The WFP Regional Bureau for Western Africa covers a region that extends from Mauritania to Chad and along the coast from Cameroon to Senegal. It consists of 19 countries; The West Africa Regional Bureau (RBD) is based in Dakar and provides strategic guidance, technical support, and direction to country operations in these countries.
The Budget and Programming function’s mission is to support and enable operations by safeguarding resources and efficient management of WFP resources, risk-informed end-to-end planning, budgeting, and reporting that enables WFP to deliver its key priorities, and strategic objectives and achieve its zero hunger goals. Budget and Programming Officers are required to operate with minimal
JOB PURPOSE:
To deliver budget and resource analysis and programming activities, and provide support to Country Offices, partnering with and supporting managers in the application of best practice approaches for the efficient, effective, and compliant utilization of funds.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
Under the overall guidance of the Sr Regional Budget and Programming Officer and under the direct supervision of the Regional Budget & Programming Officer, the incumbent will undertake the following:
Budget Planning and Management
Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures for budget and programming activities through close monitoring, with the aim of achieving compliance with WFP and functional strategies.
Contribute towards the compilation, preparation and revision of various budget plans in compliance with budget and programming procedures.
Monitor WFP’s corporate systems ensuring that all budget-supporting documents are accurate, well developed and in line with recommendations to enable accurate recording into internal systems and follow up on budget approval actions.
Participate in CSPs/RBPs closure activities and work with spending units to highlight and close open commitments in a timely manner whilst bringing any potential issues to the supervisor’s attention.
Pipeline Management
Collate commodity pipeline requirements including Advance Financing requests in collaboration with stakeholders at the operational level, to ensure timely shortfall coverage and efficient utilization of contributions.
Prepare monthly pipeline reports and support the CO/RB team in monitoring the resource pipeline across all transfer modalities (Food, Cash Based Transfers, Capacity Strengthening and Service Delivery) including corporate stock replenishments to maximize operational effectiveness.
Participate in and support preparations for the monthly, cross-functional, pipeline working group, (across Area Offices, Sub Offices and Field Offices as needed), that proactively discusses resource availability and upcoming shortfalls, recommending timely mitigation measures.
Funds, Performance Management, and Reporting
Check accuracy and monitor timely programming and utilization of funds based on operational priorities, funding proposals and donor conditions, proposing timely recommendations and possible corrective actions that enable reporting in collaboration with spending units.
Perform and document fund sub allotments as per available procedures and guidelines, to avail funds to spending units for timely commitment.
Participate and support preparations for the CO/RB Resource Management Committee (RMC) as per agreed timelines. The RMC reviews and prioritizes resources against the Country Portfolio Budget (CPB).
Other
Where needed, support the activation/deactivation and management of Global Commodity Management Facility (GCMF) supply lines, participate in knowledge transfer activities in support of the facility and facilitate decision-making for the allocation of corporate stocks.
Support the capacity enhancement of junior staff in budgeting, funds management, operational planning and performance reporting, through the regular day-to-day interactions, delivering training using available materials, manuals and guidelines.
Take active participation in training and learning opportunities, interactions with and accepting guidance from peers and senior colleagues.
Collect inputs and draft accurate and timely reports, to enable informed decision-making and consistency of information presented to senior management and external stakeholders.
Contribute towards the development and improvement of systems, techniques, tools, processes and procedures to better monitor, manage and report on WFP budgets and resources.
Participate in internal meetings/committees/working groups as required, in order to obtain and provide information from a budget and resource programming perspective.
Follow standard emergency preparedness practices and contribute to monitoring the management of financial risks.
Perform other relevant duties as required.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education:
Advanced university degree in Business Administration, Statistics, Finance, Economics, or other relevant field. Additional professional training in project management, statistical analysis, data analysis, and/or operational planning and management is desirable.
Experience:
At least one year of progressing professional experience, with an advanced university degree, or three years of work experience for holders of a first degree.
The following skills are prerequisites:
Experience performing analytics of complex data and presenting the information to meet various audience needs.
Experience preparing, managing, and reporting on operational budgets.
Experience in working with large datasets, extracting information from them in an easy-to-interpret manner.
A demonstrated and adequate understanding of information and financial systems and how those support the implementation of operations.
Thorough understanding of operational planning and business processes, rules, and procedures and applying them consistently in the implementation and support of programme interventions.
Adequate knowledge of programme operational requirements and how these translate into resource management requirements, enabling the proposition of recommendations for improvement in a proactive rather than reactive manner.
Experience coordinating operational planning and fostering discussions around resource projections and implications on a programme-wide level, integrating trend analyses and ongoing discussions to drive the way forward.
Ability to consolidate and share resource management information in a way that supports decision-making and emphasizes accuracy and consistency in numbers across teams.
Ability to coach, train and mentor a team of staff to deliver at expected levels.
Language: Fluency in spoken and written French and English is required.
