• Job Description

  Req#: req23916

  Financial Analyst, GPE

  Job #:	req23916
  Organization:	World Bank
  Sector:	Finance & Accounting
  Grade:	GE
  Term Duration:	3 years 0 months
  Recruitment Type:	Local Recruitment
  Location:	Paris,France
  Required Language(s):	English
  Preferred Language(s):	Spanish and Portuguese
  Closing Date:	9/1/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

  Description

  Are you a very passionate advocate for education? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of children? The Global Partnership for Education Secretariat (GPE) would like to hear from you.

  
  

  Who We Are

  
  

  GPE is a shared commitment to end the world’s learning crisis. It is the only global partnership and fund dedicated entirely to helping children in lower-income countries get a quality education, so they can unlock their potential and contribute to building a better world. We bring together governments, teachers, civil society, donors, United Nations agencies, development banks, businesses and private foundations to transform education systems so that every girl and boy can have hope, opportunity and agency.

  
  

  What We Do

  
  

  GPE helps low- and lower-middle-income countries to build stronger education systems so that all children can get the education they need to thrive. We currently support nearly 90 countries where the needs are greatest and focus on reaching the children who are the most vulnerable, including girls, children with disabilities and those affected by extreme poverty or conflict. Our unique approach works. Since 2002, 160 million more children in GPE partner countries have set foot in classrooms for the first time, more than half of them girls. GPE is also the largest provider of education grants in the global COVID-19 response, providing partner countries with vital resources to ensure that learning can safely continue.

  
  

  How We Work

  
  

  Now, GPE is working to help governments transform their education systems to get the most vulnerable children in school, improve teaching and learning, and build equitable, inclusive and resilient education systems fit for the 21st century. Between 2020-2025, GPE will support transformative change in up to 90 countries and territories, which are home to 1 billion children. Transforming education is about creating lasting changes and achieving impact at scale. GPE sets out to deliver this transformative change by convening partners, mobilizing funds and catalyzing reforms to help partner countries accelerate access, learning outcomes and gender equality.

  
  

  Raise Your Hand

  
  

  In July 2021, the Global Education Summit put GPE firmly on the path to be fully-funded by 2025, by raising a record US $4 billion from donors for GPE’s Raise Your Hand campaign. At the Summit, Heads of State and Government from partner countries made historic commitments to education financing and GPE also mobilized an unprecedented number of pledges from businesses, private foundations and development banks.

  
  

  A fully funded GPE would support transformed education systems in up to 90 countries and territories, enable up to 175 million children to learn and help get 88 million more girls and boys in school by 2025. In the longer term, this investment could add $164 billion to economies in GPE partner countries, lift 18 million people out of poverty, and protect 2 million girls from early marriage.

  
  

  Governance And Organizational Arrangements

  
  

  The GPE Board of Directors includes ministerial-level board members and alternates representing 20 constituencies that reflect the Partnership’s breadth. The Board Chair is HE President Jakaya Kikwete and the Board Vice Chair is Dr Susan Liautaud. The Board of Directors, with its three standing committees, provides policy and strategic oversight and approves or delegates funding decisions.

  
  

  The GPE Secretariat, with 160 employees and hosted by the World Bank, is responsible for translating the policies and strategies set by the Board into practical support for partner countries, coordinating with diverse stakeholders and galvanizing global support for SDG4. The Secretariat’s headquarters are in the World Bank’s offices in Washington, D.C. and the European office is in Paris with a satellite office in Brussels.

  
  

  ABOUT THE TEAM

  
  

  The Finance & Grant Operations (FGO) team focuses on fiduciary matters, grant processing, monitoring and administration, risk, innovative financing, and trustee finance. FGO is led by GPE’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

  
  

  The Risk and Compliance Team (RCT) is a sub-team within FGO and is primarily responsible for fiduciary oversight of all GPE grants, throughout the different stages of the project life cycle, as well as maintaining risk framework, monitoring and reporting on risk portfolio. The key tasks performed by the RCT include grant agent accreditation, fiduciary quality assurance of grant applications/revisions, fiduciary oversight of grant implementation (including review of audit reports, progress reports, and completion reports), leading value for money initiative, risk management, monitoring and reporting on misuse of funds and overseeing SEAH safeguarding policy & application.

  
  

  ABOUT THE JOB

  
  

  This position will be based initially in Washington D.C., United States or Paris, France.

  
  

  Description

  
  

  The Secretariat is seeking to add a Finance Analyst to the Risk and Compliance Team, with the position reporting to the Senior Finance Officer. The Finance Analyst will be assigned as the finance focal person for a portfolio of GPE countries/territories.

  
  

  Duties And Accountabilities

  
  

  The position has the following responsibilities across different elements of the grant cycle:

  
  

  1. PRE-GRANT APPROVAL

  
  

  A. Fiduciary Quality Assurance of Implementation Grant Applications

  Review finance and fiduciary aspects of applications for implementation grants [including System Transformation Grant (STG), GPE Multiplier, Girls’ Education Accelerator, and Accelerated Funding grant] at Quality Assurance Review (QAR) II and QAR III and ensure that Quality Assurance (QA) guidelines are properly implemented in a timely fashion. At QAR I, provide advisory support to the development of the fiduciary elements of grant preparation, if required.

  
  

  B. Fiduciary Quality Assurance of SCG and PDG Applications

  Provide finance/fiduciary input for the Grant Application Review Committee (GARC) process with regard to recommending for management the approval of the System Capacity Grant (SCG) and Program Development Grant (PDG) applications.

