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The BPSHE RM team supports the work program of 2 VPUs – East Asia and Pacific Region (EAP) and Human Development Practice Group (GGHVP).

The BPSHE team consists of 50 BPS staff (17 in HQ, 33 in Country Offices). The 33 staff in country offices mainly provide support to the 7 Country Directors with budget and country office administration support. The HQ staff support both the VP Front Offices, Regional Directors, Global Directors, Practice Managers and participate in cross-team functional work programs to ensure consistency and standardisation.

BPSHE is seeking to recruit a Resource Management Officer (RMO) based in Sydney, Australia to help drive, support, and implement the RM Service Delivery within the BPSHE team.

The position will primarily serve the Pacific’s Country Management Unit (CMU). This CMU covers the Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Micronesia, Vanuatu, Kiribati. The Country Director (CD) and the Operations Manager (OM) are based in Sydney, Australia country office. The CMU also has an anchor office in Washington, D.C. and offices in most of the countries mentioned above, each led by a Country Manager (CM) or Resident Representative (RR).

Working independently under the supervision of Chief Administrative Officer and general direction of CMU Management, the selected candidate will be the main BPS Business Partner for Pacific’s CMU, assisting its management with business planning, budgeting, and monitoring of budgets, as well as Work Program Agreements (WPAs), reporting to both the CMU and the CAO’s Office on budget execution and projections. The selected candidate will also be responsible for the resource management, internal controls, and administrative functions of the CMU and the Sydney Office; and exercise an oversight role on other offices in the CMU.

RM staff are expected to be fungible and to work across the BPS RM Functions over time – in response to business needs and in support of their professional development.

Key accountabilities of this position include:

Financial Management/Monitoring:

• Plays a key business planning role with the CMU Management Team in overseeing and coordinating preparation of Work Program Agreement (WPA), budget formulation (BB, TF, and other cost-share/revenue sources), and in case of country office relocations or renovations, development of capital budget plans.
• Compiles and analyses costs at the CMU/country office, measuring efficiency/effectiveness and proposing enhancement solutions as needed, and undertaking comparison of service providers costs, always seeking the best value for money.
• Ensures the alignment of planned deliverables and budgets are properly aligned, that country offices liquidity balances have optimum levels, and that exception reports are monitored periodically with remedial actions taken when needed.
• Provides support to managers and staff in accessing management reports available in Bank’s information systems.
• Liaises and maintains relationships with local commercial banks as needed.

Financial Control and Fiduciary:

• Works with the Country Director and Managers to ensure a strong control environment in the country offices.
• Provides guidance, advice, interpretation, and recommendations to the Country Director, Managers, and staff on RM policies and procedures.
• Ensures that audits and quality assurance reviews recommendations are implemented properly.
• Coordinates preparation of accounting scorecard responses and implements recommendations.
• Reviews accounting transactions, reconciliation reports, open items report, and monthly accounting reports.
• Ensures that Bank’s assets and inventories are appropriately recorded and safeguarded.
• Maintains consistency in the application of accounting rules and procedures.

Human Resources Management:

• Advises and provides inputs to Management on staff planning/strategic workforce planning exercises.
• Provides support to HR on benefit administration related matters (e.g., financial assistance, salary costing, etc.) as needed.
• Liaises with the HR team on human resource issues that may have budget implications as needed.

General Administration:

• Leads, guides, and mentors other RM Analysts/Assistants, and administrative staff, as needed, in overall RM tasks and institutional policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with Security, IT and Facilities teams to ensure the smooth operation of office facilities, seeking opportunities for improvement where appropriate.
• Oversees the local administrative procurement of supplies, goods, and services; also, where applicable, may take a lead role coordinating and participating in the Country Office Administrative Procurement Review Committee (APRC).
• Contributes to the development of administrative policies and practices for process improvement and the efficient and effective operation of the country office.

Selection Criteria

Minimum Education/Experience

• Master's Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance, or other relevant discipline required to fulfil position specific requirements (e.g., Economics, Public Administration, etc.) OR Bachelor’s Degree plus an internationally recognised professional accounting qualification (e.g., CPA, CA, ACCA, CGMA).
• Minimum five years relevant experience.
• Candidate should have a legal rights to work in Australia

Technical Competencies:

• Planning and Budgeting: Able to coordinate work program and budget planning, formulation, allocation processes (including WPAs), and monitoring and management reporting at the department level. Able to ensure timely submission in accordance with VPU deadlines. Able to monitor the funding position of the unit and liaise with senior staff on addressing funding issues and provide advice to unit management team, leading on corrective action to cover funding gaps and/or invest surplus funds (where applicable).
• Performance Evaluation and Reporting: Able to analyse and interpret reports and draw meaningful conclusions with respect to performance against strategic and operational priorities.
• Statutory and Other Stakeholder Reporting: Has a good understanding of financial statements and stakeholder reports and can explain trends, drivers, and variances to others (either for statutory purposes or other stakeholders, such as TF donors).
• Integrity and Independence: Interprets information in an objective manner, exercising professional skepticism and critical thinking. Disseminates information with due attention to potential issues of confidentiality and disclosure.
• Internal Control and Corporate Procedures: Able to evaluate and ensure the consistency of specific policies and procedures with the entity's stated mission, strategies, and practices. Can identify deficiencies and analyse controls, policies, procedures, and corporate guidelines, alerting and informing the appropriate channels to review and take corrective action.
• Leadership and Supervision: Supervises team by planning and organising a course of action that will lead to the accomplishment of team and project objectives. When required, makes changes to team composition to obtain and maximise the skills available whether inside or outside the Bank. Brings to the team expertise and knowledge that enhances the quality of output. Works to resolve differences and issues on the team or between the team and clients; leads the team through challenges. Is a model for others of team leadership skills; coaches and mentors others to build these essential skills.

Core Competencies:

• Deliver Results for Clients: Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs. Adds value by constantly looking for a better way to get more impactful results; sets challenging stretch goals for oneself. Immerses oneself in client experiences and perspective by asking probing questions to understand unmet needs. Demonstrates accountability for achieving results that have a development impact and financial, environmental, and social sustainability. Identifies and proposes solutions to mitigate and manage risks.
• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries: Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives. Appropriately involves others in decision making and communicates with key stakeholders. Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches displaying a sense of mutuality and respect. Integrates WBG perspective into work.
• Lead and Innovate: Develops innovative solutions. Contributes new insights to understand situations and develops solutions to resolve complex problems. Adapts as circumstances require and manages impact of own behaviour on others in context of WBG’s values and mission. Identifies and pursues innovative approaches to resolve issues.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge: Applies knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external client; Leverages department’s expertise and body of knowledge across WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions; Seeks to learn from more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and helps others to learn; Builds personal and professional networks inside and outside the department unit.
• Make Smart Decisions: Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward. Seeks diversity of information and inputs, research possible solutions, and generates recommended options; Identifies and understands risks and proposes recommendations; Based on risk analysis makes decisions in a timely manner within own area of responsibility, considering the interests and concerns of stakeholders.

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

The complete Term of Reference can be found on The World Bank Careers website. Qualified candidates must apply online. Please click "Apply Now", which will redirect to our website and type Req13192 into the "Keyword or ReqID" search field.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.