TOR – Senior Finance and Administration Consultancy for PIU unit and Partnership Unit

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Senior Finance and Administration Consultancy for PIU unit and Partnership Unit

BACKGROUND

The African Peer Review Mechanism was established in 2003 by the African Union Heads of State and Government with the primary purpose of fostering practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable and inclusive development, as well as accelerated regional and continental integration. It seeks to rectify underlying deficiencies in governance and socioeconomic development processes among member states of the African Union. The APRM covers four thematic areas: (i) Democracy and political governance; (ii) Economic management and governance; (iii) corporate governance; and (iv) Socio-economic development. Participating countries go through detailed review processes (including consultations with government, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders), culminating in a peer review exercise at the level of Heads of State and Government.

A key feature of the APRM is that it is home grown. This, as well as its voluntary nature, are important in buttressing and consolidating Africa’s ownership of its development agenda. As an assessment and monitoring tool, the APRM can also help to track progress towards meeting regional and international development aspirations and commitments including AU’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The African Union and the Heads of State are cognizant of this and in January 2017 expanded the mandate of the Mechanism from the core reviews to monitoring and evaluation role for the African Union Agenda 2063 and the SDGs. This is a reflection of the confidence reposed in the Mechanism and will contribute to the universalization of the APRM where all AU member states will become members of the APRM.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

In December 2019, the Swedish International Development Corporation Agency approved the APRM-SIDA Project. The project will help strengthen the APRM and contribute to the delivery of its mandate. It will support the implementation of the 2020 – 2023 Strategic Plan and reposition the APRM as an instrument for monitoring AU Agenda 2063 and the SDGs. Apart from addressing the immediate challenges faced by the Mechanism, the grant will help in the review and refinement of the APRM tools and processes, to ensure that the Mechanism remains relevant in a rapidly changing world and is also able to take on board the expanded mandate and expectations of member countries. In this regard, the project is expected to support the following key areas of the APRM: (1) Deepening the APRM Review, (2) Strengthening Civil Society Participation, (3) Strengthening Gender Participation, (4) National Governance Reporting, (5) Corporate Governance (6) Development of AU Guidance Note for State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). These programmes are designed to shape the work of the mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The position supports the implementation of the Resource Mobilization and Project Implementation Unit of the APRM.  The senior finance and administration consultant reporting to the project manager, is a critical member of the project implementation unit management team and is responsible for overall fiscal management, financial reporting and providing compliance support to the project on all Sida and other donor financial management, procurement and donor reporting requirements.  This includes, among other roles: -Planning, organizing, directing and controlling activities related to financial management and project compliance aspects with donor rules and regulations. And also, preparation of the project financial reports and analyses, budgeting, audit support and supervision of finance and accounting, procurement roles and compliance related activities.

OBJECTIVE

To provide overall financial management leadership, compliance support and donor financial reporting to the project teams and donors as per the financing agreements and protocols.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Senior Finance and Administration Consultant shall provide consulting service over the period of the 8 months which includes the following:

1. Work collaboratively in order to manage and guide the team members on finance matters to ensure accurate and timely processing and maintenance of financial data related to the project
2. Ensure timely, accurate and relevant submission of financial reports required by project team members, the donor, counterpart organizations, and government in respect to both contractual and legal requirements.
3. Oversee the project’s adherence to donor financial reporting requirements by reviewing donor agreements for compliance with organization’s financial standards.
4. Lead in the preparation of donor financial and budgets vs actuals reports and analyses the fiscal data of the project
5. Overseeing monthly expenditure and tracking of expenditure and providing analysis reports to project team and management team as basis for planning and decision making.
6. Supervise the maintenance, analysis and reconciliation of the general ledger on a monthly basis
7. Ensure the project’s compliance with the donor’s accounting policies, AU rules and regulations, country laws and regulations and generally accepted accounting principles.
8. Manage the project’s assets and liabilities to minimize currency exchange gain/ losses.
9. Ensure the development of revised project proposals and budgets for submission to donors meets donor requirements for additional funding.
10. Recommend to management cost effectiveness tools and methods.

FACILITIES AND SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY CLIENT

The Client will provide:

1. Access to all information and stakeholders to facilitate the assignment;
2. Adequate office space with essential office furniture and office equipment and supplies; and
3. Access to Internet, and network resources and any relevant records

TIMEFRAME/DURATION

The expected commencement date for the assignment is Early May 2020 and the duration shall be 8 calendar months.

DELIVERABLES

Assist the Resource Mobilization Unit and Projects Implementation Unit by performing

• Preparation of the project financial reports to include financial reporting and analyses, budgets, auditing corrective action plans,
• Timely submission of disbursement requests and preparation of both bank reconciliation and ledger reconciliations
• Timely preparation and submission of monthly/quarterly or other ad—hoc financial progress and final reports as per the cooperative agreement’s general conditions and special conditions

LOCATION AND VISA (WHERE APPLICABLE)

The consultant will be based at APRM Offices.

 The Consultant shall be required to travel and report for the assignment at the APRM Secretariat at APRM Offices at own cost. In addition, the Consultant will be required to acquire Visa for the travel, but APRM may facilitate with required documents for application.

CO-ORDINATION

The Project Co-ordinator shall assign tasks, including reviewing performance and may re-assign tasks to the Consultant in line with the Terms of Reference.

RESERVATIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

APRM reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered, or for failure to meet deadlines. In the event of the Consultant ending the contract prior to delivering all agreed upon deliverables, a portion of the payments shall be returned to the APRM.

The consultant undertakes to maintain confidentiality on all information that is not in the public domain and shall not be involved in another assignment that represents a conflict of interest to the prevailing assignment. The Consultant shall undertake to refrain from promoting any political or religious beliefs during the period of this contract.

GENERAL INFORMATION

All consultancies will be advertised on an equal opportunity basis. The performance criteria to be used to assess the consultant shall be based on the deliverables and scope of work defined in these TORs.

LANGUAGE OF ASSIGNMENT

English or French.

PAYMENT

Payment will be a monthly consulting fee of 8,414 USD for a period of 8 months.

REPORTING

The consultant will work closely with the Head of Resource Mobilization and Projects Coordinator of the SIDA and AfDP-ISP Project.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation criteria are as follows:

Only Candidate/Consultants who obtain a technical score of 70% and above shall be considered with award being made to the candidate with the highest technical score

Proposal must be submitted by email or physically to the address below on or before 19^th of April 2020 at 1100hrs. The Proposal shall be opened on 19^th of April 2020 at 1100hrs local time.

Submissions to be titled: SENIOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION CONSULTANCY FOR SIDA FUNDED PROGRAMMES

All applications in writing should be accompanied by up-to-date Certified Curriculum Vitae and supporting documents (Note: do not send originals) with the names and addresses of three referees, one of which should be the last consultancy and addressed to:

Project Coordinator

African Peer Review Mechanism

Private Bag x09, Halfway House, 1685

Physical Address: 230 15th Street, Randjies Park, 1st Floor

Midrand, South Africa

Tel: +27 11 256 3400/01/29Fax: +2711 256 3456; Email:  [email protected]