Finance Specialist

Duty Station: Windhoek, Namibia

Reports to: Deputy Chief Financial Officer & Financial Controller

Technical Oversight: Director – Finance, Administration & Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Team: Finance & Administration

Grade Range: P2–P3

Deadline: 11 June 2026

INTERNAL RECRUITMENT (2 POSITIONS)

BACKGROUND

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is an international institution with a unique model comprising an intergovernmental organisation, the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO), and a global network of more than 2,800 partner organisations. GWP was founded in 1996 with the support of the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency with a mission to support countries in the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels.

In 2002, the Global Water Partnership Organisation (GWPO) was established as an intergovernmental organisation with a mandate to serve as the global secretariat of GWP and support the worldwide GWP Network in pursuit of its mission and vision of a water secure world.

For more than two decades, GWPO and the GWP Network have been at the forefront of promoting integrated water resources management and strengthening water governance globally. GWP comprises 13 Regional Water Partnerships and 77 Country Water Partnerships operating in more than 180 countries. Since 2014, GWP has directly and indirectly supported investments and strengthened water governance and policy frameworks in more than 90 countries.

Under the GWP Strategy 2026–2030 and the Global Transformation Agenda on Water Investments, GWPO is strengthening its global finance governance systems, decentralized delivery architecture, and integrated financial management systems to support accelerated mobilization and delivery of climate-resilient water investments globally.

The Finance Specialist positions support implementation of GWPO’s financial governance, fiduciary compliance, operational finance management, grant management systems, and network financial coordination architecture across assigned regions, thematic portfolios, and programmes.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Finance Specialist supports operational financial management, project finance oversight, treasury support, grant administration, donor compliance monitoring, financial reporting, and financial coordination for assigned Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs), Country Water Partnerships (CWPs), thematic programmes, and GWPO operational portfolios.

The position supports financial oversight of GWPO-signed projects and programmes throughout the full project lifecycle, including budget development, financial implementation, reporting, compliance monitoring, audit coordination, and project closure processes.

The Finance Specialist supports implementation of GWPO financial policies, operational financial procedures, donor compliance requirements, grant management systems, and enterprise financial reporting frameworks within assigned regions and operational portfolios.

The incumbent contributes to effective implementation of GWPO’s decentralized financial governance architecture, including quarterly financial reporting, cost recovery monitoring, fiduciary compliance, operational financial controls, sub-grant administration, implementation of the GWPO-GWP Network Integrated Financial Management and Reporting System (NIFMARS), and operational implementation of the GWPO 15% Joint Delivery and Cost Recovery Framework.

The Finance Specialist works closely with the Deputy Chief Financial Officer & Financial Controller, programme teams, regional teams, host institutions, finance focal points, auditors, implementing partners, consultants, and operational personnel across the GWP Network.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Management, Project Finance and Operational Support

The Finance Specialist shall:

• Support day-to-day financial management and operational finance activities for assigned regions, programmes, thematic portfolios, and operational projects;
• Support financial oversight of GWPO-signed projects and programmes throughout the full project lifecycle, including budget development, financial implementation, reporting, compliance monitoring, audit coordination, and project closure processes;
• Support implementation of GWPO financial policies, operational financial procedures, and internal control systems;
• Support budget monitoring, expenditure tracking, financial forecasting, and financial analysis for assigned projects and operational portfolios;
• Monitor actual expenditure against approved budgets, analyze financial variances, and prepare periodic financial management reports for operational and management review;
• Support preparation of financial forecasts, expenditure projections, liquidity monitoring reports, and operational financial summaries;
• Support operational treasury coordination and monitoring of cash flow requirements for assigned portfolios;
• Support financial reconciliations, transaction reviews, and financial control processes;
• Support operational implementation of NIFMARS and related financial reporting systems;
• Maintain accurate financial records, supporting documentation, and financial filing systems in accordance with GWPO requirements;
• Support operational implementation and monitoring of the GWPO 15% Joint Delivery and Cost Recovery Framework across assigned projects, operational portfolios, and implementing arrangements;
• Support operational monitoring of cost recovery allocations, joint delivery arrangements, management fee tracking, and financial implementation responsibilities within assigned portfolios;
• Support financial administration and operational oversight of climate resilience, transboundary water governance, blended finance, private sector investment, and thematic programme portfolios as assigned.

