Job Title: Executive Assistant to the Executive Director (Admin Jobs)…
Earn 137m as one of Financial Analysts at United States US Embassy / Mission
Job
Title: Financial
Analyst (Several Job Placements)
Organisation: United
States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda
Duty Station: Kampala,
Uganda
Salary Grade: UGX
137,483,245 – 202,072,484 per annum (FSN 11)
About US Embassy:
The United States
Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for
over 30 years. Ambassador Deborah R. Malac currently heads the U.S
Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and
organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the
direction of the Ambassador.
Among the offices
operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:
- United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) - Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
- Peace Corps
Job Summary: The Financial Analyst (FA) is part of the
Office of Financial Management (OFM) and reports to the Supervisory Financial
Analyst. S/he provides professional financial management advice on a broad
range of financial management issues to the Controller, Mission Management,
Development Objective (DO) teams, and various governmental and non-governmental
partner institutions, as well as to potential partner institutions which
implement an array of complex development activities. As OFM representative to
the DO team to which s/he is assigned, the FA performs necessary analyses and
provides appropriate advice on financial, accountability and risk management
issues related to planning and implementation of USAID/Uganda’s program funded
activities with an estimated annual program budget of $450 Million in one of
the most corrupt countries in the world. The FA will provide financial tracking
and analysis of USAID resources to ensure better financial monitoring and
minimize fraud risk. The FA will specifically be responsible for audits,
financial reviews, pre-award assessments, control environment and risk
assessments, cost effectiveness assessments, and closeout reviews, all of which
have been less rigorous than necessary due to staffing shortages in OFM. The FA
will assist in assessing Government of Uganda (GoU) public financial management
and procurement systems and provide oversight of third party monitoring
services.
The FA acts as the
“one stop” customer service representative between OFM and numerous internal
and external customers, including Senior Mission Management; Host Country
agency representatives, private sector service providers; implementing partner
organizations; and other international donor agencies regarding financial
analysis and accounting for projects implemented by the Mission.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Portfolio Financial
Management, Analysis, Monitoring and Advisory Services – (60%)
- Provide professional financial advice to USAID/Uganda Mission
management personnel on a range of issues related to the financial
management aspects of proposed activities, such as estimated costs and
required budgets; internal controls; fiduciary risk management and
compliance; and other issues. - Contribute to USAID’s decision and policy making process by
providing recommendations and suggestions for improving operational
efficiencies, financial management practices, and the accuracy of
financial reporting. - Provide technical guidance on U.S. federal government and USAID
rules and regulations to the technical DO teams, implementing partners,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and host government officials. - Prepare the financial aspects of project design and procurement
planning documents, such as budgets and financial plans for Implementation
Letters, Grant Agreements, and other relevant implementing mechanisms. - Participate in the performance of financial reviews, pre-award
assessments, organizational capacity assessments and compliance reviews.
This includes control environment and risk assessments, cost effectiveness
assessments, disbursement reviews, indirect cost rate reviews,
pre-closeout and closeout reviews on USAID funded organizations to
determine the levels of accountability and adequacy of control
environments within those entities. Prepare reports on their detailed
findings and issue these reports both to internal and external
stakeholders. Subsequent to these reviews, consistently follow up on the
findings until they are closed. - Perform reviews of financial terms and conditions on project
agreements, project implementation orders, GLAAS requisitions, contracts,
purchase and delivery orders, and lease and grant agreements for
compliance with applicable rules, regulations, and procedures relating to
accounting and fund controls. Monitor the execution of such documents to
ensure compliance with financial plans and report on the financial status
of those instruments to the Controller, the DO teams and Team Leaders. - Serve on the DO team, representing the Controller in accordance with
delegated authorities, and providing the full range of advisory services,
including periodic portfolio and/or project implementation reviews,
procurement planning exercises and other such activities. - Prepare and present the quarterly financial reviews to the DO teams,
providing in depth analysis and insight to ensure DO team leaders and team
members are aware of any issues related to pipeline positions, spend plans
and obligation plans. - Guide and coach the A/COR on the development of accruals. Prepare
and present the quarterly financial reviews bringing to light areas of
concern to the technical teams; identifies and recommends adjusting
entries to the accountants to bring the project/program pipelines into
accurate levels; investigates any variances between projections and actual
disbursements or accrued expenditure; and provides the results to Activity
Managers. - Conduct financial management training for USAID implementing
partners and recipients as part of capacity building, and hold workshops
where specific challenges faced in financial implementation are shared by
implementing partners and action plans developed to mitigate or address
the challenges. - Provide training to senior project staff responsible for financial
implementation of USAID-funded programs.
