Assistant Financial Management Specialist

Project: Regional Climate Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa 2 Project (RCRP2)

MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC PLANNING AND CENTRALISATION

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

COUNTRY : MALAWI

NAME OF PROJECT : REGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE FOR

EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA PROJECT (RCRP-2)

PROJECT ID # : P181308

ASSIGNMENT TITLE : ASSISTANT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

SPECIALIST (AFMS)

REFERENCE NO. : MW-EP&D--554516-CS-INDV

1. Introduction

The Government of Malawi (GoM) has obtained a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) through the crisis response window to implement the Regional Climate Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa 2 (RCRP) which is an additional financing to the Regional Climate Resilience Project (RCRP), to continue supporting countries better prepare for and manage the increasing frequency, intensity, and impact of climate shocks on people, livelihoods, infrastructure, and ecosystems. The proposed project will both rehabilitate critical infrastructure impacted by Tropical Cyclone Freddy using Crisis Response Window (CRW) resources and address the more chronic vulnerabilities in the Shire River Basin by investing in critical infrastructure at national and district level; strengthening institutional frameworks and accountability; incorporating climate considerations into the planning, implementation, and operation and maintenance of new infrastructure; and strengthening community resilience and social protection system consistent with Series of Projects (SOP). This will build a situation whereby people can live sustainably with the flood/drought risk, through a properly overseen and managed basin in terms of its competing uses. The emergency works will include the reconstruction of needed connectivity (roads, bridges and culverts), hydraulic and other critical infrastructure.

The overarching Development Objective of the RCRP SOP is to strengthen the resilience to water-related climate shocks in Eastern and Southern African countries. The overarching Development Objective of the SOP will be achieved by:

1. Strengthening participating countries’ and regional organizations’ capacity to manage disasters risk, including improved national and regional early warning systems (EWS);
2. Improving access to climate financing to finance climate adaptation investment;
3. Mainstream climate resilience in water infrastructure planning, and generally in water institutions;
4. Increase infrastructure resilience, by improving Operation and Management (O&M) systems, with focus on large storage and flood risk management infrastructure;
5. Improve community-level awareness and response capacity, by establishing/strengthening adaptive social protection system.

The Department of Economic Planning and Development (EP&D) in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs will take on the overall lead and coordination role of the Project. It will set up a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) that will be responsible for coordination, monitoring and reporting for the project. The PIU will work closely with other Ministerial teams to coordinate implementation, build capacity of Ministry teams and District teams for implementation, facilitate support for compliance with environment and social requirements for the project, collect and compile data from the project results framework and manage communications for the Project.

The Department of Economic Planning and Development therefore invites applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the position of Assistant Financial Management Specialist to be part of the Project Management Team to be positioned in the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) for the Project.

1. Scope of the Assignment

The Assistant Financial Management Specialist will be responsible for accounting, internal control and other financial management matters within the Project Coordination Unit (PCU). Specifically, the Assistant Financial Management Specialist will:

1. 1. Assist the preparation of consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) that give true and fair view of the financial position of the RCRP at the end of the financial year;
   2. Ensure that RCRP resources are used in accordance with the conditions of the relevant financing agreement, with due attention to economy and efficiency, and only for the purposes for which the financing was provided;
   3. Ensure goods, works and services financed have been procured in accordance with the relevant financing agreements including specific provisions of the World Bank Procurement Policies and Procedures;
   4. Verify the contractual and financial details of each invoice, payment requests and interim or final itemized statement of account before making any payment;
   5. Assist in the preparation of disbursement requests and financial justifications for the project and submit to Treasury and IDA;
   6. Ensure that all necessary supporting documents, records, and accounts have been maintained in respect of all project activities, including expenditures reported using Statement of Expenditures (SEO) or Interim Financial Reports (IFRs) methods of reporting;
   7. Ensure all financial reports are in agreement with underlying books of account;
   8. Ensure national laws and regulations have been complied with, and that the financial and accounting procedures approved for the RCRP (e.g. Operational Manual, financial procedures manual, etc.) are followed and used;
   9. Periodically review the performance of control functions to ensure that internal controls are sufficient and functioning correctly;
   10. Ensure that the Financial Performance of the RCRP is Satisfactory;
   11. Ensure that assets procured under the RCRP exist and there is verifiable ownership in line with the relevant financing agreements;
   12. Assist in establishing a central accounting filing system, and ensure all project documents are properly retained in accordance with GoM and Bank requirements;
   13. Ensure annual financial statements and all project accounts are audited timely once a year by a reputable auditing firm.
   14. Assist in maintaining accurate and traceable schedules for VAT and timely remittance of tax deductions to the Malawi Revenue Authority, and;
   15. Undertake all other duties and responsibilities commensurate with the role and level of this position as may be requested by the Financial Management Specialist.

1. Reporting arrangements and Performance Criteria

The Assistant Financial Management Specialist will be directly reporting to the Financial Management Specialist. The following are some of the required reports the Assistant Financial Management Specialist will be expected to be preparing:

1. Fortnight reconciliation of reports indicating progress of work and plans for the next fortnight;
2. Quality monthly financial reporting including bank reconciliations;
3. Quarterly financial reports to the World Bank;
4. Quality annual financial reports; and
5. Completion reports following all key financial special assignments.

The performance of the Assistant Financial Management Specialist will be regularly assessed against performance criteria that will be agreed within one month of taking up the positions. The performance criteria will emphasize the inclusiveness of RCRP institutions and capacity building of the counterparts in taking over these responsibilities after the expiry of the contracts.

1. Skills and Expertise

The Assistant Financial Management Specialist will need to have:

1. Professional accounting qualification, CPA (MW), ACCA, CIMA;
2. Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, or Finance or Business Administration. A Master’s Degree will be an advantage;
3. At least 5 years of post-qualification experience in financial management in a reputable and highly performing public sector organization and at least 3 years’ experience of managing donor funded projects covering highly complex financial management issues, and those with Audit experience would have an added advantage;
4. Demonstrate extensive practical experience and skills in all aspects of international financial management with due regard to World Bank projects and GoM financial regulations;
5. Computer literate; good knowledge of MS Office application and Project Computerized Accounting;
6. Outstanding numeracy, planning, organising and controlling skills;
7. Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills; and
8. Excellent communication and analytical skills.

1. Duration of Assignment

The Assistant Financial Specialist shall be recruited on a contract up to December 2028, but the contract shall be renewable annually subject to satisfactory performance, need and availability of funding.

1. Facilities to be provided by the client

The following shall be provided by the client: office space, furniture, and office equipment, communication, and internet facilities. For all field related assignments, the Project shall provide transport costs and other expenses (per Diems, etc.) related to the fieldwork.

1. Location of Employment

The Assistant Financial Management Specialist will be based at the PCU Office in Lilongwe but would be required to travel regularly to other relevant field offices where the RCRP is implementing its activities.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated September, 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant (INDV) selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 7:30hrs to 12:00hrs and from 13:00hrs to 16:30hrs except on Weekends and Public Holidays.

Expressions of interest including detailed updated Curriculum Vitae plus names and traceable referees, and copies of professional and academic qualifications must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 31st July, 2026.

The Project Coordinator,

Regional Climate Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa 2 Project,

Department of Economic Planning and Development

P. O. Box 30136,

Lilongwe

Malawi.

(Attention: The Principal Procurement Officer)

Alternatively, applications may be emailed to: procurement@rcrp.gov.mw