Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience-based segment and the behaviours and technical/ professional skills-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.’’

Main purpose of job:

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) pursues UK’s national interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard UK’s security, defend our values, reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners.

The British High Commission in Pakistan has an exciting opportunity for a Financial-Management / Contracts’-Specialist to join the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) Portfolio Team in Pakistan from the 1st of April 2024, to minimise and mitigate the risks of conflict and instability in Pakistan and its direct/indirect impacts on UK.

The jobholder will be expected to ensure that ISF funded programmes’ financial management remains compliant with ISF requirements and that the Accountable Grants Agreements are executed in full compliance of the FCDO PrOF (Programme Operating Framework) Rules and CSSF / ISF Operating Framework (OF) requirements.

The British High Commission (Mission) takes an integrated approach to delivery and the CSSF / ISF programmes are embedded in the Campaign Goals (CG) structures of the Mission. The jobholder will need work closely with the ISF funded programmes’ management teams, multiple quarters in the Mission, and commercial colleagues in DEPA and in London.

The jobholder should have a clear understanding of financial management and accountable grants agreements, strong communication skills (both written and verbal skills) and practical experience of managing a portfolio of programmes’ finances – as well as accountable grant agreements – for donor (or donor funded) institutions.

The job holder will work under direct supervision of the ISF Portfolio lead, and will be line managed by DEPA Finance Team Leader, and work closely with the DEPA and CSSF/ISF commercial team.

The jobholder would be expected to support the professional development of ISF programme teams in Financial Management and Accountable Grants agreements.

This position offers a good opportunity to understand conflict response programming and build relationships with different teams across the Mission as well as with London.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities of the Job Holder:

• Engage with ISF funded Programmes’ management teams, promoting best practice and ensuring programme compliance with Financial Management and Accountable Grants’ requirements, guided by FCDO ProF Rules and ISF operating framework.
• Support the ISF funded Programmes’ management teams on all aspects of financial management and accountable grant agreements, risk mitigation (particularly around counter-fraud, anti-corruption measures and leakage), financial planning, funds-forecasting, financial monitoring, financial reporting, implementing partners engagement (on financial management and accountable grants).
• Monitoring financial progress of the individual programmes, including providing constructive challenge to programme teams on finance reporting, identifying financial strengths and weaknesses in the portfolio and communicating these clearly to programme teams for initiate any required changes.
• Support teams to maintain up-to-date record of their budget and forecast profiling on FCDO financial management system in line with ISF approved allocation.
• Maintaining / updating mandatory monthly and quarterly financial reporting including, Joint Funds Unit (JFU) ODA commissions, monthly financial narrative reports, variance analysis and Monthly Management Reports (MMR) – finance and risk meeting etc.
• Support the maintenance and strengthening of the internal control environment to mitigate risks, by ensuring compliance with key financial processes, highlighting control weaknesses identified through annual reviews, due diligence and audited statements and making recommendations for improvements.
• Improve the standards of financial awareness and financial management, for example, by providing support in understanding and interpreting management information and partner evidence to non-finance staff.
• Work with internal and external partners, including stakeholders, to ensure excellence in financial performance and financial capability. This includes meeting partners regularly to bridge any gap between financial policies of both organisations.
• Support programmes teams for engaging the implementing partners through Accountable Grants or MoU for ISF programmes, including reviewing of budgets/costed plans, technical and financial proposals by working closely with DEPA commercial and procurement team.
• Monitoring the ISF funds flow through AGAs and MoU and intimating the programme teams to timely initiate the process of any cost or time extension required.
• Support the programme teams with draft AGs / MoU, evaluating, negotiating, and executing the AGs and MoUs.
• Manage the ISF portfolio record of all AGs and MoUs, their associated spend, issues and amendments.
• Advise the ISF portfolio head, ISF Programme SROs, Post Senior Management and London on AGs/MoUs-related issues’ resolution, both internally and externally
• Communicate AGs/MoUs-related generic information, central guidance etc to all programme teams, as appropriate.
• Support teams in the due diligence processes of suppliers and implementing partners being engaged through AGA or MoU.
• Liaison with FCDO Afghanistan-Pakistan Directorate (APD) and JFU teams and provide timely financial and contractual updates on Pakistan programmes’ by highlighting any risks and mitigations plans. Ensure that all finance commissions both at Post and in London are responded-to on a timely basis with high quality.
• Provide support to ISF portfolio lead and DEPA finance lead on ISF spending review process, annual budget allocation including Main estimates and Supplementary budget transfers.
• To build programme teams’ capacity on spot checks and financial quality assurance so that they can conduct financial review assessments of their suppliers and IPs.
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with UK departments and effectively manage external and internal HMG communications related to ISF.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):  None

Language requirements:
Language: English
Level of language required: Proficiency in reading writing and speaking English language.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The FCDO is committed to provide learning and development opportunities to all its employees, including:

• Formal in-house and external training.
• Coaching, mentoring and job shadowing.
• Structured learning on the job, including stretching objectives and work.
• Field visits and attendance to regional or international events
  

Working patterns:
Full time employment with flexibly of working home on a case-by-case basis.
Operating hours are Monday – Thursday 08:00 – 16:15 (with half an hour lunch break); Friday 08:00 – 13:00

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

As part of the assessment process, should you get shortlisted and invited for interview, you may be asked to deliver a 5-minute presentation on a set topic. The topic of presentation will be provided in advance. This may be coupled with a written exercise as well, which will be required to be completed on the day of assessment.

Essential on arrival:  

• A member of one of the five Consultative Committees of Accounting Bodies [CCAB] i.e. ACCA; CIPFA; ICAEW; ICAI or ICAS; or CIMA; or a European or international equivalent qualification; or someone who has undergone a period of equivalent structured training and accreditation in a specialist area of finance.
• Complies with the CPD requirement of their professional accountancy body.
• At least 8 years of financial and contracts/agreements management of complex programmes
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Good oral and written English communication skills (ability to provide briefings, project reporting).
• Strong ability to build relationships, collaborate with partners across government and external stakeholders and work effectively as part of cross organisation team.
• Strong IT skill and working knowledge of MS Office 365
• Has practical skills in one or more area of management accounting and cost analysis, investment finance, treasury management, planning and budgeting and financial accounting. Can interpret financial policy in these areas and is able to provide advice and guidance to others.
• Understands different financial planning and budgeting techniques and their application in different contexts. Can incorporate the wider context when providing financial analysis and advice.
• Can present complex financial information clearly both verbally and in writing to support organisational decision-making.