African Development Bank Job for a Disbursement Assistant

African Development Bank (AfDB) established to strengthen dialogue between the Bank and the Government, is recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Disbursement Assistant - EARC

Reference: ADB/15/144
Location: Nigeria
Grade: GS8
Position N°: 50067485

Objectives

• The East Africa Regional Resource Center of the African Development Bank has been established to strengthen policy dialogue between the Bank, Governments and other stakeholders; improve performance of the project portfolio and aid coordination with other development partners.
• The Bank invites applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill in the vacant position of Disbursement Assistant.
• This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya and does not attract international terms and conditions.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of a Disbursement Officer based in the Bank's headquarters in Abidjan, the incumbent, with respect to Bank Group operations in Kenya, will:

Disbursement Transaction Processing:

• Analyze disbursement applications to determine: (i) appropriateness of the request; (ii) adequacy of supporting documentation; and (iii) compliance with contractual documents and Bank Group policies and procedures.
• Reconcile loan/grant accounts against borrower/beneficiary submissions.
• Engage in regular exchanges (written and verbal) with borrowers and operations staff on disbursement and project implementation related issues.
• Respond to questions regarding payments and disbursement procedures.
• Draft clear and concise correspondence on disbursement-related issues.
• Identify irregularities and/or non-compliance, highlighting circumstances the Banks’ exposure to financial risk for further investigation.
• Process disbursement applications and update data as necessary in the Disbursement Management System.

Project Management:

• Liaise with concerned Bank's departments and external stakeholders to resolve disbursement issues promptly.
• Participate in technical discussions and loan negotiations to ensure that disbursement arrangements are compliant with Bank Group disbursement policies.
• Participate in the review of project documents such as Project Concept Notes, Appraisal Reports, Country Strategy Paper and Project Completion Reports, and provide input to supervisors.
• Monitor borrowers' utilization of special account funds, ensuring that the funds are properly accounted for and used in accordance with Bank rules and procedures.
• Participate in disbursement supervision missions with particular emphasis on application preparation and use of special accounts and statements of expenditures.
• Contribute to improving efficiency of disbursement operations by ensuring that records and reports are properly maintained and updated at all times.

Capacity Building/Client Support:

• Participate in training of Bank staff and borrowers on disbursement policies and procedures.
• Participate in the design of materials for disbursement seminars and workshops.
• Respond to questions regarding disbursement procedures
• Perform client support activities associated with the payment process

Departmental/Divisional Tasks:

• Participate in field office/divisional task forces.
• Identify issues relating to disbursement policies, procedures and guidelines and recommend appropriate actions or enhancements.
• Identify and recommend changes to disbursement systems, policies and procedures to promote timeliness, accuracy and efficiency in processing while maintaining appropriate internal controls.
• Participate in new systems development and user testing
• Undertake ad-hoc assignments at the discretion of the Disbursement Officer, Division Manager and Regional Director.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• A Bachelor's degree or its equivalent in Accounting and at least six (6) years of direct relevant experience in accounting. Audit experience would be an advantage
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Fluency in English is must. Candidates who also communicate in French will be at an advantage
• Competence in the use of standard MS Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project). Knowledge of SAP would be an advantage
• Good understanding of basic general accounting concepts and principles, and their application.
• Analytical skills, with strong numerical ability, and attention to detail.

NB: This Position does not attract international Terms and Conditions of Employment. (Incumbents of the Position will be considered as Local Staff and will not have International Status).