Expert in Public Finance Management

The Belgian development agency, BTC, mobilises its resources and its expertise to eliminate poverty in the world. BTC contributes to the efforts of the international community and works towards a society that provides present and future generations with sufficient resources to build a sustainable and fair world.

Its 650 staff members in Brussels and overseas embody the commitment of the Belgian State and other development partners to international solidarity. They support more than 300 cooperation projects and programmes in some 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

In view of the the further development of its activities the BTC is currently looking for a (m/f):


Expert in Public Finance Management - Rwanda

Ref.: RWA/09/072-1


Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Duration of the contract: 12 months (with possibility of renewal)
Probable starting date: as soon as possible
Monthly salary package: between 5427,63 euro and 7788,38 euro (this includes the gross monthly salary and the expat benefits: hardship allowance and expat allowance). The salary is calculated, depending on the composition of the family and the number of years of relevant experience.


Project

Belgium, key player and historical donor in health, has supported the Health Sector of Rwanda with 13 million euros of sector budget support over the past 4 years. By doing so, it has contributed to the implementation of the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP) I and II. Signatory of the SWAp MoU in Health, the Belgian Embassy acts as the chair of the Development Partners Group (DPG) and co-chair of the Health Sector Working group (HSWG). This implies the co-ordination and harmonization of all stakeholders involved in the health sector.

In the new Indicative Programme of Cooperation 2011-2014, signed between the Government of Rwanda and the Kingdom of Belgium, the support to the Health sector will continue through both sector budget support (32 M€) and project support.

Within this context, the Belgian Development Agency (BTC), responsible of monitoring this support, will recruit a “Health Expert” and a “Public Finance Management Expert”. These experts, will provide him/her with technical input in order to enhance the ongoing health policy dialogue with the Government of Rwanda. In coordination with the co-chair of the health DPG, the experts will provide technical input to the health SWAp, Strategic Plan (HSSP) and the government’s reforms to be undertaken in the health sector. The experts are committed to regularly inform and promptly advise the Attaché for International Cooperation at the Belgian Embassy, who has the political responsibility of the Belgian support.



Objectives:

The Public Finance Management Expert will have to fulfil the following objectives:
• In collaboration with the Attaché, the expert will be in charge of monitoring the sector through technical dialogue and report on this monitoring. Monitoring is the means by which donors support the programme with substantive guidance.
• The expert will be in charge of drawing up a report that will serve as basis to decide on the release of future instalments of budget support.
• The expert will contribute to strengthen harmonised support and monitoring of the health sector in Rwanda, with the overall aim of ensuring that joint development assistance is used effectively and efficiently in reaching the Health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) within the health Sector Wide Approach (SWAp).
• The expert will actively participate and contribute to the internal coordination of BTC in the sector and capitalise experience of Rwandan public finance management system and the specific aid modality within BTC.


Function

Support to the Development Partners Group (DPG)
• Ensure follow-up and analysis of the implementation of the programme.
• Actively participate in the Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings, where the expert can provide valuable contributions and follow-up the evolution of the Programme.
• Make sure that the new policies and/or critical issues raised in these TWG meetings are brought up, in due time, to the attention of the Attaché.
• Actively participate in the organisation of bi-annual sector reviews and field missions as well as in the preparatory meetings of the Joint Health Sector Reviews (JHSR), in the JHSR and in the drafting of the summary report of those JHSR.
• Provide the Attaché with an analysis of the budget planning/execution prior to both the JHSR and the Joint Budget Support Review (JBSR) and make sure that the budgetary concerns are addressed.
• Liaise with other DPs engaged in Sector Budget Support and participate in the PFM-related joint missions (eg: PEFA, FRA etc) when appropriate.
• Actively participate in the meetings organised with the SBS DPs, MoH and MINECOFIN.
• Analyse budget planning, budget execution, financial reporting, internal and external control systems in the health sector at central and local level and support the actors in the health sector in these matters
• Actively support the Attaché in charge of the donor coordination in order to strengthen our partnership and policy dialogue with the Rwandan authorities
• If required at the time of inception, contribute with suggestions to build and/or upgrade the framework for policy dialogue on the programme, including through its inclusion within an improved larger sector policy dialogue
• Establish, maintain and develop good working relations with the Government ministries, institutions and all partners involved in the programme.
• Develop, maintain and share an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the programme, including through networking with local actors.
• Advise DPG members on matters pertaining to health development in Rwanda, paying particular attention to the health-related cross-cutting issues (decentralisation, public finance management, civil service reform, gender, environment etc.)

