Finance Associate Job #: req33704 Organization: World Bank Sector: Resource Management Grade: GD Term Duration:ย 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Lilongwe,Malawi Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): English Closing Date: 7/24/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Do you want to build a truly worthwhile career? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
Vice-Presidency Context
The Budget, Performance Review, and Strategic Planning Vice Presidency (BPS) is organized into four departments under a Vice President: (1) BPS Corporate Units (BPSCU) - supporting Institutional, Governance and Administrative Units, Capital Budget and providing BPS systems, knowledge, data governance and the service center; (2) BPS Operations Units (BPSOU) โ supporting Practice Groups and Regions (3) BPS Strategic Planning (BPSSP) โ supporting the corporate strategic business and budget planning process; and (4) BPS Corporate Procurement (BPSCP) with teams responsible for coordinating and overseeing the sourcing strategy, selection, contract execution, and vendor management across the globe.
BPSโ service delivery model has three core roles:ย (1) Business Partners (serving clients directly with focus on decision support and performance oversight);ย (2) Centers of Expertise (providing thought-leadership and analytics, designing business finance policies, practices and systems, and coordinating knowledge management); and (3) Service Center (managing delivery of high volume and transactional and reporting services across Bank, including help desk support to clients).
Hiring Unit Context:ย
BPS is hiring a Finance Associate for the Malawi Country Office, who may also support other Country Offices in Country Management Unit (CMU) as needed.ย The primary responsibilities of the role include accounting (internal controls), monthly reporting, implementing policies and procedures, and supporting clients.
BPSAF- Supporting Eastern and Southern Africa Region and Western and Central African Region, in planning, monitoring, and executing budgets and expenses, including bank budget (BB), and external funds (e.g. TFs, RAS, EFO). This includes providing quality business planning, budgeting, and monitoring services to several vice presidents/directors. The team also supports Country Offices in managing CMU budgets and performs CO accountant functions, compliance, and internal controls management for these client VPUs.
As with all BPS staff, Finance Associates are expected to be fungible and able to work across different assignments over time depending on business needs and professional development objectives.ย Specific work assignments are articulated in annual objectives before the start of each fiscal year. Note that additional GD vacancies from across the VPU may be added to this requisition should the business need arise in the short term. All qualified, eligible, and interested parties are encouraged to apply.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Finance Associate assists in preparing and managing the organization's budget, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial policies and regulations. They analyze budgetary data, monitor expenditure trends, and report on variances between actual and budgeted figures to support financial decision-making. Additionally, the Finance Associate collaborates with various departments to gather financial information, assists in forecasting future budgetary needs, and contributes to developing budgetary strategies and cost-saving measures.
Selection Criteria
โข Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, Finance, Management or other relevant discipline required to fulfill position-specific requirements. OR NonโFinance Bachelor's Degree plus one of the following: (1) CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting; or (2) ACCA Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business; or (3) equivalent accounting certificate.
โข 1 year of relevant experience in a comparable accounting or finance-oriented role.ย
โข Track record of handling transactional-level financial/accounting work and supporting business decision-making by providing relevant analytics and advice.ย
โข Demonstrated expertise in financial reporting, budget monitoring, and internal controlย
Experience with relevant business areas inside and outside the bank is not a must but will be helpful.
โข Demonstrated working experience in accounting, bank reconciliations, procurement process, facilities, vendor management, and internal controls.ย
โข Proficient user of relevant computer applications and systems, including Excel/PowerPoint, AO.
โข Working experience with finance systems and reports, particularly SAP, BW/AO, and/or comparable experience with financial/budget management systems.
โข Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support budgeting, internal controls,ย cost control, VAT refund claims (where applicable), fixed assets inventory, and financial planning efforts.
โข The incumbent should be fluent in English.ย
โข Excellent communication skills (written and oral) and people-oriented.
Proficiency in Finance Associate competencies (listed below): BPSโs competency framework defines the essential skillsets for VPU staff. In addition to core technical competencies, applicants should also be proficient in Business, Digital, People, and Leadership skills. For more details, please click here. BPS Competency Framework_final_March2025
Technical Competencies:ย
Cost and Financial Accounting: Understand and describe the main elements of financial statements and reports, demonstrate awareness and knowledge of accounting standards, understand general compliance requirements, provide accurate and timely financial submissions, demonstrate basic understanding of techniques used to analyze and manage costs.
Evaluation, Reporting, and Financial Analysis: Extract and deliver straightforward management reports, prepare and provide accurate and timely financial data for inclusion in the financial control process.
Business Planning: Contribute to business planning, budgeting, and expenditure forecasting processes; apply basic modelling, forecasting, and planning techniques to develop cost forecasts with cost drivers identified and explained; have a basic understanding of the capital budgeting process.
Risk Management and Internal Controls: Apply relevant risk regulations, policies, and procedures to non-complex business issues, assist in the development and implementation of governance frameworks, and fit-for-purpose financial controls.
NOTE: Applicants should regularly check emails from bpsrecruitment@worldbank.org, as this is the official channel for requesting or sending additional information during recruitment process.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of Urgency โ Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking โ Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability โ Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful results.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.
Learn more about working at theย World Bankย andย IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.