Job Vacanices at World Bank Group

Role & Responsibilities:

The Senior Finance Officer, Africa will be responsible for:

Budget and Resource Management

• Lead and collaborate with the business at various levels (Regional Director/Country Managers/Department Managers etc.) for unit-level budget activities (annual planning, forecasting) and resource alignment to strategy and business priorities.
• Lead budget discussions and assessments with business units.
• Manage staff cost affordability for the unit in collaboration with the HR Business Partner.
• Partner with the Partnership team on Donor funding availability and utilization of Internal funds for projects and programs according to Governance.
• Monitor capital projects and manage their financial impact.
• Actively participate in Global/Regional/Functional ad-hoc working groups to tackle problems and share best practices.

Management Reporting and Analytics

• Contribute to executive decision-making with analytics, financial advice, and budget management to improve business performance.
• Independently supervise donors' reporting function within the regional department.
• Deliver value-added analytics and solutions to enable better decision-making for clients.
• Lead delivery of financial and operational reports on a monthly and quarterly basis.
• Collaborate with the Real Estate team on office ecology and footprint analytics.
• Establish a strong knowledge network and promote knowledge sharing within and outside CBA.

Financial Control and Compliance

• Supervise finance and accounting activity in Regional Country Offices.
• Support the department’s internal control framework and monitor financial transactions
• Design, development, and implementation of control procedures to manage and mitigate fiduciary risk.
• Lead quality assurance reviews of reports, ensuring compliance with institutional requirements.
• Document processes, risks, and controls and assign internal accountabilities.
• Identify opportunities to automate and simplify processes and implement improvements for efficiency within Policy framework.
• Maintain strong control environment and scorecard ratings.
• Provide business intelligence and support during audits.
• Ensure compliance with World Bank group policies and procedures in the Region.

Team Management

• Lead and coach the CBA Africa team on their annual objectives, personal development goals and long-term career growth.
• Develop a structured approach for staff learning and development, aligned with competency framework and succession planning.
• Build capacity within the team and provide mentorship to meet individual needs.
• Leverage the expertise of all team members for successful outcomes. encourage open communication and collaboration and facilitate new ways of doing things.
• Promote the sharing of knowledge and information within the team to scale best practices.

Selection Criteria

• A relevant advanced degree (e.g., Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, etc.) and substantial professional experience (12-15 years) in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility.
• Recognized professional accounting accreditation (CPA, CMA, CIMA, ACCA, etc.) and sound knowledge of accounting theory and practical financial skills, including financial reporting, business planning, budgeting, profitability analysis, and financial management.
• A strong understanding of resource management processes, procedures, systems, and policies in IFC is desirable. 
• Superior written and verbal English communication skills, along with excellent presentation abilities
• High degree of professional integrity, discretion, tact, and sensitivity, conveying complex messages concisely and diplomatically. Willing to risk expressing beliefs about what is right, despite criticism or disagreement.
• Excellent professional judgment, analytical and conceptual skills, with the ability to identify issues, formulate options, and develop pragmatic solutions that persuade and influence management decisions for action and the capacity to respond quickly, selectively, and flexibly to a wide range of issues.
• Recognized team player who collaborates, works well with others and demonstrates effectiveness. Proven ability to build common goals while managing diverse views and the ability to hear others' ideas and make changes in plans or thinking as a result (as appropriate).
• Proven people management skills, with the ability to attract, lead, mentor and develop talent in multiple countries and cultures. 
• Sound organizational skills, ability to multitask, and attention to detail while maintaining an overview of unit priorities. 
• Strong client and business orientation with consultative skills to understand, synthesize and define business solutions, balancing client and corporate needs. 
• Ability to develop innovative solutions and challenge the “status quo” to improve processes focused on end results.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize information, interpret data, retrieve information, and clearly and concisely communicate results. 
• Strong understanding of internal controls and corporate procedures: Influences internal control policies, processes, and procedures to align with entity objectives, mitigate risk, and ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Leads team in improving control environment.
• Working knowledge of SAP processes and transactions.
• Good data mining skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Package. Advanced Excel skills.

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Specific duties and responsibilities shall include: 

• Lead or co-lead in the Bank’s policy dialogue, develop strong working relationships with the Government counterparts (e.g. Ministries responsible for energy, power utilities, electricity regulators etc.) to advance engagement on strategic energy issues in South Africa;
• Lead or co-lead energy sector strategy development and policy dialogue on just energy transition in South Africa and beyond;
• Working closely with energy colleagues in AFE, lead the development of new lending, preparation and supervision of investment operations in the energy sector with the aim to enhance quality, efficiency and pro-poor focus and accelerate implementation of the energy portfolio in South Africa and the Southern Africa region;
• Lead the preparation of analytical   and advisory reports and studies on utility reform, transmission and distribution, renewable energy, climate change, energy efficiency, just energy transition and potentially other regional energy programs;
• Draft and provide timely contributions to project documents and follow-up of official missions, including the drafting of Aide Memoires, official correspondence, project completion reports, and other reports to management as needed;
• Lead the drafting and provide inputs for other sector and country analytical and advisory reports and studies, prepare briefings on sector and utility reform, transmission and distribution, renewable energy, climate change, just energy transition, energy efficiency, and other programs within the AFR Energy portfolio;
• Ensure adequate and appropriate integration of relevant aspects of the energy development agenda in core Bank products, including the country partnership framework, strategic country diagnostic, country economic memorandum etc.;
• Participate in the dialogue with relevant representatives of the private sector in order to keep abreast with issues related to the business investment climate and identify possible areas of collaboration through public-private-partnerships; and
• Develop strong working relationships with the staff of other donor and financing agencies at the country and regional levels and co-operate with them on alignment on strategic issues,  preparation and supervision of projects.

Selection Criteria

• Postgraduate (Master's or PhD) degree in energy economics/ energy finance/ energy planning, engineering, business administration, or equivalent areas relevant for energy sector development;
• At least 8 years of combined experience in the World Bank, other international institutions and/or companies, government agencies, and/or power sector utilities with demonstrated track record of successful engagement with relevant developmental programs and projects;
• Strong understanding of energy policies, technologies or strategies, private sector participation, sector and utility reform, and institutional development needed to support development and for the success of project and analytical work;
• Experience leading and/or playing key roles in policy dialogue with clients and stakeholders;
• Experience of designing and implementing energy and/or utility sector reforms, electricity market reforms, tariff and subsidy reforms, scaling up regional electricity trade, and energy transition issues;
• Experience in planning, designing, and implementing power infrastructure projects including renewable energy generation, transmission, distribution and improving commercial performance of utilities;