National Consultant for Financial Quality Assurance Support to the Ministry of Education at United Nations Children’s Fund: (Deadline 11 November 2024)

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Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Development.

To learn more about UNICEF career and the work in Rwanda, please visit the country website https://unicef.sharepoint.com/sites/RWA/ or watch this video about UNICEF work in Rwanda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7B91m5Yzoc and UNICEF Careers | UNICEF Careers.

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Background

The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) is committed to ensuring the efficient and effective management of financial resources, particularly in the education sector. As the Ministry continues to implement various donor-funded projects, including the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) grant and other financial commitments, it is essential to strengthen the financial management processes and ensure compliance with national and international standards. Financial quality assurance is a key component of these efforts, aimed at safeguarding public funds, improving accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed towards improving educational outcomes.

To support these objectives, MINEDC has request UNICEF to hire a qualified consultant to provide expert financial quality assurance services. The Financial Quality Assurance Analyst role is essential for maintaining the quality and robust financial reporting, ensuring compliance with accounting standards, and enhancing the efficiency of financial processes in the Ministry of Education. The Analyst will strengthen quality assurance of financial processes, reporting, and accountability within the Ministry.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the Ministry of Education in strengthening its financial management systems through quality assurance activities. The consultant will provide technical expertise in reviewing financial processes, ensuring compliance with both national policies and accounting standards.

Work Assignment Overview

Key Tasks:

The consultant will work closely with the Ministry of Education, particularly with the finance team to perform the following tasks:

1. Financial process review

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the current financial management processes within the Ministry, including those related to donor-funded projects, identify weakness and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Reviewing financial records, including journal entries, general ledger accounts, financial statements, and checking of invoices to be paid through the Integrated Financial Management Information & System (IFMIS), to ensure the accuracy and compliance with accounting standards and public finance management laws and regulations.
• Support internal reviews of finance department processes, ensuring that controls are designed and operating effectively to mitigate identified risks.
• Cross-checking all data entered into Integrated Financial Management Information & System (IFMIS) to verify its accuracy, completeness, and consistency before approval by the Chief Budget Manager.

2. Compliance and financial risks management.

• Ensuring that all Ministry’s financial transactions and reporting adhere to accounting principles, relevant laws and regulations, and internal guidelines.
• Maintaining detailed records of financial transactions, reconciliation reports, and quality assurance activities.
• Establishing and maintaining sound financial and internal control systems and procedures for the projects and ensure that they are adhered with, in line with the GoR Regulations and Donor Procedures.

3. Financial Reporting and audit support

• Preparing and supporting in the preparation of all MINEDUC financial reports, budget reports s as part of the annual work plan and budget preparation and revisions thereof.
• Assist the Ministry in preparing for financial audits, including internal and external audits, by ensuring that all necessary documentation is in place.
• Design and provide the Permanent Secretary with monthly analytical reports on the financial performance of the Ministry of Education.

iv) Capacity Building

• Working closely with MINEDUC’s finance and accounting staff to ensure they understand the importance of accurate financial reporting.
• Develop and deliver training sessions or workshops to build the capacity of the Ministry’s financial management team.
• Provide on-the-job coaching to ensure that financial staff are familiar with best practices and reporting requirements.

Deliverables/Outputs:

Payment 1: 25%

• A detailed report outlining the consultant’s approach, work plan, and timeline for the assignment.
• A comprehensive report detailing the findings from the review of the Ministry’s financial processes, including identified gaps and recommendations for improvement.

Payment 2: 25%

• A risk assessment matrix that identifies and categorizes risks, including financial, operational, reputational, and regulatory risks.
• An overview report outlining financial risks management practices and compliance issues, along with mitigation strategies.

Payment 3: 25%

• A final report that evaluates the Ministry’s current financial reporting processes, highlights gaps, and provides recommendations for improvements.
• A detailed report on audit response support and follow up actions.

Payment 4: 25%

• Training manuals, presentations, and other materials developed to build the capacity of the Ministry’s financial staff.
• A final report summarizing all the activities undertaken during the consultancy, including the outcomes of the financial process review, training sessions, and recommendations for future actions.

Duration and Duty Location

This consultancy will be completed within 12 months. The consultant will be based in MINEDUC.

Selection Criteria

Applications shall be assessed based on their technical and financial proposals. Maximum scores for technical and financial applications will be 75% and 25%, respectively.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in accounting, finance, business administration or related field
• The consultant should have at least 5 years of experience in financial management and quality assurance.
• Demonstrated expertise in financial quality assurance, auditing, and compliance.
• Familiarity with Rwandan financial regulations.
• Demonstrated experience in Business decision making.
• High degree of professional ethics, integrity, and responsibility.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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