Disbursement Assistant - EARC at African Development Bank - AfDB

The East Africa Regional Resource Center of the African Development Bank has been established to strengthen policy dialogue between the Bank, Governments and other stakeholders; improve performance of the project portfolio and aid coordination with other development partners.

The Bank invites applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill in the vacant position of Disbursement Assistant. This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya and does not attract international terms and conditions.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of a Disbursement Officer based in the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, the  incumbent, with respect to Bank Group operations in Kenya, will:

Disbursement Transaction Processing:

• Analyze disbursement applications to determine: (i) appropriateness of the request; (ii) adequacy of supporting documentation; and (iii) compliance with contractual documents and Bank Group policies and procedures.
• Identify irregularities and/or non-compliance, highlighting circumstances the Banks’ exposure to financial risk for further investigation.
• Process disbursement applications and update data as necessary in the Disbursement Management System.
• Reconcile loan/grant accounts against borrower/beneficiary submissions.
• Engage in regular exchanges (written and verbal) with borrowers and operations staff on disbursement and project implementation related issues.
• Respond to questions regarding payments and disbursement procedures.
• Draft clear and concise correspondence on disbursement-related issues.

Project Management:

• Liaise with concerned Bank's departments and external stakeholders to resolve disbursement issues promptly.
• Monitor borrowers' utilization of special account funds, ensuring that the funds are properly accounted for and used in accordance with Bank rules and procedures.
• Participate in disbursement supervision missions with particular emphasis on application preparation and use of special accounts and statements of expenditures. 
• Contribute to improving efficiency of disbursement operations by ensuring that records and reports are properly maintained and updated at all times.
• Participate in technical discussions and loan negotiations to ensure that disbursement arrangements are compliant with Bank Group disbursement policies.
• Participate in the review of project documents such as Project Concept Notes, Appraisal Reports, Country Strategy Paper and Project Completion Reports, and provide input to supervisors.

Capacity Building/Client Support

• Participate in training of Bank staff and borrowers on disbursement policies and procedures.
• Participate in the design of materials for disbursement seminars and workshops.
• Respond to questions regarding disbursement procedures
• Perform client support activities associated with the payment process

Departmental/Divisional Tasks

• Participate in field office/divisional task forces.
• Identify issues relating to disbursement policies, procedures and guidelines and recommend appropriate actions or enhancements.
• Identify and recommend changes to disbursement systems, policies and procedures to promote timeliness, accuracy and efficiency in processing while maintaining appropriate internal controls.
• Participate in new systems development and user testing
• Undertake ad-hoc assignments at the discretion of the Disbursement Officer, Division Manager and Regional Director.

Selection Criteria

Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• A Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in Accounting and at least six (6) years of direct relevant experience in accounting. Audit experience would be an advantage
• Good understanding of basic general accounting concepts and principles, and their application.
• Analytical skills, with strong numerical ability, and attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Fluency in English is must. Candidates who also communicate in French will be at an advantage
• Competence in the use of standard MS Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project). Knowledge of SAP would be an advantage. 

NB : This Position does not attract international Terms and Conditions of Employment. (Incumbents of the Position will be considered as Local Staff and will not have International Status).