Background:

•   The Government of the Republic of Ghana has received funds from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to implement the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP).
•   The Programme provides a framework for a long-term financing engagement for private sector-led, pro-poor agricultural value chain development in Ghana.
•   The objective of the programme is to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction in rural Ghana, ensuring that agribusinesses - including smallholders - increase their profitability and resilience to climate change.
•   The programme is national in scope and governed by a demand - and market- driven approach that will provide a basis for scaling up investments in pro-poor agricultural value chain development led by the private sector.
•   The strategic focus of GASIP will be on smallholder farmers, to make them more competitive by increasing their capacity to respond to market demand in terms of quality, price, time and volume thus contributing to METASIP objectives. At least 62,860 clients or direct beneficiaries will be targeted towards the end of project year 3 (PY3) and 86,400 clients by PY6  of which at least 50% will be women, 20% youth (15-24 years) and 30% young adults (25-34 years).

Components of Programme:
The Programme has three components:

Component 1:

•   Value Chain Development - is central to ensuring strong business linkages among actors in the entire value chains of commodities to ensure they meet market or consumer and industry demands.
•   It has three sub-components: Agribusiness linkage development; rural financial services and climate change resilience which needs to be mainstreamed in promoting value chains to reduce risks and enhance profitability and sustainable production systems.

Component 2:

•   Rural Value Chain Infrastructure - aimed at providing the enabling infrastructure to catalyze value chain development. It has two sub-components:
•   Productive Infrastructure and Facilities - aimed at encouraging investments in commercial infrastructure and facilities for the selected value chains and
•   Enabling Public Infrastructure - aimed to finance enabling public infrastructure for the growth and viability of selected value chains.

Component 3:

•   Knowledge Management, Policy Support and Coordination aimed at harnessing successful lessons for replication and providing an enabling environment for optimization of programme opportunities and benefits. The two Sub-components are Knowledge Management,
•   Harmonization and Policy Support - aims at creating an enabling environment for small holders to participate in profitable and climate change resilient agricultural value chains and Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Programme.
•   The Programme which is planned for six years is expected to commence in January 2015 under the responsibility of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).
•   It builds on the achievements of some on-going and soon-to-complete projects such as Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP) and Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTlMP).
•   GASIP will have a National Programme Coordination Unit in Accra and three Zonal Programme Offices (ZPO) in Kumasi, Tamale and Dodowa. The ZPCO shall be composed of (i) Zonal Programme Coordinator, (ii) a M&E Officer, (iii) a Zonal Accountant and (iv) a Zonal Infrastructure Officer,
•   To enhance implementation of the GASIP, MOFA intends to recruit a qualified person to fill the following position:
•   Finance Officer

Line Management: Reports to the Financial Manager (FM)
Direct Report: Supervises the Finance Assistant

Specific Tasks

•   Under the direct supervision of the Financial Manager; specific duties include:
•   Assist the Financial Manager in the implementation of a sound financial management system.
•   Prepare quarterly, half-yearly and annual consolidated statements of Programme accounts as an integral part of the Management Information system for submission to the FM
•   Ensure that the PCU Bank Accounts have been maintained in accordance with the provisions of the loan agreement LTB and Finance and Administration Manual (FAM)
•   Prepare monthly bank reconciliations of all Bank accounts;
•   Prepare transaction vouchers, and input all transactions into the PCU accounting system before submission to the Financial Manager for approval;
•   Process all payments, ensuring that PCU procedures are strictly adhered to;
•   Maintain an Advance Payments Register and monitor advances settlement
•   Process monthly payroll, payment of salaries to staff and project contributions;
•   Manage and report on the use of Petty Cash in accordance with the approved procedures;
•   Assist the Financial Manager in the preparation of withdrawal applications;
•   Prepare and submit SOE to the Financial Manager (FM) and follow up to ensure that the Programme does not encounter liquidity Challenges at the PCU
•   Prepare cash flow forecasts as required;
•   Monitor financial returns from Implementing Partners, including periodic visits to their offices;
•   Assist in the preparation and monitoring of annual operational budgets
•   Functional supervision and training of Accounts Assistant at the PCU.
•   Maintenance of a well organised and up-to-date filing system for accounting and financial records as well as a fixed asset tagging system;
•   Perform physical inventory of project assets each year;
•   Assist the Financial Manager in the review of the Finance and Administration manual.
•   Support the conduct of internal audit missions by the MoFA Internal Audit unit on the basis of agreed AWPB
•   Provide assistance to the external auditors as required;
•   Support in the smooth implementation of the annual external audit of programme funds, under TOR agreed by IFAD and in accordance with IFAD's audit guidelines, for timely submission to IFAD in accordance with provisions of the LTB
•   Undertake any other responsibility that will ensure smooth and effective implementation of the Programme

Common Considerations:

•   Remuneration: Competitive salary

Qualification Required & Experience

•   A recognized degree in accounting, pursuing a professional accounting qualification (part Qualified) -(essential);
•   Advance degree in finance, accounting, or related subject -(added advantage);
•   Experience in setting up and maintaining a computerized accounting system -(essential);
•   At least 5 years of practical working experience in financial management and accounting of donor-funded projects.-(essential);
•   Committed to meeting deadlines, and have the willingness to work extra hours and sometimes on weekends or when required;
•   Practical working experience with Government of Ghana, IFAD-financed projects or donor-funded projects, and auditing experience (essential);
•   Experience in interpreting financial management reports, analysing variations to plans and determining remedial actions required;
•   Excellent technical and conceptual knowledge about financial management and grasp of financial principles and practices;
•   Strong computer skills especially in Microsoft office application software and use of computerized accounting systems, such as Sun system, Pastel or SCALA software would constitute added advantage;
•   Report writing and presentation skill;
•   Confidence and good working relationships with finance and non-finance colleagues within Programme, and implementing partners;
•   Fluency in written and oral English is essential.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Qualified and interested applicants should send application letters with copies of curriculum vitae, certificates and other relevant documentation to:

The National Programme Coordinator
Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme
Ministry of Food and Agriculture,
P.O.Box M.37, Accra, Ghana

Tel: 0544-094669 / 233244-233887

Email: procurement@gasip.org

•   Location: MOFA Projects Block,Procurement Office, 3rd Floor, in the premises of the Government Secretarial School,Cantonments, Accra.
•   Deadline for submission of Applications shall be on or before 15:00 hours GMT [i.e. 3.00pm local time) on 2nd May, 2017.
•   Applicants are to include direct contacts (reliable telephone, fax numbers and email address) in their applications in order to facilitate early and easy contact.
•   Only short listed applicants will be contacted.
•   Candidates can send both soft and hard copies.

Closing Date: 02 May, 2017