Country Operations Analyst (Nairobi, Kenya - Local recruitment) at International Fund for Agricultural Development

Job description

Vacancy Announcement Number 1705

Date of Issue 17/12/2018

Deadline for Applications 20/01/2019

Organizational Unit East & Southern Africa Div.

Level NOA

Duration of Assignment 2 years

This position is only open to nationals of Kenya.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

The Programme Management Department (PMD), under the leadership of an Associate Vice-President, is responsible for the overall programme of loans and grants of the Fund and is composed of five regional divisions and an Operational Policy and Results Division. The Country Operations Analyst (COA) post is located in an IFAD Sub-regional Hub or South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) and Knowledge Center (KC) and reports directly to the respective Country Director/Head of the Sub-regional Hub or SSTC KC.

The incumbent provides services to the Country Directors (CD)/Country Programme Managers (CPM) and Country Programme Officers (CPO) within the Sub-regional Hub/SSTC and KC on both programme and resource related matters on which s/he may also receive guidance from the Country Programme Officer, the Senior Regional Procurement and the Regional Directors' Front Office, as appropriate. S/he may provide technical guidance and support to the Country Programme Assistant (CPA) and/or Administrative Assistant

(AA) in the Sub-regional Hub/SSTC and KC, collaborates closely with staff at IFAD HQ and collates information and data to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in administrative and programme related matters.

Key Results/major Activities Include

The Country Operations Analyst is accountable for a range of administrative and programme support functions pertaining to coordination and execution of field operations.

• Project and Programme Support
• Effective and Efficient Provision of Resource Management Support
• Country-specific Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing Support
• Managerial Functions

Key results expected / Major functional activities

PROJECT AND PROGRAMME SUPPORT: The Country Operations Analyst supports IFAD staff within the IFAD Sub-regional Hub/SSTC and KC in the efficient and effective delivery of IFAD-supported projects. This involves substantive support to mission-related activities, monitoring deliverables against established deadlines, data analysis, and support to oversight of project procurement, as required.

Responsibilities May Include

• Supporting the organization and announcement of missions, including support to preparation of Terms of Reference and maintaining consultant rosters;
• Performing analysis on programme-related financial data (e.g. annual work plans and budgets, disbursements, audits), including extracting and professional use of data from IFAD's Grants and Investment Projects System (GRIPS) and Operational Results Management System (ORMS);
• Following up on timely submission of financial and audit reports and reports indicating action taken on supervision mission recommendations;
• As appropriate, supporting activities related to the oversight of project procurement in coordination with and under the overall guidance of the Senior Regional Procurement Officer, including: review of procurement provisions and arrangements of new projects to ensure their adequacy; review of AWPBs and procurement activities subject to IFAD no-objections; participating in project.

EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PROVISION OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT: The Country Operations Analyst is responsible for ensuring efficient day-to-day handling of financial and non-financial resources (incl. HR matters, as required) pertaining to all IFAD staff and country programmes within the IFAD Sub-regional Hub/SSTC and KC through corporate IT tools and systems and ensures that practices follow established regulations, rules and procedures. S/He ensures effective coordination with the host agency at the country level and works collaboratively with relevant staff at IFAD HQ.

Responsibilities May Include

• Ensuring full compliance of administrative activities with IFAD rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Supporting the Budget Holder(s) within the IFAD Sub-Regional Hub/SSTC and KC in providing inputs to annual work plan and budget and to the regular management of allocated budgets;
• Under the overall responsibility of the Budget Holder, administering, executing and monitoring allocated budgets (incl. accruals) and certifying administrative expenditures, including travel administration and purchasing consultancy services, other goods and/or services through PeopleSoft HR and Financials Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system;
• Analysing and reconciling financial ative activities with IFAD rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Supporting the Budget Holder(s) within the IFAD Sub-Regional Hub/SSTC and KC in providing inputs to annual work plan and budget and to the regular management of allocated budgets;
• Under the overall responsibility of thdiscrepancies and assisting in reviewing documents with budgetary implications and making recommendations;
• Administering country office assets (incl. maintenance of IFAD office furnishings and equipment, inventory control and vehicle/fleet management, if any) and supporting the management of relationships with the hosting agency;
• Liaising with IFAD HQ Security on security related matters and attending the Security Management Team meetings on behalf of the CD/CPM as required.

