Finance officer
Job
opportunity
Provincial Support
Programme (PSP) is a joint initiative of the Government of
Switzerland and the Government of Nepal with Office of the Chief Minister and
Council of Ministers (OCMCM) of Province 1 as an executing agency. PSP is
supported by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The project
duration is 01.02.2020 to 31.01.2024.The Consortium of PwC Switzerland (PwC AG)
and PwC India (PwC ,PL )through Programme Management and Implementation
Supports Consultants (PMISC) is supporting OCMCM to implement the programme.
The overall goal of PSP is to support the Government of Nepal to strengthening
federalism through well-functioning institutions, systems and processes. In
order to supplement PMISC team, PSP/ PwC is now seeking applications from
qualified and experienced Nepali Nationals for the following full-time
positions based in Biratnagar.
Job opportunity
In Provincial Support Programme (PSP) – Finance officer
Context and
Programme:
Transition to a
well-functioning federal system will be a longer-term, organic process. The
implementation of the federal Constitution (2015) is not solely a technical but
inherently a political negotiation process. Moreover, it is a prerequisite for
sustainable development that is an essential part of sustained peace process in
Nepal. This requires political sensitivity and continued political engagement,
particularly in processes where new inter-governmental relations are
concerned.
The multi-level system of
governance as envisaged by the Constitution of Nepal relies on the principles
of cooperation, coordination and co-existence among the different tiers of
government. Due to the ongoing and still unclear sequencing of federal
implementation processes, contributing to the effective inter-governmental
relations between vertical and horizontal tiers of government is essential for
the consolidation and functioning of federalism. Building of inclusive
institutions, governance systems and processes, often being built from zero,
will be the major task and challenge for Nepal in the years to come.
Harnessing Switzerland’s
long-standing record of cooperation with Nepal and its extensive experience in
consensus-oriented, inclusive multi-level governance systems, the Swiss
Cooperation Office in Nepal is launching a new Province Support Programme
(PSP). The PSP will be implemented from Feb 2020 till Jan 2024 with the
intent to support the Government of Nepal in its transition to federalism at
the Province level. It focuses mainly on institution building in order to
enhance the service delivery functions and accountability of new province
institutions towards their citizens thus catalyzing more inclusive development
and poverty reduction in Nepal.
The Programme comprises
three principal components that include:
- (Outcome 1) strengthening of
Province 1’s policy making, administrative, fiscal management and service
delivery functions;
- (Outcome 2) building of
inter-governmental strategic partnerships between local and province level
authorities through prioritized development projects; and
- (Outcome 3) working with province
government and legislative authorities to enhance their accountability
towards their constituencies, namely fostering greater inclusion of women
and disadvantaged groups in decision making processes.
While encouraging strong
inter-governmental coordination at all levels, PSP’s support activities are
concentrated in Province 1 where elected government authorities, line
ministries and the Province Assembly will be the programme’s focal
institutional counterparts. Primary engagement modalities of the Program
involve provision of targeted technical assistance and hands mentorship support
to Province 1’s government (PG) authorities; development and provision of
customized capacity/training packages; contribution of seed funding for select
PG and Local governments strategic partnerships and natural resource projects;
as well as comprehensive budget support for Province 1 related to institution
building and service delivery as per its concurrent and exclusive rights.
To ensure the maximum
ownership of the programme , OCMCM has established Programme Management Unit
(PMU) for day-to-day management and implementation of the Programme. The
PMU is headed by the Secretary of Governance Reform Division of Office of the
Chief Minister and council of minister as Programme Director. Government of
Switzerland will provide financial and technical assistance to the provincial
government through the Programme Management and Implementation Support
Consultants (PMISC). The PMISC is attached to the PMU. Team Leader of the PMISC
serves as the Programme Manager. S/He executes the programme under the
supervision and direction of the Secretary of Governance Reform Division
(Programme Director). The PMISC is headed by a Team Leader who supervises five
core thematic experts and a pool of technical consultants hired on a as-needed
basis. Strategic steering of the Programme will be guided by higher level
Province Steering and other Coordination Committees. To assist the
implementation of the programme, PSP/PwC is recruiting a team of professional,
dedicated, and qualified experts for PMISC.
Finance Officer
The Finance Officer shall
work under the guidance of the Team Leader and shall be responsible to oversee
the financial management of the programme. FO shall ensure compliance with
development partner (SDC) and GoN/provincial government’s requirements
and policies and procedures applicable to the project. He/ She shall prepare
Annual budget and assist in preparing yearly plan of operation and monitor fund
utilization, ensure correct accounting of project finances and financial
reporting as per approved reporting formats/guidelines and necessary tax
compliances.
Duties and
Responsibilities:
- Review project operations and
compliance with the terms and conditions of donor requirements, accounting
standards, and organization own policies and procedures
- Review and test procedures and
systems of financial management, internal controls of organization and sub
recipient organizations to ensure they are functioning as planned and in
accordance with sound financial and managerial principles
- Prepare budget, monitor the
expense and fund utilization
- Preparing reports and coordination
with donor, auditors and external parties
- Facilitate and monitor in the
system development and policies formulation, implementation of corrective
action plans and strengthen the system
- Provide guidance and training to
staff and partners regarding financial management and internal control
practices to minimize risk to the organization
- Procurement related - Finance
Officer will be responsible for drafting Bid/ Quotation Documents, Request
for Proposals (RFP), Bill of Quantities (BOQ)/ estimates/ specifications
and contracts, as applicable in consultation with the Team Leader (TL).
Administration and Human Resource Officer shall provide the necessary
support
- Support consultants/ experts in
implementing transparent, simplified procurement procedures
- Support to ensure that all
necessary information regarding scope of work, objectives, key personnel
qualifications, reporting requirements, deliverables and timeframe is
appropriately mentioned
- Assist the team to conduct
pre-bid/pre-proposal meetings, prepare response on queries sought from
potential bidders, assist in preparing and issuing clarification/
addendums, when necessary
- Assist in finalizing contract
documents for approval and contract signing including support regarding
issuing variation orders, contract extension and termination of contracts.
He/ She shall provide necessary support in managing procurement through
international bidding
- Maintain complete records of tax
deducted on vendor payments and ensure timely deposit of TDS as per legal
requirements
- Facilitate for conducting VAT
refund procedures and annual returns of the project for tax purposes
- Prepare financial statements for
purpose of statutory audits and provide necessary support in internal and
external audit as mentioned in bilateral agreement and project document
- Equipped with practical experience
of using accounting software including Tally or any other customized
software
- Ensure overseeing timely deposit
of employee benefits and statutory deductions with the relevant
authorities
- Provide support in procurement
management of assets and expendables
- Review and supervise movement of
funds from project bank accounts and ensure settlement of project advances
Qualifications and Experience:
- Chartered Accountant (Mandatory)
- Has Minimum 5 years of experience
working as Finance Manager/Account Manager Lead in related field.
- Prior experience of working with
donor funded projects/programme
- Experience of preparation of
project financial statements and tax compliances
- Experience of accounting software
such as Tally
Terms and Conditions for
Employment:
- Full-time position based in
biratnagar contracted for the project period subject to annual renewal
with onset 6-month probation period. Competitive salary to be negotiated.
