Earn over 117m Annually as Financial Analyst at United States Embassy USAID OFM Office

Organisation: United States USAID Embassy, US Mission

in Uganda

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Vacancy Number: 6/16
Salary Grade: FSN-11 (Ugshs 117,730,581 to 172,487,987 p.a. inclusive of allowances).

Welcome to the United States Embassy in

Kampala, Uganda.  The United States has

enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years.  Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi 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) provides a

full range of financial management and advisory services in support of

USAID/Uganda Development Objective (DO) teams. He/she performs 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. The incumbent provides

professional financial guidance to USAID/Uganda Mission management personnel on

a range of issues related to the financial management aspects of proposed

activities; participates as a key member of the technical/DO teams throughout

the Program Cycle in activities such as periodic portfolio and/or project

implementation reviews, procurement planning exercises, etc. In addition, the

FA participates in the performance of various types of audits, financial

reviews, pre-award assessments, control environment and risk assessments, cost

effectiveness assessments, closeout reviews, etc. He/she is responsible for ensuring

compliance with USAID audit requirements for all contracts, grants, and

cooperative agreements; prepares and executes the annual audit management plan.

The FA is responsible for conducting the annual review of the Mission’s

internal control systems as required by the Federal Manager’s Financial

Integrity Act (FMFIA); and participates in the assessment of partner country

public financial management and procurement systems.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

A.

Financial Analysis and Advisory Services (45%)

·        
Offers

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.

·        
Actively

contributes 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.

·        
Provides

technical assistance and support to U.S. federal government and USAID rules and

regulations to the technical DO teams, implementing partners, non-governmental

organizations (NGOs) and host government officials.

·        
Prepares

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.

·        
Supports

activity managers in development of appropriate payment procedures in

accordance with project implementation requirements.

2. Performs 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. S/he will also monitor the execution

of such documents to ensure compliance with financial plans and report on the

financial status of those instruments to the Controller and other Technical

Office Directors or Team Leaders

3. Participates as a key member of the

technical (Development Objective) teams throughout the Program Cycle in

activities such as periodic portfolio and/or project implementation reviews,

procurement planning exercises and other such activities:

Performs the quarterly project accounting

analyses and supports the Technical Teams in development of accrual estimates.

Identifies and recommends adjusting

entries to the accounts 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.

4. Performs continuous and specific

quarterly 1311 reviews for Mission’s activities to fully support outstanding

Commitments, Obligations, Sub-Commitments and Sub-Obligations to provide

support for the Controller’s 1311 Certification; conducts special analysis of

historical accounting data and recommends management actions or alternatives

which can be taken when the data discloses unfavorable trends, situations,

and/or deviations from budget plans

Audits, Pre-award assessments, Financial

and Compliance Reviews, Internal Control

B.

Assessment (40 %): The

incumbent is responsible for ensuring compliance with USAID audit requirements

for all contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. She/he prepares and

maintains the Mission’s audit inventory, which includes following-up on the

receipt of audits from contracted audit firms, and also involves tracking the

progress of open recommendations, and developing the annual audit management

plan.

1.

The Financial Analyst:

·        
Establishes

and monitors the non-federal audit program for NGOs based outside the United

States. When required, requests and reviews copies of those audit reports

evaluating any findings that may have an impact on the implementation of the DO

Team activity.

·        
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. This also

entails drafting the scopes of work and reviewing final reports for each audit.

She/he updates aid recipients on OIG approved eligible audit firms, and

provides new guidance on audit requirements to recipients and the firms that

audit them.

·        
Updates

the Mission on the status of audits and recommendations. She/he notifies all

relevant parties inside and outside the Mission of the initiation and

completion of required audits to ensure proper participation in entrance and

exit conferences.

·        
Serves

as the Mission contact and subject matter expert on technical questions arising

in the course of audits regarding USAID regulations and procedures. This

includes attending entrance, mid-term and exit conferences with all parties

related to audits.

·        
Actively

coordinates correspondence with all stakeholders inside and outside the

Mission, including senior management in the Mission and at Agency Headquarters

in Washington, regarding all aspects of audit procedures from initiation to

closure.

·        
Regularly

reviews audits for adequacy and compliance with requirements as specified in

OMB-Circulars. Ensures that audit recommendations receive appropriate and

timely management decisions from Mission Senior Staff and that the final

actions on audit recommendations are achieved within required timeframes. This

involves working closely with the COR/AORs, Activity Managers, Agreement

Officer and implementing partners to coordinate the formulation,

·        
implementation

and follow-up of management decisions as well as closure of open audit

recommendations.

