Consultancy - Project Finance, The Bahamas

The Department of Programmes is the central management and coordination unit for programme delivery and capacity development. It is responsible for the implementation of IDLO’s global programme portfolio in line with the organizational Strategic Plan.

The Project Finance Consultant ensures the effective implementation of IDLO policies, procedures and guidelines for the Bahamas Country Office, providing efficient and effective support to IDLO’s programming.

THE CONSULTANCY 

Reporting to the Field Programme Manager, The Bahamas with a dotted line to the Rome based Regional Programme Accountant, the Project Finance Consultant will work in close coordination with the Latin America and The Caribbean (LAC) programme team, and the Finance unit at IDLO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. In particular, the Consultant will be expected to undertake the following:

1. Reporting:

• Lead in the timely and accurate monthly financial close of the country office.
• Prepare accurate monthly financial reports, aged schedules and reconciliations, ensuring accuracy and timeliness, taking necessary corrective measures where applicable.
• Prepare relevant project financial reports related to the country office and ensure accuracy of information.

2. Accounts Payables:

• Review all expense transactions arising out of the country office for completeness and accuracy, ensuring they follow the donor requirements and IDLO policies and procedures.
• Process all expenses on a timely manner ensuring compliance with IDLO policies and procedures, accrual accounting and donor rules and regulations.
• Review monthly balance sheet account reconciliations and schedules (advances, prepayments, accruals) ensuring all outstanding issues are addressed in a timely manner.
• Closely review procurement documents to ensure compliance with IDLO policies and procedures and donor rules and regulations, including but not limited to ensuring that costs are programme related, supporting documentation is complete, amounts are accurate, and proof of receipt of services or goods is received prior to payment.
• Advise on corrective actions needed if there are weaknesses in terms of document content and compliance issues. Ensure that payments are made only after approval has been obtained from the budget holder.

3. Cash and bank management:

• Review and consolidate monthly cash forecasts for the country office ensuring funds are fully reconciled before submitting to HQ for processing. This will include working with program staff to help them develop accurate cash forecasts.
• Ensure adequate availability of funds for program implementation and operational costs at any one time.
• Ensure adequate controls around the management and use of cash, including appropriate cash counts and reconciliations on a periodic basis.
• Ensure internal control procedures are followed for all cash and bank disbursements, receipts and transfers.
• Manage the risk associated with foreign exchange movements ensuring that measures are taken to reduce the CO exposure to forex movements, where applicable.

4. Grants and budget management:

• Ensure costs are allocated in accordance with the approved program budgets and IDLO chart of accounts.
• Coordinate with programme staff to prepare budgets to support new proposals or realignments ensuring full cost recovery is adopted as applicable.
• Monitor programme expenditures against budgets on a monthly basis (budget vs actual review) with programme staff and ensure appropriate action is taken to address any matters arising.

5. Filing financial documents:

• Ensure all original documents are properly coded and filed for ease of future reference prior to shipment to HQ on a monthly basis.
• Ensure that all electronic copies of all documents shipped to Rome are filed electronically correctly, in sequence and maintained at the country office.
• Ensure that all vouchers related to payments have been defaced with a “paid” stamp.

6. Audit and compliance:

• Act as the lead contact in the country office on audit related activities.
• Support IDLO to ensure that auditors are provided with the necessary supporting documents in a timely manner.

Education and Experience:

• University degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Management or related field is required.
• Professional accountancy qualification – CPA/ACCA.
• Minimum five (05) years of relevant experience in financial management, reporting and accounting, preferably in an international working environment with donor funded projects/ programmes.

Languages

• Full proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

Specific knowledge, skills and behavioral competencies

• Demonstrated working knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
• Demonstrated work experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, preferably with MS NAVISION.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work constructively with several internal services/departments.
• Ability to work under pressure with tight deadlines, flexible, participatory and entrepreneurial spirit.
• Proven ability to see through tasks set and deliver results.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, as well as other ICT tools and web-based applications.
• Keen sense of ethics, integrity, credibility, and commitment to IDLO’s mandate.

This is a full-time consultancy assignment, open to Local Nationals and/or to residents with legal permits to work in The Bahamas.

The successful candidate will be offered a consultancy (SEA) contract through 31 December 2025, with the possibility of extension, subject to satisfactory performance and continued availability of funding. IDLO will offer a fixed monthly lump-sum fee in the range of USD 3,800 to USD 4,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for IDLO vacancies.

IDLO does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse, any kind of harassment, including harassment of a sexual nature; or discrimination. As such, IDLO will conduct careful reference and background checks of all selected candidates as part of its selection process.

In the interest of making the most effective use of resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process.

Application deadline: 07 June 2025 (23:59hrs Rome time)