Job Title

Palika Finance and Administration Officer

Division

International Water, Environment and Climate Change

Reporting to

Senior Finance and Administration Officer

Grade

B

Location

Kailali with possibility of relocation to other NCCSP project office.

Company Profile

Mott MacDonald is an employee-owned management, development and engineering consultancy serving the public and private sector around the world, with more than 16,000 staff worldwide.

Our International Development Services Unit, IDS, operates portfolios within the international development sectors of Environment, Climate, Water, Roads, Rural & Urban Development, Education, Health, Social and Economic Development in over 40 countries. Together we implement and manage projects in developing countries and emerging economies around the world, supporting national governments and municipalities in policy, planning, project design and delivery. We are committed to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to provide our expertise to improve the lives of people in need.

Mott MacDonald is an equal opportunity employer, ensuring no current or prospective employee feels disadvantaged because of their: age, nationality, caste, parental status, class, race or ethnic origin, colour, religious belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or marital status.

Project overview

Mott MacDonald has been appointed by the British Embassy Kathmandu (BEK)as the Technical Assistance Provider for the “Nepal Climate Change Support Programme Phase 2 (NCCSP2), led by the Ministry of Forest and Environment. NCCSP was designed with an aim to ensure that the poorest and most vulnerable communities in Nepal are able to adapt to the effects of climate change. NCCSP2 supports local governments design and implement climate resilient development plans (CRDPs), with higher level support provided to the MoFE and Provincial government. The climate resilient development planning process provides a climate risk screening approach that is aligned with the 7-step Palika planning and budgeting process.

The aim of NCCSP2 is to:

• - Support the poorest and most vulnerable communities and local enterprises in western Nepal to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change;
• - Use participatory, evidence-based processes to identify long-term adaptation priorities; and integrate these into Government of Nepal planning and policy;
• - Build the capacity of Government of Nepal to finance, design and deliver adaptation interventions;
• - Improve coordination of community-based adaptation interventions and generate evidence that can improve the quality of future adaptation planning

The objectives of the Technical Assistance to NCCSP2 is to support and build the capacity of the Government of Nepal to deliver the programme. The TA to the NCCSP2 comprises of 4 objectives:

1. Help the Government of Nepal (GoN) to deliver the programme effectively, efficiently, and economically through the provision of technical expertise
2. Reduce the fiduciary risk associated with the programme
3. Strengthen the capacity of the GoN to implement climate change adaptation programming today and in the future
4. Share learning from NCCSP with others and lead the coordination of partners working on climate change adaptation in Nepal

Job Description

Activities related to TA finance and administration

• - In coordination with Palika coordinator, carry out office management functions, such as arranging travels, purchasing and maintaining office supplies, safeguard of office assets, maintaining records and so on.
• - Support Palika coordinator, in preparing field office plan, budgets and forecasts in a periodic basis, and updating the plans regularly.
• - Maintain books of accounts, supporting evidences and relevant records of the transactions carried out from the field office.
• - Support bank and cash management function at the field office.
• - Prepare monthly expenditure and fund status report and submit the report to regional and central NCCSP offices.
• - Support HR in leave tracking of staffs of field office, support staff management
• - Folder management in SharePoint and Archiving.

Activities related to FA financial monitoring and reporting

• - Assist in monitoring of compliance with Grant Manual, MoU and NCCSP2 Operational Guidelines by Palikas. The indicative activities regarding the financial monitoring, are as follows:
  1. - Carry out regular monitoring visits to the assigned Palikas and monitor the financial management activities such as budgeting, budget virement, expenditure control, staff advances, cash management, treasury management, procurement management, safeguard of assets, accounting and recordkeeping, financial reporting, internal/external audit follow-up, and so on.
  2. - Interact with Palika personnel, especially finance function personnel, to get updates in challenges faced in aforementioned areas of financial management and the actions taken by Palikas to overcome such challenges
  3. - Review the supporting evidences, whenever required, to ensure transactions are appropriate and adequately supported.
  4. - Take stock of issues noted by Internal and External Auditors or other financial reviewers that are related to internal control system or specific to NCCSP2.
• - For Palikas where funds are channelled through MM:
  1. In coordination with Palika Coordinator, ensure the claims received from service providers, contractors or User Committees are as per Grant Manual and checklist shared by central NCCSP office
  2. Compile the claims along with supporting evidences and submit forward those to payment units
  3. Support in keeping track of status of contracts, payments, and commitments
  4. In coordination with Palika Coordinator, prepare periodic budgets and forecasts for such payments and submit it to regional and central office
• - Carry out on-the-job capacity development support for finance personnel in the Palika level, as per guidance from PFM team at regional and central level. This shall include advisory and mentoring roles (such as reinforcement of government regulations and dissemination of best practices). Refrain from assuming the responsibility of the Palika personnel (such as preparing the payments, handling their cash, etc.).
• - Support compilation of financial reports and other financial information related to Palikas:

1. Collect monthly financial reports (Faatbari) of Palikas and submit to regional offices for further compilation. Carry out review of financial reports, if necessary, such as validation with the accounting records.
2. Support activity-wise financial information entry into MIS.
3. Support compilation of annual financial statements and various financial information as required.

• - Act as a champion for the Financial Management Improvement Plan (FMIP) or other PFM reform plans of NCCSP2, and support translating the plans for local level implementation.
• - Report the outcome of activities including challenges, red flags or other issues regularly to PFM team at regional and central level.

Deliverables

The staff will deliver the following:

• - Monthly and periodic plans and budgets
• - Monthly financial reports of TA activities of field office
• - Monitoring reports of Palikas
• - Compilation of Financial Reports of Palikas, along with findings, if any

Note: This job description reflects the present requirements of the post.  As duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder and line manager.

Candidate Specification

Required competencies and experience

• - Bachelor’s degree in business studies, business administration, accounting or equivalent from reputed university
• - At least 3-5 years of experience including experience in accounting, budgeting, assurance or financial reporting role. Knowledge of public sector in Nepal, will be an added advantage.
• - Experience of working in remote areas of Nepal will be an added advantage.
• - Experience of implementing effective internal control systems including procurement.
• - Fluency in Nepali and English and good communication skills.
• - Ability to organize work and projects and to adapt to changing circumstances (flexibility);
• - Good analytical, negotiating, advocacy, inter-personal communication skills;
• - Good report writing skills in Nepali and English;
• - Proficiency in Excel, Power point and Word;

Locals from the working districts are strongly encouraged to apply