COUNTRY-SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE BUILDING AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING SUPPORT: The Country Operations Analyst supports the collation and dissemination of good practices, lessons learnt and results in close collaboration with the country and regional team and other IFAD staff. This may include identification of project training needs, organization of related trainings and workshops and contribution to capacity building of project staff in program implementation, financial and budget management. S/He will also support organizing knowledge sharing events at country-level, and prepare short analytical knowledge management papers on relevant thematic issues to promote knowledge sharing between various programmes, within the division and the remainder of IFAD.

The Country Operations Analyst based in SSTC and KC also supports the Country team in the promotion of South-South and Triangular Cooperation by administering contacts with partner agencies in the country and the region, supporting the logistics of SSTC exchanges and preparing short analytical papers on SSTC experiences. S/He will also maintain close contact with the other SSTC and KCs and relevant IFAD offices and will be engaged in monitoring and evaluation activities, as required.

MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Country Operations Analyst is accountable for integrity and transparency in the administration of IFAD resources. S/he is accountable for upholding IFAD's core values and code of conduct, including integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Technical analysis and synthesis of information and data, including database management, creates the foundation for IFAD’s decision-making processes, and for ensuring quality of policy and programme advice provided to regional staff and/or the government. Analytical documents and linked monitoring frameworks (programme log frames inform the IFAD Results-Based Country Strategic Opportunities Programme [RBCOSOP] objectives and the Results Management Framework) are used in the development and evaluation of IFAD’s country programmes. Thus, the Country Operations Analyst contributes to upholding of the Country Office’s reputation by showcasing IFAD's capacity for successful programme delivery, which enhances IFAD's recognition as a reliable development partner. The key results have an impact on the efficiency of the Subregional Hub/SSTC and KC. Accurate analysis and presentation of information, thoroughly researched and fully documented work strengthens the capacity of the hub and facilitates subsequent action by the supervisors. Incumbent’s own initiative is decisive in results of work and timely finalization.

Representation / Work relationships

In the context of programme design and delivery, the Country Operations Analyst ensures the exchange of technical information between the programme team, as well as, forming and maintaining collaborative working relationships with counterparts and other relevant partners in the country, to enhance consistency and reliability in IFAD's development assistance to the government. A positive outlook of IFAD as a credible/reliable development partner is emphasized in the maintenance of relationships with counterparts.

S/He also provides programme/project logistical support to both the country offices as well as the local authorities, as required.

Competencies

• Organizational
• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence (Level 1)
• Demonstrating Leadership: Personal leadership and attitude to change (Level 1)
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge and innovates (Level 1)
• Focusing on clients: Focuses on clients (Level 1)
• Problem solving and decision making: Demonstrates sound problem
• solving and decision making ability (Level 1)
• Managing time, resources and information: Manages own time,
• information and resources effectively (Level 1)
• Team Work: Contributes effectively to the team (Level 1)
• Communicating and negotiating: Communicates effectively: creates understanding between self and others (Level 1)
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains effective working relationships (Level 1)

Technical/Functional

• Understand the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
• Possess thorough knowledge of organizational policies and procedures as well as knowledge of national policies and development priorities, government structure and operations and apply them consistently in work tasks
• Knowledge of rural project management and market development;
  field experience related to agricultural and rural development is desirable
• Knowledge of policy oriented, programme based pro-poor approaches, and loan and grant preparation
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to identify systemic administrative and logistic issues and recommend solutions
• Capacity to communicate fluently with different counterparts (civil society, government authorities, local communities, project staff) to align parties and build networks
• Write clearly, succinctly and convincingly, and listen and communicate effectively to engage others
• Computer skills: Knowledge of ERP systems is an asset, full command of office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and common Internet applications
• Knowledge of IFAD's financial and accounting principles

Education

• Minimum recruitment qualifications
• Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in accounting, business administration, development, economics, finance, international relations, or related areas.

Experience

At least two (2) years’ progressively responsible professional experience in development institutions and/or government service. Qualifying work experience in country programme analysis, operations management and/or loan/grant administration with International financial institutions, development cooperation agencies, etc., would be an asset.

Language Requirements

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Working knowledge of another official language (Arabic, French, or Spanish) is desirable.

Other Information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.