disbursement-related assistance to Operations during project launching, project supervision, and portfolio review missions.
5. Assist project teams in the assessment of the financial management capacity of borrowers or executing agencies and in the design of financial, accounting and control systems for project execution.
6. Interact with Fiduciary services to improve the quality of procurement arrangements, financial management systems and procedures of executing agencies in managing project funds, maintaining project accounts and submitting timely and reliable financial reports.
7. Contribute to the review and update of ADB's fiduciary policies and guidelines and participate in the Fiduciary Community of Practice.
8. Participate in resolving audit qualifications to ensure that disbursement activities proceed on an uninterrupted basis.

Loan Disbursements

1. Review disbursement applications to ensure that all conditions and requirements precedent to disbursement are satisfied and that internal rules and procedures are complied with, prior to approval and payment.
2. Manage reimbursement guarantees issued to commercial banks, including examining requests of issuing reimbursement guarantees and preparing them for the commercial banks;
3. Manage funds flow, ensure appropriate allocation of resources to the principal expenditure categories of goods, works and services and manage the use of t Special Accounts;
4. Provide training on disbursements policies and procedures in borrowing member countries and to staff in the Bank.
5. Verify effectiveness of loans in the case of the first disbursement, and the last disbursement deadline.
6. Ensure that the amounts disbursed by the Bank Group will finance only eligible expenditures.
7. Coordinate effectively with the relevant country offices on disbursement matters.
8. Reply to correspondence from and provide information on disbursement related issues to borrowers and other departments.
9. Provide input into disbursement projections for the portfolio of Regional Member Countries.
10. Provide input as needed to internal and external reports on Disbursement related activities.
11. Participate in/lead Task Forces on policy and other matters.
12. Participate in technical discussions and loan negotiations to ensure that financial management and disbursement arrangements  for  proposed projects are appropriate and compliant with the African Development Bank disbursement policies
13. Ensure the timely resolution of disbursement issues in coordination with concerned departments and stakeholders.
14. Conduct loan disbursement missions to verify statements of expenditures, resolve disbursement issues, verify expenditure control measures and general compliance with relevant agreements and policies.
15. Ensure the proper liquidation of overdue advances, reconciliation of suspense and special accounts, and ensure the timely closure of completed loans and grants.

Knowledge Sharing

1. Prepare disbursement training material.
2. Serve as a training resource person for Disbursements.
3. Provide training to executing agencies and Bank Staff to ensure familiarity with and the proper implementation of applicable policies and procedures.
4. Assist with capacity building of projects/EAs, specifically in the area of disbursement and financial management.
5. Represent FIFC on AfDB-wide activities, working groups and committees as assigned.

Continuous Improvement

1. Review and recommend changes to disbursement systems, policies and procedures to promote timeliness, accuracy and efficiency in processing while maintaining appropriate internal controls.
2. Undertake or contribute to the implementation of special projects for process and systems improvements.

Staff Supervision

1. Provide leadership and support to Disbursement Assistants.
2. Provide clear direction to and monitor the work done by Disbursement Assistants.
3. Provide input into the evaluation of Disbursement Assistants.

Selection Criteria

1. Hold at least a Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or other related disciplines.
2. Have a minimum of six (6) years of relevant and progressive professional experience.
3. Proficient understanding of accounting policies, practices and general policies, procedures, guidelines and reporting requirements prevalent in a multilateral institution.
4. Knowledge of Project Cycle Management.
5. Analytic thinking — ability to interpret and explain patterns in information.
6. Ability to apply updated advancements in own knowledge area to relevant task.
7. Client Orientation- delivering contributions across a variety of products and services to meet clients’ needs.
8. Achieving Results and Problem Solving-using appropriate methods for addressing the causes of issues and monitoring achievement of results according to work plans.
9. Working Together-Maintaining collaborative relationships and working with diverse colleagues in and outside the Bank.
10. Communication, Knowledge Sharing and Innovation and Change.
11. Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in French with a good working knowledge of English.
12. Proficient in the use of standard MS Office software applications, particularly Word, PowerPoint, and Excel as well as SAP. Knowledge of SAP would be an advantage.

To apply for this position, you need to be national of one of AfDB member countries.

Applicants who fully meet the Bank's requirements and are considered for interview will be contacted. Only online applications submitted with a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV) and copies of the required degrees will be considered. The President, AfDB, reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level. The African Development Bank is an equal opportunities employer. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) does not ask for payments of any kind from applicants throughout the recruitment process (job application, CV review, interview meeting, and final processing of applications). In addition, the Bank does not request information on applicants’ bank accounts. The African Development Bank Group declines all responsibility for the fraudulent publications of job offers in its name or, in general, for the fraudulent use of its name in any way whatsoever.

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