Finance Officer, Yaoundé, Cameroon

Closing date: Sunday, 5 April 2015

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT: FINANCE OFFICER

BACKGROUND

The Pan African University (PAU) is a continental academic and research institution created by the African Union, that is based on the following guiding principles: academic freedom, autonomy, accountability, quality assurance, strengthening existing African institutions at the graduate and post-graduate levels to enable them to serve the whole continent, excellence and international partnerships in academic and research activities, gender parity and equality at all levels and in all university functions. The PAU also aims at the promotion of African integration through the mobility of students, academic and administrative staff, collaborative research linked to the challenges faced by African countries, the institution of an appropriate framework to enable the African Diaspora to contribute towards the development of higher education and research in Africa, promotion of inter-disciplinary and multidisciplinary research programmes linked to policy making processes, promotion of productive linkages with the industrial sector for innovation and dissemination of new knowledge, full use of Information and Communication Technologies for pedagogy, research and management. The PAU takes into account the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

PAU STRUCTURE

In order to contribute to the emergence and strengthening of an African higher education and research platform, the PAU consists of five (5) thematic Institutes hosted by existing institutions located in the five geographic regions of the African Union, namely: (i) Life and Earth Sciences (including Health and Agriculture) located at University of Ibadan in Nigeria for Western Africa (ii) Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation located at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya for Eastern Africa (iii) Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences located at University of Yaoundé II in Cameroon for Central Africa (iv) Water and Energy Sciences (including climate change) located at University of Tlemcen in Algeria for North Africa, and (v) Space Sciences in Southern Africa. The first three of the Institutes have been operationalized while the third is in the process of being operationalized. Each institute will be affiliated to a network of Centres offering graduate and post-graduate programmes, distributed all over the continent operating in the same thematic area.

1. Post

Job Title: Finance officer

Grade: P2

Supervisor: Director of PAU Institute in Kenya/Nigeria/Cameroon

Department: Human Resource, Science and Technology Department

Duty Station: Pan African University Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS) located at the University of Yaoundé II in Cameroon for Central Africa

Job Purpose

The Finance Officer shall perform duties in the accounting operations and financial management functions of the PAU in accordance with the AU rules, regulations, policies and procedures and Partners' requirements.

2. Major duties and responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the incumbent shall include the following

1. Assist to ensure allocation of expenditure to the appropriate fund or account and monitor proper budget utilization to ascertain that budget appropriations are not overspent;
2. Develop budget proposals for Partner Funds in line with AUC financial, administrative and operational parameters in collaboration; follow up agreement with Partners, and ensure budget utilization is in compliance with agreements;
3. Prepare periodic disbursement plans, cash flow forecasts, schedules of remittances to the PAU Institutes
4. Coordinate the design of procurement policies, and procedures that would ensure the University receives quality and efficient services;
5. Develop a banking, payroll and cash flow system that is efficient and responsive;
6. Advice the interim rectorate team on financial matters of the University;
7. Perform other related tasks and related responsibilities as assigned by the Director.

3. QUALIFICATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

A Bachelor's University Degree in Accounting, Commerce or Financial Management. Higher professional qualification such as CPA, CA, ACCA, CIMA, CIA, etc will be an added advantage. Five (5) progressively responsible experience in accounting, budgeting auditing or related area in a competitive institution.

4. OTHER RELEVANT SKILLS

1. Knowledge of accounting, budgeting and auditing policies, practices and procedures and ability to apply them in an organizational setting
2. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations in individual and team settings
3. Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observes deadlines and achieves results
4. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives. Ensures equal participation of women and men in all areas of work
5. Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority
6. Makes sure roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member
7. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills
8. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines
9. Excellent interpersonal and team building skills, ability to organize and motivate others as well as work in a multi-cultural environment,
10. Excellent reporting skills,
11. Good communication and negotiating skills,
12. Computer literacy and experience in working with computerized accounting systems (preferably SAP), standard spreadsheet and database programs

5. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

Proficiency in one of the African Union working languages. Knowledge of one or several other working languages would be an added advantage.

6. TENURE OF APPOINTMENT

The appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of two (2) years, of which the first Six (6) months will be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract could be renewed for a annually subject to satisfactory performance and fund availability.

7. REMUNERATION

The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of US$ 76,022.82 inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and US$ 62,158.79 inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff.

Applications must be made through the AUC E-recruitment Website http://www.aucareers.org not later than 5 th April 2015.

Directorate of Administration and Human Resource Management African Union Commission Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)