Lead Public
Financial Management (PFM) Reform Initiatives and Capacity Building – (30%)
- Participate and advise Mission senior management and staff in the
efforts set forth by the Agency related to Public Financial Management
(PFM) System reforms to use local partners. This includes advising Mission
management on the reliability and/or weaknesses of host country systems,
the effectiveness of the underlying internal controls, and providing
possible recommendations. He/she identifies or coordinates the capacity
building needs endorsed and/or determined from assessments conducted on
the Host Government Agencies, both at the National and Local Levels,
develops an Action Plan or a SOW to address those, and oversees
implementation. - Through agreements between the Government of Uganda and
USAID/Uganda, design and implement reforms to create independent and
transparent public finance institutions, budgetary and treasury processes,
audit and performance evaluations of public finances and unbiased data and
information dissemination. - Manage USAID/Uganda’s assistance and investments on PFM-related
activities, working directly with the Host Country Government Officials,
including Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI), Ministry of Finance, Treasury,
Judiciary, Internal Audit Institutions, civil societies and the private
sector associations. - Advise and assist USAID/Uganda’s Mission Office Chiefs and the Front
Office on all cross-cutting PFM issues impacting the Mission’s assistance
portfolio and program implementation. - Coordinate with the DO team to design, procure, implement and manage
USAID/Uganda’s authorized government to government (G2G) activities in
compliance with ADS 220. Responsible for developing the activity scope to
provide reasonable assurance that identified fiduciary risk(s) that might
result from the use of GoU systems are low or can be mitigated
appropriately. The FA will specifically be responsible for:
- Developing the scope of work to ensure that the PFMRAF Stage 2 Risk
Assessment will cover the key areas such as the Budgetary System and
Budget Execution, External Audit, Procurement Human Resources and Payroll,
Ordering goods/services & payment of invoices, Control Environment and
the Information Technology. - Selecting, coaching, and preparing the in-house Stage 2 risk
assessment team if authorized by the Mission, guiding the team throughout
the process, and coordinating the risk assessment program with the
counterpart agencies and GoU officials. - Devise technical specification to engage an outside contractor,
assisting contracting officer with procurement details including the
subsequent technical evaluation of the cost proposals submitted, and
performing A/COR duties of all outsourced assessments. - Formulating risk mitigation and capacity building frameworks and
plans to address identified fiduciary risks and control weaknesses. - Perform Government Agreement Technical Representative (GATR) duties
in relation to G2G activity implementation. - May be seconded to the host country government relevant ministry for
capacity development activities.
Manage the
Mission’s Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Control and Audit Management
(10%)
In line with the
Agency’s Audit Management and Resolution Program and accountability requirements,
the FA acts as the Audit Management Officer’s designee for the assigned
portfolios and assists Technical Offices in meeting their audit management
responsibilities. This includes responsibility for planning, executing and
coordinating the annual financial and performance audits of USAID/Uganda
assistance programs and projects in consultation with the Regional Inspector
General’s office in Pretoria, South Africa as needed per the ADS.
Ensure compliance
with USAID audit requirements for all contracts, grants, and cooperative
agreements. S/he formulates and maintains the Mission’s annual audit management
plan and audit inventory, which includes following-up on the receipt of audits
from contracted audit firms, and also involves tracking the progress of open
recommendations. The FA will be responsible for:
- Providing guidance to auditees and audit firms in consultation with
RIG/Pretoria to ensure full compliance with USAID audit requirements.
Follows up on the audit process until the final audit report is accepted
and issued by RIG/Pretoria. This involves working closely with
implementing partners, auditors and RIG/Pretoria to provide required
support and guidance. - Serving as the contracting officer representative (COR) with the
Certified Public Accounting Firms, supervising the coordination of
pre-audit surveys, performed by the CPAs and the subsequent technical
evaluation of the cost proposals submitted by the CPA firms. This also
entails: drafting the scopes of work; reviewing final reports for each audit;
conducting initial desk reviews draft audit reports; chairing and
coordinating the entrance and exit conferences for all financial audits,
and being directly accountable to the Audit Manager Officer (Controller)
and MCRC; supervising and coordinating audit field work and reviewing
audits for adequacy and compliance with requirements as specified in
OMB-Circulars.
