Website ICIMOD
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Senior Programme Finance Officer/Unit Head
Division: Administration, Finance, and Operations
Unit: Programme Finance
Position overview
Prudent, effective, and efficient financial management is key in delivering ICIMOD’s results, especially for the Strategy 2030 period and our Medium-Term Action Plan 2023-2026, where we have set ambitious targets. ICIMOD is seeking a Senior Programme Finance Officer (SPFO) to support all activities related to the financial management of the Centre’s programmes and initiatives. Reporting to the Director of Administration, Finance, and Operations, the candidate will lead a comprehensive range of financial activities, from oversight and budgeting to contract management and compliance. The individual will work collaboratively across internal departments as well as partners to ensure the organisation’s financial goals and commitments are met in a responsible and transparent manner.
Responsibilities
The Senior Programme Finance Officer – Unit Head, Programme Finance will be responsible for delivering results in line with the commitments we have made in our Strategy 2030: Moving Mountains and our Medium-Term Action Plan V (2023-2026): Embracing Change and Accelerating Impact.
Oversight of financial management of the programme teams
- Develop financial planning, budgeting, and reporting guidelines and ensure adherence to these by the three Strategic Groups, whilst also ensuring that relevant personnel in these Strategic Groups are familiar with ICIMOD financial policy and guidelines
- Guide Strategic Groups and other units in preparing their annual financial plans and budgets, including various intervention budgets, bilateral project budgets and funding proposal budgets
- Maintain oversight for spending trajectories and patterns for all programme teams compiling regular updates on risk areas and a monthly management report for the Senior Management Committee
- Overall responsibility for the consolidation of the annual plan and budget of the Centre, including the preparation of resource allocation sheets, with HR allocation sheets and budget input sheets, for review by the Directorate
- Review all new project/donor proposal budgets, as requested by the Business Development and Resource Mobilisation Unit, to ensure that each project provides full cost recovery and provide necessary inputs to the concerned programme staff
- Coordinate the generation and issuance of cost centre codes for new interventions and bilateral projects once the relevant activities are approved by the Deputy Director General and then as advised by the Director of Administration, Finance and Operations
Oversight of partnership administration
- Issue guidance, standards, templates, and other administrative information for effective and efficient delivery of partnerships and ensure updated in accordance with ICIMOD and donor requirements
- Review all new partnership contracts (LOAs and MOUs) and ensure that they meet all the required ICIMOD standards and ensuring that standard criteria for the selection of new partnerships are followed
- Carry out detailed due-diligence and financial reviews of selected implementing partners
- The Program Officers will coordinate with the partners for timely financial reporting
- The SPFO will take overall responsibility for ensuring that financial reporting deadlines for implementing partners are met, including continually reviewing and analysing that SGs are moving funds at the partner level
- Regularly check the position of the advance liquidation by the partners. Coordinate with the Program Officers for necessary follow-ups.
- Coordinate with internal auditors to identify partner organisations that need focused monitoring and capacity building support from the risk management perspective
- Review and analyse the financial performance of the different functions/ Units including the project financial statements and raise issues relating to the financial performance of all these functions and projects with the concerned programme focal points and finance teams; provide inputs to the Director of Administration Finance and Operations from such reviews especially prior to submission of the financial reports to the respective donors in case of donor projects.
- Prepare the partners for ensuring adequate and appropriate documentation for all different types of donor audits and verifications
Support to Enterprise Resource System (ERP)
- Act as the ERP focal person for project, partnership, and budgeting modules, including continuous analysis and improvement of these modules in the ERP system, according to user needs, and their interaction with the finance unit and financial processes in line with the Centre’s financial policy
- The Program Officers are the first point of responsibility to ensure that information on compliance requirements (i.e., to be met for the donors and to be ensured from the partners). The SPFO needs to provide an oversight on this in the ERP system.
- Engage with external consultants and provide necessary inputs for further enhancement and strengthening of the ERP system in project, partnership, and budgeting modules as and when required
- Maintain an inventory of all project, partnership, and budget-related reports in the ERP system and work with the ERP technical team in designing new reports as and when required
- Ensure that the Partnership Module in the ERP system is up to date with required information and also ensure that the use of standard ERP reporting template for partners is fully ensured.