Financial Reporting and Analysis

• Prepare and support quarterly financial reporting processes for assigned Regional Water Partnerships, projects, and programmes;
• Support quarterly regional financial consolidation processes and reconciliation exercises coordinated by the Deputy Chief Financial Officer & Financial Controller;
• Review, reconcile, and consolidate financial reports from designated operational entities, sub-grantees, and programmes;
• Prepare expenditure reports, variance analyses, liquidity summaries, financial monitoring reports, and management financial updates;
• Prepare and support submission of donor financial reports and internal financial reporting submissions in accordance with donor requirements and institutional deadlines;
• Ensure quality assurance of financial reporting submissions from assigned regions, programmes, and implementing partners;
• Support maintenance of financial reporting databases, grants tracking systems, reporting schedules, donor reporting calendars, and operational financial records;
• Maintain grants and financial compliance tracking systems, including reporting schedules, donor deadlines, audit milestones, grant closure requirements, and related operational follow-up actions;
• Support integration of financial reporting with programme performance and operational monitoring systems;
• Support preparation of financial data, dashboards, and management information required for institutional reporting and strategic decision-making.

Grant Management, Fiduciary Compliance and Due Diligence

• Support implementation of GWPO Grant Management Policy and operational grant administration systems;
• Support administration and operational management of the full lifecycle of sub-grants issued to Regional Water Partnerships, Country Water Partnerships, host institutions, consultants, and implementing partners, including contracting support, financial monitoring, reporting review, compliance follow-up, and grant closure;
• Support compliance monitoring for diverse donor agreements and funding mechanisms, including climate finance institutions, bilateral donors, foundations, multilateral development banks, and other strategic funding partners;
• Support financial due diligence assessments, fiduciary reviews, and financial capacity assessments for RWPs, CWPs, host institutions, implementing partners, consultants, and operational entities;
• Support financial and fiduciary assessments associated with RWP accreditation and hosting arrangements;
• Support operational compliance reviews, anti-fraud controls, fiduciary assurance measures, and financial risk monitoring processes;
• Support follow-up on audit findings, compliance issues, financial corrective actions, and donor recommendations;
• Support maintenance of operational financial risk registers and compliance monitoring systems;
• Support implementation of anti-fraud controls, fiduciary safeguards, and grant assurance mechanisms across assigned projects and portfolios.

Audit Coordination and Financial Controls

• Support preparation and consolidation of financial documentation required for internal and external audits;
• Coordinate collection and review of supporting financial documentation from assigned regions, programmes, and implementing partners;
• Support reconciliation of financial statements, audit schedules, payroll records, sub-grant reports, and supporting documentation;
• Support implementation of financial control systems, fiduciary monitoring mechanisms, and operational compliance procedures;
• Support timely resolution of audit queries, financial reporting issues, and donor compliance requests;
• Support project and grant closure financial reviews and final financial reconciliations;
• Support operational follow-up and implementation of audit recommendations across assigned programmes and operational portfolios.

Payroll, Benefits and Administrative Financial Support

• Support payroll administration processes, payroll reconciliations, and salary-related financial controls for assigned portfolios;
• Support administration and financial coordination of staff benefits, insurance, pension contributions, and staff entitlements;
• Support financial processing and reconciliation of relocation support, installation grants, travel-related entitlements, and separation-related payments;
• Support financial administration of travel advances, operational advances, and staff reimbursements;
• Support maintenance of payroll records, financial records, and supporting administrative documentation;
• Support operational financial administration related to consultants, service providers, operational contracts, and implementing partner payments.

