Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges.

The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries.

As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges.

The Finance Officer is responsible for the comprehensive management of budgetary and administrative processes, including developing, implementing and monitoring the department's budget of the Pacific departments and the Australia office. They provide critical analysis and recommendations to optimise financial performance and ensure alignment with strategic goals. This role also involves liaising with management to facilitate accurate budget forecasting and reporting, while ensuring compliance with financial regulations and internal controls. The Finance Officer will lead a team of about 5 staff and travel a few times a year to visit the country offices.

The selected candidate is expected to be an excellent team player, comfortable working with large datasets, preferably with data modelling skills, experience in budgeting, with strong analytical skills, and knowledge in one or more of the key functional areas that BPS supports.

Selection Criteria

• Minimum Education consisting of a master’s degree in accounting, Business, Finance, or other relevant discipline required to fulfill position-specific requirements (e.g., Economics, Finance, Public Administration, Information Systems, etc.); or Non-Finance Bachelor’s Degree plus an internationally recognised completed professional accounting qualification (e.g., CPA, CA, ACCA, CGMA, CMA).
• 5 years’ relevant experience, if internal, experience across two units or moving to a new unit.
• Applicants need to have a work permit for Australia.
• Strong understanding of financial and/or management accounting and budgeting principles and administrative processes.
• Experience ensuring effective budget management, performance review, and strategic planning to align resources according to the business needs.
• Compiles and analyzes costs at the country office, measuring efficiency/effectiveness and proposing enhancement solutions.
• Ability to write well and present complex data/analyses in a concise and clear manner.
• Experience developing and implementing financial policies and procedures.
• Working knowledge of enterprise budget/finance systems and reports, particularly SAP, BW/AO, and BPC, and/or experience with major systems for financial/budget management.
• Excellent communication, teamwork, interpersonal and collaboration skills

Proficiency in Finance Officer competencies (listed below): BPS’s 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.

Technical Competencies:

• Cost and Financial Accounting: Demonstrate advanced level understanding of accounting standards and financial reports, implement efficient process changes consistent with best practices; create a corporate culture of compliance and shared accountability, manage cost challenge processes and work closely with the business to ensure key performance indicators are measuring the right metrics.
• Evaluation, Reporting and Financial Analysis: Optimize management information delivery to multi-functional teams, lead the development of functional reporting systems, address root causes of reporting quality issues.
• Business Planning: Interpret and make effective management decisions using benchmarking, trends, and other planning and forecasting methods, develop and implement improvements to the planning processes.
• Risk Management and Internal Controls: Develop innovative approaches to managing significant business risks effectively and efficiently, lead implementation, execution and monitoring activities, significantly improve and monitor risk-based system of financial control; develop solutions for the effectiveness of existing controls to manage the business risks.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of Urgency – Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking – Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability – Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful results.

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.

How to apply

The complete Term of Reference can be found on The World Bank Careers website.

Qualified candidates must apply online. Please click 'Apply now', which will redirect to our website and type Req34076 into the 'Keyword or ReqID' search field.