Other
- Perform all other responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Administration, Finance and Operations
- Liaise closely with the Deputy Director General on issues related to financial management of Strategic Groups, as well as with other relevant ICIMOD Central Support Units, notably Business Development and Resource Mobilisation, Strategic Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning and others as relevant
Minimum qualifications and experience
ESSENTIAL
- Master’s degree in business administration, business studies, or related field, preferably with a specialisation in Finance
- Five to ten years of progressive and relevant work experience in a similar organisation, with demonstrated expertise and experience in financial management and grants administration
- Five years of experience in managing and coordinating international donor funds, preferably in a multi-cultural environment
- Demonstrated ability to work in a team and outstanding interpersonal communication skills to effectively communicate within and outside the organisation to collect and consolidate relevant financial data
- Excellent analytical skills for reviewing budgets, financial statements, and contracts.
- Prior experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively collaborate with internal departments and external partners
- Ability to multitask and manage multiple deadlines
- Ability to promote and ensure ethical practices and transparency across the organisation
- Proactive problem-solving abilities
- Team player with strong interpersonal skills
- Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and challenges
- Ability to mentor and guide team members
PREFERRED
- Professional accounting qualification (e.g., CPA, ACCA, CIMA) is highly preferred.
- Experience working in an intergovernmental organisation
- Advanced proficiency in financial software tools and data analytics
- Experience with the ERP environment (Microsoft Dynamics Navision) will be a clear advantage
Reporting and Supervising
The Senior Programme Finance Officer will work under the supervision of the Director of Administration, Finance and Operations, and in close coordination with other colleagues in the Administration, Finance, and Operations Unit. There will also be close liaison with Programme Units which lie under the line management of the Deputy Director General. S/he will also work in close collaboration with the Strategic Group Leads, Action Area Coordinators, Intervention Managers, and other internal programme and functional units as well as partners.
Location
You will be working in a cross-cultural, impact-oriented environment at ICIMOD’s head office in Kathmandu, Nepal. Frequent travel in the HKH region will be required. Kathmandu is a lively and exciting place to live. People are friendly, living costs are comparatively inexpensive, food is delicious (with a range of local and international cuisines), and there are good local and international schools and a low crime rate. Nepal offers amazing trekking trails, white water rafting, and safaris, combined with a rich culture and charming yet lively nightlife.
Duration
Three years, with a probation period of six months. There is a possibility of extension subject to performance and ICIMOD’s future funding levels.
Remuneration
This is an international position at ICIMOD. Remuneration is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Salaries and benefits at ICIMOD are competitive compared with other international organisations. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a provident fund, health insurance, severance pay, children’s education grant, and paid leave (30 holidays and 10 public holidays per year). For expatriates, there is a tax exemption in Nepal; they are responsible for their home country’s tax payments. Expatriate staff are entitled to housing allowance, annual home leave ticket, shipment of personal effects, and an installation and removal allowance.
ICIMOD’s core values
Our core values are integrity, neutrality, relevance, inclusiveness, openness, and ambition. These values are an expression of our culture and are central to the guiding beliefs and principles of our work and behaviour. Our core values will lie at the heart of ICIMOD operations and delivery. They will underpin everything we do and frame how we work with our partners. They reflect our founding intentions and the balances we seek to hold, while equipping ourselves for the future.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding
ICIMOD’s human resource selection process is based on the qualifications and competence of the applicants. As an employer, ICIMOD is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and offers equal opportunities to applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life, including but not limited to gender, age, national origin, religion, race, caste, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or social status. ICIMOD strongly encourages applications from all eligible applicants, especially women, from all parts of the HKH region.
ICIMOD is dedicated to establishing and upholding a safe and nurturing work environment, where all its employees can participate fully and meaningfully without fear of violence, harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. Any type of abuse or harassment, including sexual misconduct, by our staff, representatives, or stakeholders is not condoned or tolerated.
Background to ICIMOD
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, Nepal, is the leading institute for the study of the HKH. An intergovernmental knowledge and development organisation with a focus on climate and environmental risks, green economies, and sustainable collective action, we have worked in our eight regional member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – since our foundation.
Entering our 40th year, ICIMOD is perfectly positioned to support the transformative action required for the HKH to face the challenges of the escalating effects of climate change, pollution, water insecurity, increased disaster risk, biodiversity loss, and widespread socioeconomic changes. We seek to raise our ambition to support the required transformative action to step up our engagement through to 2030.
Method of application
Applicants are requested to apply online before 7 October, 2023 (11:59 PM Nepal Standard Time) through ICIMOD Vacancy Application Portal.
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.