Sub-Sahara Africa, with a population of around 782 million people in 47 countries is home to 36 of the world's poorest countries. Making headway against poverty in sub-Sahara African continues to present the world with its most formidable development challenge. The Africa Region is committed to working with Africans and other development partners to make faster progress toward the MDGs, particularly cutting poverty levels in half by 2015. The Region is comprised of approximately 1750 staff members of whom over 60% are based in the Region's 37 field offices. The strategic thrust of the Environment and Natural Resources group includes sustainable land, water, forest coastal and marine management, climate change adaptation and mitigation and related disaster risk management; environmental governance; and ensuring sound environmental design and implementation of all projects and programs in the Africa region, including addressing environmental issues in key natural resource extraction and large infrastructure projects, and protections regional and global public goods. With a population of 24 million people, and centrally located in West Africa, Ghana is one of the economically dynamic countries in the region. The International Development Agency (IDA) is the Bank's interest-free lending arm for the poorest countries. The Ghana portfolio currently supports about twenty-five IDA projects and 2 Global Environment Facility (GEF) grants, Bank commitments are about $1.3 billion in FY10. The Bank is the largest development partner in Ghana. The strong focus on the current portfolio is the project implementation for results and on enhancing the disbursement of the portfolio. The country portfolio cuts across a range of sectors including: Infrastructure (water supply, energy/energy and transport); Human Development (health, HIV/AIDS, education and social projects), Commercial Agriculture, Public Sector Governance, and Financial and Private Sector. Recently, with the discovery of petroleum in Ghana, the Bank is also engaging in technical assistance as well as large scale infrastructure as well as environmental management in support this new sector. The World Bank is strongly engaged in the natural resources sector in Ghana. Along with four donors, the Bank supports the Government's multi-year development policy effort through the Natural Resources and Environmental Governance (NREG) Program, which focuses on forestry sector, mineral sector, and environmental protection. This program is tackling key issues related to REDD+ and support for environmental management of the new petroleum sector in the country. The World Bank's environmental and social safeguard policies are a cornerstone of its support to sustainable poverty reduction. The objective of these policies is to prevent and mitigate undue harm to people and their environment in the development process. These policies provide guidelines for Bank and borrower staff in the identification, preparation, and implementation of programs and projects. The effectiveness and development impact of projects and programs supported by the Bank has substantially increased as a result of attention to these policies. A new disclosure policy in the World Bank also provides new opportunities to work much closer with the government, partners and civil society on environmental and social assessment. The core values guiding our work are passion for our mission of sustainable development and poverty reduction, putting needs of the client at the center of all our activities, trust and respect as a common currency, intellectual rigor and curiosity, honesty and integrity, teamwork, openness to learning and the courage to admit we do not always have the answer.

Description Of Job

Local 3 year Term Appointment, Nairobi, Kenya
Job No# 122035

The World Bank's Loan Department (CTRLD) is seeking to hire Finance Officers (2 positions). CTRLD is the focal point within the Bank for exercising fiduciary controls over its lending operations, including responsibility for ensuring that loan funds are used for their intended purposes. In this regard it collaborates actively and maintains close working relationships with several other Bank units. CTLD has been realigned so as to be more client focused, is primarily responsible for the formulation and administration of the Bank's financial policies and procedures relating to disbursement of funds from IBRD loans, IDA credits, the Project Preparation Facility (PPF), Institutional Development Fund (IDF) Grants, Recipient-Executed Trust Funds and other financial products of the Bank. As part of this realignment, CTRLD has opened a Regional Center in Nairobi, Kenya. The Finance Officers will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and will report to the Division Manager, CTRLA.

The Finance Officers contribute to various responsibilities, such as:

•  Provide support to task teams for pipeline projects in assigned portfolio countries; during the preparation, appraisal, negotiations and board approval stages of projects;
•  Advise the task team on disbursement related aspects of loans/credits/grants/TFs;
•  Review and clear project documents including, negotiation and board packages;
•  Ensure accuracy of loan master data for IBRD loans, and IDA credits and grants;
•  Portfolio Management;
•  E-Disbursements - work with and support the e-business team and disbursement team to manage the successful deployment of e-Disbursement in assigned portfolio countries
•  Regional and country programs - Provide timely input to regional and country level activities such as regional portfolio meetings, regional dialogue with fiduciary groups, Country Assistance Strategy
•  Support Corporate and Departmental Activities;
•  Participate, via working groups or cross support, or lead major corporate and departmental activities and initiatives;
•  Contribute to the improvement and refinement of Bank policies and procedures as they relate to disbursements

Qualification Required & Experience

The successful candidate will be holder of:

•  Professional certification (CPA, ACCA, CA, CFA or equivalent), with Master's degree in Accounting, Finance or Business and a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in portfolio management, project implementation, accounting, auditing and/or contract management
•  Ability to communicate effectively, in writing and orally, in English. Fluency to communicate (oral and written) in French or Portuguese, is desired
•  Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), internal controls procedures and financial management

How To Apply For The Job

For the full job description and full selection criteria, for all the positions; qualified candidates are requested to visit and submit an electronic application through the World Bank careers website: www.worldbank.org/jobs and click on Employment opportunities >professional/technical staff opportunities >current vacancies > job No. Job No# 122035. Email or paper/postal applications will not be considered.

The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equality encouraged to apply.

Closing Date: 30 September, 2012