·        
Will

jointly serve as USAID/Uganda’s Audit Management and Resolution Officer,

responsible for all financial and performance audits, and the preparation and

monitoring of the Mission’s annual audit plan. He/she will be responsible for

preparation and/or review of Mission responses to the Regional Inspector

General’s audit report recommendations, and for closing out audit

recommendations with USAID/Washington’s Chief Financial Officer; and will

liaise with Inspector General’s office, and advise the Controller and the

Mission Director on the status of audits.

2. Participates in the performance of

various types of audits, financial reviews, pre-award assessments, and

compliance reviews. These include 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. Oversees the OFM Annual Financial Review Plan for the DO

Teams and actively leads/participates in the performance of financial reviews,

internal control assessments and financial management trainings for

implementing partners. Incumbent also will establish and implement annual plans

for performing financial management reviews of the Mission’s implementing

partners in Uganda; review the performance of implementing partners/agencies;

prepare site visit reports to detail findings and recommendations; and track

and follow up on implementation of recommendations. When a review or an

assessment is outsourced, She/he will be the Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR) for this award.

3. Serves as the 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 responsible for conducting the annual review of the Mission’s

internal control systems as required by the Federal Manager’s Financial

Integrity Act (FMFIA); guides and advises Mission staff on their

responsibilities for maintaining effective internal control, operating systems

and procedures; proposes recommended courses of action to correct management

deficiencies and reported material control weaknesses, and takes responsibility

for tracking the Mission’s progress in addressing progress made to remedy deficiencies/weaknesses.

C.

Public Financial Management and Capacity Building (10%):

·        
Actively

participates in (a) rapid appraisals of host country systems; (b) assessments

on public financial management and procurement systems; (c) host country

contracting and/or financial management capability assessments as a

precondition to award approvals and contracting capability certifications; (d)

Host country and donor discussions on public financial management, procurement

and other related forums.

·        
Advises

Mission management on the reliability of host country systems, and the

effectiveness of the underlying internal control; advise Mission management on

weaknesses and 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.

·        
In

conjunction with assessments conducted, participates in the conduct of relevant

FM training and technical assistance to the Host Country entity, aimed at

strengthening internal controls and management systems; and at building the

capacity of NGOs and Host Country Government Implementing Agencies.

D.

Other Duties (5%):

Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

NOTE:  All applicants must address each selection

criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting

each item.

·        
The

USAID US Embassy Financial Analyst should hold a bachelor’s degree in

Accounting, Finance or Business Administration is required. In addition, a

professional certification, (e.g. CPA or ACCA) OR a master’s degree in

Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field is required.

·        
A

minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in

professional financial analysis, accounting or auditing; preferably with an

international organization or accounting firm, are required.

·        
Familiarization

and on-the-job training on US Government accounting, USAID Financial

Management, USAID Phoenix Accounting System and other USAID systems. A

specific, tailored, recurring annual training plan including formal training

and continuing education will be developed for the employee.

·        
Working

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 are required.

·        
In-depth

professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts and practices,

especially as they relate to performing audits of development programs and

projects are highly desirable.

·        
A

thorough knowledge of USAID activity design, development, implementation and

evaluation processes is essential. Knowledge of Public Financial Management

systems, Committee of Sponsoring Organizations Internal Control Framework,

International auditing standards and related areas is highly desirable.

·        
Excellent

skills and abilities in performing audits (financial and programmatic),

internal control assessments, financial reviews, compliance reviews, etc. are

required.

·        
Possess

the ability to perform sophisticated analysis of management controls and

capabilities of partner/beneficiary organizations is required.

·        
Ability

to evaluate financial aspects of activities and programs, institutional

capacities and capabilities is required.

·        
Ability

to present results and recommendations to a broad audience, both orally and in

writing, is also required.

·        
Possess

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.

·        
The

incumbent must have solid 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 are required in order to prepare regular audit reports to the

Regional Inspector General of USAID.

·        
Possess

the ability to work effectively in a Team environment, and to achieve consensus

on policy, program/project, and administrative matters is required.

·        
Strong

IT skills are required to be able to effectively understand and process the

systems and data that form the heart of the task performed in this position.

·        
Level

IV (fluent) English language proficiency in speaking, reading and writing is

required.

All those interested in working with the

US mission in Kampala should send their applications and strictly adhere to the

following:

·        
Universal

Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member

(DS-174) Download it Here.

·        
A

current resume or curriculum vitae.

·        
Candidates

who claim US Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with

their application.  Candidates who claim

conditional US Veterans preference must submit documentation confirming

eligibility for a conditional preference in hiring with their application.

·        
Any

other documentation (e.g. essays, transcripts/certificates, awards) that

addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.

By email at KampalaHR@state.gov

NB: Only electronic submissions will be

accepted and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please clearly indicate the position

applied for in the subject area of the email submission.

Please use standard file types such as

Microsoft Word (.doc) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and please send all documents in

one file attachment.

Telephone:  0414-306001/259-791/5

Deadline: 14th February 2016

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.