Capacity Development and Network Support

• Support training, orientation, and technical support activities relating to GWPO financial policies, fiduciary frameworks, donor compliance requirements, fraud prevention, grant management systems, operational financial procedures, and implementation of the GWPO-GWP Network 15% Joint Delivery and Cost Recovery Framework;
• Support development and delivery of training and technical guidance to partners and operational teams on donor compliance, financial reporting, fiduciary standards, fraud prevention, internal controls, grant management requirements, and cost recovery implementation mechanisms;
• Support regional finance focal points and operational teams on financial reporting and compliance requirements;
• Contribute to strengthening financial governance and financial management capacities across assigned regions and programmes;
• Support operational implementation of financial process harmonization across assigned regions and programmes;
• Support preparation of financial templates, operational guidance notes, tools, and standard operating procedures;
• Promote a culture of accountability, fiduciary integrity, compliance, transparency, and service orientation;
• Support dissemination and operational implementation of updated GWPO financial policies, financial procedures, grant management guidance, and cost recovery frameworks across assigned operational portfolios.

Institutional Support and Team Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with programme teams, regional teams, procurement personnel, operational staff, and administrative teams across the GWPO Secretariat and GWP Network;
• Support implementation of institutional finance priorities, transformation initiatives, decentralized financial governance systems, and joint delivery operational frameworks;
• Participate in finance coordination meetings, operational reviews, project implementation discussions, and institutional planning processes;
• Contribute to continuous improvement of financial systems, operational efficiency, grant management systems, and reporting quality;
• Support operational coordination between GWPO and Regional Water Partnerships relating to financial management, grant implementation, reporting schedules, cost recovery arrangements, joint delivery implementation, and compliance follow-up;
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Deputy Chief Financial Officer & Financial Controller or the Director – Finance, Administration & CFO.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

The Finance Specialist will be evaluated against:

• Timeliness and quality of financial reporting, reconciliations, and financial monitoring reports;
• Effectiveness of financial management support for GWPO-signed projects and operational portfolios;
• Compliance with donor requirements, financial procedures, grant agreements, fiduciary standards, and cost recovery requirements;
• Accuracy and completeness of supporting financial documentation and financial reconciliations;
• Quality of sub-grant administration, financial monitoring, and compliance support;
• Timeliness and effectiveness of audit support and resolution of audit queries;
• Contribution to implementation of NIFMARS and integrated financial reporting systems;
• Contribution to operational implementation and monitoring of the GWPO 15% Joint Delivery and Cost Recovery Framework;
• Contribution to operational efficiency, financial governance, fiduciary assurance, and institutional service delivery;
• Effectiveness of operational coordination and financial support to Regional Water Partnerships and implementing partners.

CORE VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

Core Values

• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity

Core Competencies

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Planning & Organizing
• Accountability
• Client & Partner Orientation
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Technological Awareness

Functional Competencies

• Financial management and donor financial reporting;
• Budget monitoring, variance analysis, and financial forecasting;
• Treasury support and financial reconciliations;
• Grant administration and sub-grant lifecycle management;
• Fiduciary compliance, anti-fraud controls, and operational financial controls;
• Implementation and monitoring of joint delivery and cost recovery frameworks;
• ERP systems, grants tracking systems, and integrated financial reporting systems;
• Attention to detail, analytical thinking, and numerical accuracy;
• Ability to operate effectively in multicultural and decentralized operational environments;
• Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement capabilities.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in accounting, finance, business administration, economics, or related field;
• A first-level university degree in combination with additional qualifying experience, professional certifications, and demonstrated specialized expertise may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree;
• Professional accounting qualification (CPA, ACCA, CIMA, CA or equivalent) or progress toward such qualification is highly desirable.
• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, accounting, project finance management, grant administration, donor compliance, audit support, treasury support, or financial administration;
• Experience supporting donor-funded programmes, climate finance programmes, transboundary programmes, or multi-country operational portfolios is highly desirable;
• Experience supporting sub-grant management, donor reporting, fiduciary compliance processes, and cost recovery implementation mechanisms is desirable;
• Experience working with ERP systems, grants management systems, financial management systems, or integrated reporting systems is desirable;
• Experience supporting operational financial management across decentralized institutional structures is an advantage;
• Experience working with international organizations, development partners, multilateral programmes, or regional institutional platforms is desirable.

Skills and Attributes

• Strong analytical and organizational skills;
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy;
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities;
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and matrix-management environments;
• Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of Spanish, French, or other UN languages is an advantage;
• Strong proficiency in spreadsheets, grants management systems, financial systems, and modern office technologies.