MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, NATIONAL SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENT
Finance and Administration Officer for the Combined Fourth National communication, First Biennial Transparency Report and Enabling Lesotho’s Enhanced Transparency Framework Project
Te Government of Lesotho through the Ministry of Defence, National Security and Environment under the Lesotho Meteorological Services (LMS) will be implementing two (2) interlinked small-scale projects supported by Global Environment Facility (GEF) with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the delivery partner between the period of January 2023 to December 2025. The first one is a three-year project titled “Enabling Lesotho’s Enhanced Transparency Framework” whose main objective is to strengthen Lesotho’s capacity to collect and process climate change data into useful information for policymaking and reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as well as improving the monitoring and evaluation aspect. The second one is a two year project titled “Preparation of Lesotho’s First Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR1) and Fourth National Communications (NC4) to the UNFCCC” whose aim is to support Lesotho prepare and communicate its First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1) and Fourth National Communication (NC4) that comply with the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement (PA) reporting requirements.
The Ministry is therefore looking for a qualified, experienced and competent Finance and Administration Officer who will ensure results oriented, effective, efficient and accountable implementation of the project activities and achievement of project results.
Job Description
The Lesotho Meteorological Services requires a Finance and Administration Officer who will ensure full compliance with financial, administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems as set out in the project agreements and documents.
Terms of Reference for the Finance and Administration Officer
- Maintain a standardised financial and accounting systems for the project (ledgers, cash bookers, vouchers) in a hard and soft registry (preferable using an accountancy software) while maintaining compatibility with the government and UNEP financial accounting and management procedures;
- Prepare revisions of the budget and assist in the preparation of the Annual workplans and budgets.
- Comply and verify budget and accounting data by researching files, calculating costs and estimating anticipated expenditures from readily available information sources;
- Prepare quarterly financial reports, including detailed expenditure reports and bank reconciliations in accordance with UNEP templates and submit to the PROJECT TECHNICAL COORDINATOR and the Ministry for clearance and submit to UNEP;
- Process all types of payment requests for settlement purposes endorsed by the PROJECT TECHNICAL COORDINATOR;
- Prepare and maintain accounting records by recording receipts, disbursements (ledgers, cash books, vouchers, etc) and reconciling data for recurring or financial reports;
- Monitor project activities, budgets and expenditures and contribute to the preparation of budget revision as and when required;
- Work in close collaboration with the PROJECT TECHNICAL COORDINATOR to prepare cash advance statements and make follow-ups with UNEP to ensure timely disbursements of funds into project accounts;
- Assist in the preparation of payments requests for operational expenses, salaries, travels, etc. against project budgets and work plans;
- Ensure that adequate financial controls are in place and proper accountability of expenditures;
- Ensure the financial transactions are properly authorized, recorded, have adequate supporting documentation, filled, maintained and can be easily extracted for the purpose of preparing financial statements; and financial audits;
- Suggest and/ or establish a computer – based financial management system for project finances;
- Carry out the closing of the accounts at the end of the year;
- Prepare and facilitate the conduct of annual project audits, and improve internal control procedures by taking into account audit recommendations
- Pro-actively contribute to day-to-day project implementation and ensure conformity to expected results and project work-plans;
- Assist the PROJECT TECHNICAL COORDINATOR in advising all project counterparts on applicable administrative procedures and ensures their proper application;
- Ensure that the project administration is closely coordinated with the systems applied by LMS, and regular communications shared with LMS.
- Contribute to the preparation and implementation of workplans and project progress reports prepared by the PROJECT TECHNICAL COORDINATOR;
- Assist the PROJECT TECHNICAL COORDINATOR to prepare field mission and meeting agendas and arrange field visits, appointments and meetings both internal and external related to the project activities and assist to write minutes of the meetings;
- Maintain project soft and hard document filing system of the project documents including communications, progress reports, meeting minutes, consultant reports, in close coordination with the PROJECT TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Qualifications, Experience and Skills
- Advanced degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or equivalent and other closely related field with at least 5 years relevant work experience in a finance and administrative functions; OR
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or equivalent and other closely related field with at least 10 years relevant work experience in a finance and administrative functions; At least 5 years relevant work experience in a finance and administrative functions;
- At least two previous professional work experiences with donor funded projects;
- Demonstrated experience in administration and preparation of financial reports and budget variance analysis;
- At least two previous professional work experiences with donor funded projects;
- Demonstrated experience in administration and preparation of financial reports and budget variance analysis;
- Knowledge on the Government of Lesotho accounting system
- Excellent communication skills both in English and Sesotho (written, spoken, composing, presentation) and ability to share expertise for capacity building;
- Excellent English and Sesotho communication skills.
Duration: The assignment will be up to the end of the project (Fixed Term Contract)
Submission of Applications: Interested candidates must submit Cover letter, certified copies of academic certificates and transcripts, detailed curriculum vitae and three references letters to The Human Resource Office, Lesotho Meteorological Services, Options Building, 2nd & 3rd Floors, Pioneer Road, Maseru on or before 27th October 2023 at 16:30
Disclaimer: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted