Senior Financial Management Specialist

World Bank Group•Washington, DC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity, working with 189 member countries and over 120 offices worldwide. Operations Policy and Country Services (OPCS) is crucial to the World Bank Group's mission, fostering links between Global Practices and Regions, and assisting staff in delivering results through sound operations policy and strong country support. OPCS develops and oversees the World Bank’s operational policies for country strategies, lending operations, advisory services, analytical support, financial management, procurement, and environmental and social safeguards. This includes providing advice and hands-on assistance on policies, processes, and risk management related to operations, and modernizing operational instruments to enhance responsiveness to country needs. The Financial Management Team in OPCS (OPSFM), led by the Chief Financial Management Officer, provides strategic leadership on financial management (FM) aspects of policies and modernization of the FM function. This includes fiduciary assurance, FM risk management, and professional development, setting roles for FM staff, strengthening country systems, and engaging with international standard setters. OPSFM also provides training to FM staff and resolves operational FM issues. The unit is seeking an experienced, high-performing Senior Financial Management Specialist to provide operational knowledge and intellectual leadership on FM issues in operations, with a focus on integrated risk management and the use of technology and innovation for FM modernization.

Requirements

Eligible for FM-accreditation: Membership of an IFAC recognized professional accountancy organization or relevant professional public sector financial management experience and a master’s degree in accounting, finance, public policy or a related field.
Minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in financial management, accounting, or auditing in the private or public sector.
Broad operational experience with integrated risk management and use of AI technology and data analytics for financial reporting and oversight.
Comprehensive understanding of international financial reporting and auditing standards and their implementation.
Familiarity with issues on sustainability reporting and relevant audit issues.
Knowledge of governance structure and process for international standard-setting by International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) boards and International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).
Experience in conducting technical training.
Demonstrated ability to lead policy dialogue and influence design of initiatives around reporting, governance and institutional frameworks.
Demonstrated ability to work with multiple stakeholders and integrate divergent views into coherent strategies to advise on corporate/regional/sector priorities.
Demonstrated ability to prepare policy, advisory or research papers.
Demonstrated ability to use technology for analytical and strategic tasks.
Strong command of English, verbal and written, to enable communication of complex information in a succinct and impactful manner.

Nice To Haves

Relevant certifications in the use of AI, data analytics and/or blockchain will be a strong value addition.
Additional language skills in any of the World Bank working languages is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide inputs for update to the Bank’s FM framework and related strategic directions in the context of operational efficiency and effectiveness and organizational changes.
Provide inputs to Board Papers, Policies, Directives, Guidance, Good Practices and Reference materials that relate to lending instruments, advisory services and analytical support, country engagement and advise on the approval of policy waiver requests.
Focus on the design, development and implementation of technology-based solutions to support efficiency and effectiveness for FM in operations.
Contribute to the design and delivery of training on FM related topics and the maintenance and update of the FM e-learning.
Contribute to the implementation of the roll-out of Bank’s Blockchain-based financial reporting platform - FundsChain.
Contribute to the modernization of FM function in the Bank by making the FM function evidence-based and data driven.
Bring to the Bank best practices from global leaders on governance and use of technology.
Provide FM related inputs to assigned portfolio of corporate reviews including engagement with task teams.
Provide inputs to the corporate risk list review and to Board engagements.
Build and manage relationships with assigned portfolio of internal partners like Governance, Controllers, INT, Group Internal Audit (GIA), etc.
Build and manage relationships with assigned portfolio of external partners like IPSASB, GAO, INTOSAI etc.
Utilize data analysis, prepare technical notes and presentations, contribute to the expansion and improvement of the systematization of tools across the institution, explore use of innovative technologies and opportunities to support the modernization of FM in operations for improved portfolio performance.
Utilize dashboards, KPIs and other data visualization tools to monitor FM quality, compliance, risk and performance and propose measures to ensure quality of FM aspects in implementation of Bank's operations.
Understand how AI and machine learning tools can be applied to fiduciary risk management, including predictive risk management and fraud detection in public financial management systems.
Critically evaluate the limitations, biases, and ethical implications of AI applications in high-stakes financial oversight environments.
Provide inputs to initiatives for modernizing FM in operations.
Leverage other technology — including automated reconciliation tools, ERP systems, and block chains - to enhance the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of financial reporting.
Assess FM implications of digital financial infrastructure in borrowing countries, including e-payment systems, integrated financial management information systems (IFMIS), and blockchain-based fund tracking platforms.
Provide technical and strategic advice to internal clients and development partners on FM issues including the efficient use of resources and managing internal controls and assurance function.
Support knowledge management and dissemination in FM practices, in close collaboration with Regions.
Support collaboration with development partners in financial management, including capacity building initiatives, use of country systems and convergence of project FM arrangements.
Contribute to the preparation of the OPSFM’s business plan and annual work program.
Represent OPSFM in meetings and working groups as assigned.
Mentor junior colleagues.