Serve in a rotating
role of coordinator for all Mission Control Review Committee (MCRC) related
issues and findings by tracking and monitoring actions required to strengthen
internal controls in the Mission. He/she is the Controller’s delegated leader
of the annual Mission’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) review exercise and
the review of internal control systems as required by the Federal Manager’s
Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA). This includes:
- Implementing appropriate Mission internal control framework to
prevent waste, fraud and abuse of USG resources and safeguarding of all
USG investments in Mozambique and assets at the Mission’s disposal. - Managing Mission FMFIA process (risk assessment and deficiency
identification) by utilizing Agency supported URIC A tool and any future
updates. Training technical and other support offices staff on using the
URICA tool and documenting the results of the risk assessment and
deficiency Corrective Action Plans (CAPs), and monitoring CAPs completion
and closure - Organizing the Mission MCRC meetings, acting as the secretary of the
MCRC board, and keeping minutes of meetings/discussions. - Coordinating with the Mission Director to provide FMFIA
certification and reporting the results of Mission’s FMFIA and CAPs to the
Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in Washington. - Responsible for maintaining and updating the list of approved and
eligible audit firms, leading the process to add new firms.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed
below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.
- The applicants for the United States US Embassy Financial Analyst
job opportunity should hold a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting,
Finance or Business Administration - At least five (5) to eight (8) years of progressively responsible
experience in professional financial analysis, accounting or auditing is
required. - A thorough knowledge and understanding of generally accepted
accounting principles (GAAP) and generally accepted auditing standards
(GAAS); principles and accepted practices of Ugandan governmental and
business institutions with regards to finance, accounting, budgeting and
reporting; as well as governmental and not-for-profit accounting,
budgeting and reporting; - In-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles,
concepts and practices, especially as they relate to performing audits of
development programs and projects; - A thorough knowledge of USAID activity design, development,
implementation and evaluation processes is essential for full performance
level; - Knowledge of Public Financial Management systems, Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations Internal Control Framework, International
auditing standards and related areas. - Excellent skills and abilities in performing audits (financial and
programmatic), internal control assessments, financial reviews, compliance
reviews, etc.; - Ability to perform sophisticated analysis of management controls and
capabilities of partner/beneficiary organizations; - Ability to evaluate financial aspects of activities and programs,
institutional capacities and capabilities; - Ability to present results and recommendations to a broad audience,
both orally and in writing; - Excellent interpersonal skills are required, as incumbent will
frequently be working with the officials and staff of the Host government,
Contractors, Grantees, and others who may be unfamiliar with USAID’s
programming and budgeting process; - Exceptional verbal communication skills to be able to explain and
interpret GoU attitudes, priorities and concerns to USAID officials, and
to negotiate financial management and audit issues with appropriate GoU
organizations and/or USAID implementing partners, technical advisors,
counterparts, and peers; - Excellent writing skills to prepare regular audit reports to the
Regional Inspector General of USAID; - Ability to work effectively in a Team environment, and to achieve
consensus on policy, program/project, and administrative matters; - Strong computer skills including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as
well as capacity to effectively understand financial management and
tracking systems, and to process data that form the heart of the tasks
performed in this position. - Language Proficiency: Level IV (fluent) English language proficiency in speaking and
writing is required.
How to Apply:
All those interested
in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications and
strictly adhere to the following:
- A signed DS-174 Employment Application
for Locally Employed Staff or Family Member, Click Here - Cover letter clearly indicating the position
for which you are applying and describing how you meet the minimum
requirements - A Curriculum Vitae/Resume
- Copies of Academic Transcripts
- Names, contact numbers, and e-mail
addresses of three (3) professional references. At least one of the
references must be a prior or current direct supervisor.
Submit Application
To:
Human Resources
Office
By email at
KampalaHR@state.gov
NB: Your
application will be reviewed if you have fulfilled all the requirements
including submission of standard file types such as Microsoft Word (.doc) and
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) in a single attachment (No Zipped files, Links or Multiple
Attachments) and should not exceed 10MB. Please clearly indicate the position
number and title you are applying for on the DS-174 form.
Deadline: 2nd August 2019
The US Mission in
Kampala provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in
employment to all people without regard to race, color religion, sex, national
origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual
orientation. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal
employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity
enhancement programs.
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