Senior Finance Assistant

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to join us to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank (WB) is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions (IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID) dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development on a livable planet. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.  

The WB Finance & Accounting (WFA) Vice Presidency is responsible for all aspects of the financial reporting and internal control framework for IBRD and IDA, and the extensive Trust Fund/Partnership portfolio of the WB entities. It supports an appropriate fiduciary control framework and administering disbursements for Bank lending and leads the client service function for the WB’s corporate expenses.

Organizationally, WFA is comprised of three departments: (1) Corporate Accounting and Reporting, (2) Trust Funds and Loans, and (3) Financial Controls. In WFA, our mandate supports both internal and external clients while we focus on delivery, optimization, impact, and people & culture.

Within WFA, WFACS – Client Services unit of the Trust Funds and Loan Operations Department is devoted to providing “front-end” client services and related operations to business and external clients and is organized along business lines serving the regions and global practices. The Services within the area of WFACS responsibilities fall under three categories: regional coordination, country focal point assistance, and project-level fiduciary and portfolio management. 

WFACS is currently seeking a highly motivated Senior Finance Assistant (SFA) for its team in Nairobi, Kenya.

How your contributions will help us achieve our goals

The Senior Finance Assistant plays an important role in disbursement related activities during implementation of a project. You will collaborate with Finance Analyst (s) in Nairobi and other locations to support Operations staff and external Borrowers. You will also perform a variety of broad responsibilities of the division, including working on diverse range of disbursement related issues and providing solutions and working on system design.

As a Senior Finance Assistant, you will report to the Regional Center Team Leader.

What you will do:

• Transaction support services:  Assist Finance Analysts with disbursement transactions, including logging withdrawal applications and setting up loans’ master data in the Bank’s system. This includes updating data for various changes such as category overdraws, Designated Account ceilings, Loan Effectiveness Conditions, loan Closing Date extensions, and reallocations of category amounts.
• Electronic banking support services: Guiding and providing technical support to borrowers for setting up e-Disbursement and Client Connection user accounts, as well as offering training on the Bank’s electronic banking platform.
• Client relationship maintenance: Serve as a solution provider for both internal and external clients, offering advice on loan portfolios and transactions matters.
• Central Services: Handle transaction processing and review work, such as Refunds and Adjustments, Special Commitment, and Trust Funds, and supports the Central WFACS-Trust Funds team on Grants implementation.
• Helpdesk support services: Act as the first point of contact for routine queries, operating the Helpdesk, and collaborating with Department’s Country Teams (comprising of Finance Officers and Finance Analysts) to guide clients.
• Data analysis and knowledge management services: Provide analytical reports to assist in decision-making and maintaining a knowledge repository for FAQs.
• Systems and applications: Work with the system teams in planning and testing application enhancements and upgrades, preparing Business Requirement Documents, and conducting user acceptance testing.

Selection Criteria:

Experience & Education:

• Minimum of 1 year of relevant work experience.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (Ex. Finance, Accounting)
• Professional accounting qualification (CA, CPA, ACCA or an equivalent professional accounting qualification) is a plus.

Language:

• The ideal candidate should have advanced fluency in both English and Portuguese, with the ability to clearly communicate in both written and spoken forms and to conduct meetings in these two languages. Proficiency level in these two languages will be tested during the recruitment process.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Relevant knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), internal controls and financial management.
• Ability to exercise professional judgment and appropriately interpret and apply operational policies, as they relate to disbursements and loan portfolio management.
• Strong quantitative skills with superior attention to detail and numerical accuracy.
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills with demonstrated ability to interpret data, assess issues, develop sound conclusions and formulate remedial measures.
• Ability to manage routine tasks, deal with rapidly shifting priorities, provide professional support to senior staff and deliver against ambitious deadlines.
• Capacity to work simultaneously, effectively and efficiently on a variety of diverse issues and tasks, independently adjusting priorities and achieving results with agreed objectives and deadlines.
• Strong client focus including good interpersonal, diplomatic and team building skills required for building and maintaining collaborative relationships and engaging courteously with clients and team members.
• Willingness to travel on mission and short-term assignments.