Support to the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP)
• Monitor identified risk factors and constructively collaborate with the partner authorities within the policy dialogue to implement mitigation actions. In particular:
- Pay attention that programme implementation remains focused on quality improvement
- Facilitate the improvement of the monitoring and evaluation framework
- Contribute to institutional capacity development
• Resolve bottlenecks, where needed
• Support coherence and linkage of the programme with the experience and outputs of partners as well as other relevant programmes and projects from other donors.
• Where possible, take initiative for research and empirical studies in the sector.
• Support the development, effective financing and implementation of strategies that will increase the likelihood of achieving the Health MDGs within the framework of the SWAp, long-term financing scenarios for the sector, and the EDPRS.
• Support the GoR in strengthening overall monitoring and evaluation in the health sector, ensuring that GoR systems – in particular the bi-annual Joint Health Sector Review – meet the needs of all stakeholders, including Development Partners.

Support to the Belgian Cooperation
• Work under the leadership of the Belgian BTC resident representative, and in collaboration with the Health expert. The Resident Representative of BTC represents the BTC in the field and is therefore the hierarchical superior of the experts. Quality assurance of the reports will be done by the ResRep and the Department of Expertise (for progress reporting) and Finance (for the disbursment reports) in BTC Brussels.
• Quarterly report to the Attaché and the Budget Support Working Group (DGD-BTC-Minister in Brussels) with regard to programme implementation and policy dialogue, as provided in the Vademecum for Budget Support.
• Provide technical and policy advice to the Attaché with regard to his/her positioning on policy issues.
• Report on the opportunity of disbursement of the different Belgian instalments. The adviser will systematically check whether the conditions for disbursement as defined in the Specific Agreement are met. She/he will, after internal quality check, formulate a clear advice to the Attaché in this respect.
• Support capitalization in order to feed into actual and future Belgian interventions through documenting the implementation process and exchanging experience; exchange expertise and programme results with other Belgian actors involved in the sector and / or in budget support modalities

Regulatory framework:
The follow-up of the Belgian contribution to the BS programme will be done according to the principles and tasks set out in following official documents:
• Management contract between BTC and the Belgian State
• Vademecum for Budget Support
• Bilateral Agreement on the contribution between Belgium and the partner country
• CMO between DGOS and BTC
• MoU signed by the Development Partners (DPs) and partner country





Profile

Qualifications:
University degree in economics, public management, public administration, law, political science or related

Experience:
• Expertise in procurement issues is required by training or experience
• Expertise in Financial Management Information System applications
• A minimum of 3 years of relevant experience – all or partly in the field in developing countries or transitional countries.

Other:
• A high degree of questioning business as usual, drive, self-motivation and ability to work independently with minimum supervision
• Prepared to undertake frequent field trips
• Cooperative and networking attitude and experience of working in multi-disciplinary team settings
• Demonstrated interpersonal, communication, reporting, diplomatic and negotiation skills
• Analytical skills and critical thinking.
• Fluent in English and French, both in speaking and writing. Knowledge of Dutch is an asset
• Good organizational skills


Interested?

Please apply not later than 13 july 2011, through our web site www.btcctb.org. Use our Standard CV and a letter of motivation to apply. You can find the model of our Standard CV on the page Jobs of our website. If you have any additional question, don’t hesitate to contact us at 02/505 37 90.