Organisation: Danish Embassy (DANIDA)
Project: Joint Water and Environment Sector Support Programme Uganda
Duty Station: Ministry of Water and Environment/Directorate of Water Resources Management, Kampala, Uganda
Reference number: DK-50989-2013/UGA.01-W
About US:
The Joint Water and Environment Sector Support Programme (JWESSP) has commenced with a six months inception phase from September 2013 – April 2014. To assist in the implementation of the JWESSP three Danida advisers will be recruited to provide advisory services to the Ministry of Water and Environment. The Public Finance Adviser will therefore collaborate with two Danida recruited advisers as well as with advisers recruited by other Development Partners and the Government of Uganda.
About Joint Water and Environment Sector Support Programme:
The Government of Uganda (GoU) and Development Partners (DPs) are implementing a Joint Water and Environment Sector Support Programme (JWESSP) over the 5-year period 2013-2018. The programme is a continuation of a similar programme running from 2008 to 2013 and will support the GoU's effort to eradicate poverty in Uganda. In line with the mandate of the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and the merging of the two subsectors, this new programme also incorporates support to the environment and natural resources (ENR) sub-sector. It is also intended to further harmonise and align DP’s support to the sector by establishing one co-ordinated and flexible sector programme, which DP’s will be able to "buy in" to by supporting components or elements that comply with their respective policies and strategic areas of support.
Job Summary:
-The Public Finance Adviser will support the alignment and effectiveness of donor support and the efficient use of resources available in the provision of services mandated to MWE. This will include continued support to financial management but expanded to encompass:
Policy analysis;
Institutional improvement;
Sector governance and the delivery of public services;
Sector support for the growth of the economy;
-Improving financial management and accountability and
-Ensuring transparency and accountability.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
-The Public Finance Adviser’s scope of work will focus primarily on improving capacity in areas controllable within MWE. Expanding on the areas listed above this will include the following:
-Support the Planning Department of MWE in the analysis of performance against policy objectives;
-Assist the Planning Department of MWE in the creation of a report on policy performance for presentation to Top Management and the Sector and Sub Sector Working Groups.
Sector governance and the delivery of public services
-Work with the Director / Directorate of Water Development (DWD) and Commissioners(Rural Water Division (RWD), Water for Production (WfP), and Urban Water and Sanitation
-Division (UWSD)) in the MWE service delivery departments to improve: Linkages with the Ministry of Agriculture particularly to ensure that final outputs and outcomes resulting from infrastructure associated with farm irrigation schemes are realised;
-Linkages with the Ministry of Education & Sport and Ministry of Health to clarify mandates and responsibilities for the supply of clean water and sanitation facilities in educational and health institutions respectively;
-Linkages with the private sector to ensure that environmental issues are fully considered during the planning and feasibility stage of any venture that requires an Environmental and Impact Assessment (taken as including Climate Change);
-Initiation and follow-up of results of value for money and tracking studies.
-Improving financial management and accountability
-Support the Principal Accountant and the Joint Partnership Fund (JPF) Accounts Unit as necessary including:
-Review and where necessary update JPF procedures to keep them in accordance with Government of Uganda procedures to facilitate continued alignment;
-Assist the JPF Accounts Unit in preparation of financial and audit reports on JPF donor funds;
-Support as necessary in preparing the annual JPF work plans and budgets including the allocation of JPF funds to the components within the Ministry;
-Support to the JWESSP Component Managers in the preparation of quarterly progress reports for presentation and discussion in the sector working group meetings;
-Support the GoU Finance Department in the improvement of document flow to manage payments to suppliers more efficiently;
-Support the Internal Audit Department in the development of an annual audit programme in compliance with the Government Internal Audit Manual;
-Support the strengthening of monitoring and reporting on decentralized (conditional grants) implementation for water and sanitation in particular transmitted to district local governments.
Key Performance Areas:
-The work of the Public Finance Adviser is expected to improve existing processes, documents and relationships. As such the precise method of measurement of impact will be agreed as part of the inception report process. The following areas will be expected to demonstrate the impact of the adviser:
-Regular risk assessment reports;
-Improved quality of quarterly reporting;
-Improved quality and raised profile of internal audit reporting;
-Absence of perceived corruption under the control of the sector;
-Regular policy analysis reporting.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
-The applicant should hold a Masters degree (or equivalent level of academic or professional experience) in political science, international relations, public administration, accounting or finance, law or development studies;
-Extensive experience working in the area of public finance, good governance or financial management;
-Experience working with basket funding;
-Extensive experience working in developing countries, preferably East Africa/Uganda;
-Experience of supporting inter-ministerial collaboration particularly in developing economies will be an added advantage;
-Knowledge of and experience working with bilateral and multilateral donors will be an added advantage;
-Fluent in written and spoken English.
-Pro-active and confident;
-Analytical, outgoing and robust;
-Pragmatic with an appreciation for the dynamics in a politically managed organisation;
-Strong inter-personal skills;
-Persuasive communicator;
-Ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team with relations to different ministries and stakeholder.
Terms of employment: The contract period is three years, with the third year pending budgetary approval. Attractive remuneration package reflecting family status. Contribution to a pension scheme, health insurance and reimbursement of school fees. Free housing. Grant for relocation.
How to Apply:
Information about the mandatory application procedure can be found at: www.danidajob.dk. Reference number DK-50989-2013/UGA.01-W should be stated in the application.
Preliminary interviews and personal evaluation: week 47 (18-19 November 2013). Mercuri Urval will conduct a personal evaluation of selected candidates.
Language test: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided that all candidates called in for interview - except for those to whom the relevant language is mother tongue - shall be language tested in Denmark in the working languages of the duty station (i.e. English).
Presentation to the appointments committee: 20 November 2013.
Decision: A decision is expected shortly after 20 November 2013.
Deadline: 24th October 2013 at 12 noon (CEST).