  
  

  C. Grant Agent Accreditation

  Support the process for accreditation of new GPE grant agents and/or country offices through the Institutional Capacity Assessment and Grant-level Assessment.

  
  

  2. DURING GRANT IMPLEMENTATION

  
  

  A. Review of Audit Reports

  Perform timely review of audit reports and management letters for GPE grants and ensure that any significant issues raised by the auditor are adequately addressed through proactively bringing to the attention of the Senior Finance Officer and if necessary, document inputs for inclusion in misuse of funds and other reporting.

  
  

  B. Review of Progress Reports

  Conduct timely review of progress reports for GPE grants and ensure all high-risk issues are mitigated in a timely fashion, including where necessary bringing to the attention of the Senior Finance Officer and ensure proper documentation for reporting purposes.

  
  

  C. Bespoke Assistance on Particular Grants

  Provide monitoring of particular GPE grants as required. In consultation with the Senior Finance Officer, through dialogue with Secretariat program manager/Country Team Lead and grant agent, provide review of monitoring reports and participate in monitoring missions, following up with issues as appropriate, and helping to brief Secretariat management on emerging issues.

  
  

  D. Review of Revisions to GPE Grants

  Provide finance/fiduciary input for the Grant Application Review Committee (GARC) with regard to recommending for management approval the revisions to GPE grants (depending on materiality of revision).

  
  

  E. Risk Management

  Assist with input into the risk management dashboard in a timely manner and continue to refine the RCT assigned risk indicators over time. Work to build on the mitigating actions from the framework to help ensure that fiduciary risks in GPE grants are sufficiently mitigated. Support identification of high-risk grants, operational risk assessments and development and implementation of risk management plans.

  
  

  3. POST GRANT COMPLETION

  
  

  A. Review of Grant Completion Reports

  Perform review of grant completion reports, ensuring lessons on finance/fiduciary issues are fed back into the design process, and any non-compliance is escalated to the Senior Finance Officer.

  
  

  4. INTERNAL PROCESS MANAGEMENT

  
  

  Support process of updating an operational manual for fiduciary oversight of GPE grants. Assist with socialization of finance policies with Secretariat teams. Support regular updates of RCT Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Be proactive in becoming aware of changes to grant agent policies and how this affects compliance with GPE policies.

  
  

  5. OTHER TASKS

  Perform other tasks as requested. This may include various pieces of grant analysis work and supporting the implementation of corporate priorities including participation in internal and external evaluation processes, and any new initiatives affecting the Risk and Compliance Team. Participate in all required training.

  
  

  Selection Criteria

  Education

  
  

  Masters degree in finance, accounting, economics, or relevant field of study is required, or equivalent combination of education and experience. A Master’s or Bachelors degree in any of these fields and/or Professional accounting qualification (e.g., CPA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) would be preferred.

  Experience

  At least Two years of experience working in financial management (public financial management, auditing, consulting, etc.). Experience working in developing countries is an advantage.

  
  

  Language

  
  

  Full proficiency in English, in reading, writing, and speaking, is required for this role. Proficiency in Spanish and Portuguese is desired, but not required.

  
  

  Competencies

  
  

  Accountability & Results Focus - Manages own work; takes responsibility for own decisions, deliverables and deadlines. Doesn’t let the pursuit of perfection prevent forward progress. Seeks clarity when needed to move work forward. Takes ownership of own mistakes, failures or oversights, and seeks to correct them. Raises issues or differences of opinion that threaten progress.

  
  

  Adaptability - Has high degree of flexibility - responds to changing circumstances without losing momentum. Learns new skills and performs work in different ways. Remains calm in stressful situations. Professionally deals with personal discomfort in a changing work environment.

  Collaboration & Teamwork - Actively collaborates with others and displays and open, helpful disposition. Acts as a teammate, stepping in to support colleagues when asked. Recognizes and values the role of each team in delivering on GPE’s mission. Approaches challenges and obstacles as shared challenges to be overcome.

  
  

  Communication & Interpersonal Skills - Has experience & success working in multicultural environments. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively, adapting language, tone, style and message to diverse, multicultural audiences. Is able to communicate complex information in succinct and digestible ways. Shares information and keeps people informed; Operates with transparency, in a way that builds trust in a culturally diverse environment. Maintains productive working relationships with colleagues.

  
  

  Planning & Organizing - Works well independently and in teams. Plans and prioritizes work effectively, making adjustments as needed to accommodate changes. Sets and meets individual deadlines. Ability to work under pressure and against tight timelines, and still deliver high-quality work.

  BENEFITS FOR THIS POSITION

  
  

  Term appointments include, but are not limited to, medical benefits, including dental and vision, Staff Retirement Plan, financial assistance program, life & disability insurance, comprehensive leave policy (minimum 26 days/annum) and parental leave policy (50-100 days).

  
  

  DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

  
  

  Poverty has no borders. Neither does excellence. This is why we continually search for qualified individuals with a diverse set of backgrounds from around the globe. We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, creed, race, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability.

  GPE has a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in line with its PSEAH policy.

  
  

  Individuals with disabilities may be provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions of the role and support in receiving other workplace accommodations. Please contact the DAF-Disability Accommodation Fund at disabilityfund@worldbank.org for further information and support.

  World Bank Group Core Competencies

  The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

  We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

  Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC , including our values and inspiring stories.

• About the company

  The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects.

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