Head of Finance

at The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)
Location Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic of
Date Posted October 1, 2021
Category Accounting
Audit
Finance
Management
NGO
Job Type Full-time
Currency TZS

Description

JOB DETAILS:
BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANIZATION
The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) (hereinafter referred to as “the Organization”), is an Intergovernmental Organization, which was established at Lusaka, Zambia, in 1976 by an Agreement concluded under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The Organization was created, inter alia, to promote the development of Intellectual Property (IP) laws appropriate to the needs of its members, establish common services and training schemes, and assist its members in the acquisition and advancement of technology and the evolving of common views on IP matters.
The Organization grants and administers IP titles on behalf of the Member States and provides IP information to its clientele in the form of search services, publications and awareness creation. Membership of the Organization is open to all Member States of the African Union (AU) or of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
The present members of the Organization are: Botswana, Kingdom of Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. (Total: 20 states)
The organs of the Organization are:
the Council of Ministers, consisting of ministers who are responsible for the administration of intellectual property matters in the respective Member States;
the Administrative Council consisting of heads of offices dealing with the administration of intellectual property, in the respective Member States; and
the Secretariat (the Office of ARIPO) headed by the Director General as the Chief Executive Officer of the

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Applications are invited from suitable candidates to be considered for appointment to the post of Head of Finance of the Organization, the full description of which is as follows:
Duty Station: Harare, Zimbabwe
Duration of Appointment: Fixed-term contract of five (5) years (renewable, subject to satisfactory performance)
Scheduled date of commencement: January 1, 2022.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
Manage and implement the financial management system, policies and system of internal financial control. Financial forecasting, analysis, and compliant financial reporting to facilitate operational and strategic decision making and exploitation of business growth opportunities. Reporting to the Corporate Services Executive, the Head of Finance’s key job functions shall be as follows:
• Ensure accurate and complete recording of the financial transactions for the Organization;
• Prepare annual budgets and financial forecasts, monitor expenditure against budget and perform variance and trend analysis;
• Prepare timely annual financial statements and financial reporting compliant with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS);
• Review and analyse financial data and prepare timely monthly management accounts, and including income statement, balance sheet, budget and variance, projections and forecast, and cash flow;
• Provide sound financial insights to help make better decisions about formulating and executing strategy, and provide guidance and analysis to executive and operational management to improve results;
• Interpret and translate financial statements to drive strategic business decision making and Organizational growth;
• Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations, staff rules, accounting policies, procurement procedures, asset disposable policy, laws and legislations, ;
• Ensure compliance with guidance and recommendations of the Governing Bodies of the Organization, internal and external auditors;
• Seek out methods for minimising financial risk to the Organization;
• Implement effective and efficient working capital management;
• Streamline and improve accounting systems and operations;
• Ensure effective learning, performance management and career development of departmental staff;

Minimum qualifications and experience required:
• Master’s Degree in Accounting/Finance/Business Administration; and
• Five (5) years’ relevant work
• Professional qualifications such as: CA, ACCA, CIMA, CIS is an added
Or
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy/Finance; and
• Seven (7) years’ relevant work
• Professional qualifications such as CA, ACCA, CIMA, CIS is an added

Role and mission critical competencies required:
• Strategy formulation and implementation capability
• Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends and incorporate them into the organizational planning
• Strong financial management and corporate reporting skills
• Excellent communication; relationship management and presentation skills
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills
• Excellent organizational skills, focus on detail and ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines
• IPSAS knowledge and application
• Enterprise risk management (ERM)
• Good people management and leadership skills

Nationality: To be eligible for appointment, candidates must be nationals of a Member State of the Organization.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Conditions of employment shall be subject to the ARIPO Staff Rules and Procedures or be determined by the Administrative Council of the Organization.
Salary and allowances on first appointment shall be those applicable to Grade L3 Step 1 of the ARIPO salary scales of the professional category.
Base Salary: US$39,150 per annum.
Post Adjustment Allowance: Depending on the rise and fall in value of the United States dollar, a post adjustment index which is presently 56.4% of base salary is applied as a cost-of-living allowance.
Dependency Allowances: US$1,800 per year for a dependent child. Maximum number of children three (3).

Other benefits include:
• Payment of travel and removal expenses;
• Once-off installation grant;
• Education grant of US$9,000 per year for each child, up to a maximum of three children;
• Housing allowance;
• Contributory medical aid scheme;
• Annual leave of 30 working days; and
• Paid home leave every two

Medical examination:
The appointment is subject to a satisfactory United Nations type medical examination to be conducted by an ARIPO nominated medical practitioner.

APPLICATIONS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
Applicants should submit an application letter together with: detailed curriculum vitae indicating pertinent personal data, and names, professional designations and addresses of two persons from whom evidence-based, professional references can be obtained; certified copies of relevant academic and professional certificates; police clearance; and a passport size photograph.

Applicants should indicate in their personal data, the following:
• family name and first names;
• date and place of birth;
• nationality and detailed present address;
• full names, relationship, gender and date of birth of dependents;
• language abilities both written and spoken;
• educational background (main subjects, institutions, diplomas or degrees and marks of merit;
• employment record (present or most recent employment, previous employment); and
• any other relevant

Applying Instructions

Applications addressed to the Director General of ARIPO and saved as a single pdf file should be submitted by email only at

vacancies@aripo.org 

The reference to be indicated on the email subject is “Head of Finance”.