Financial Officer

Financial Officer

Description

At the World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), you’ll join a diverse, global community working across cultures, disciplines, and borders to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age in the decade ahead, the challenge of job creation has never been greater. Through partnerships across 145 countries and more than 182 offices worldwide, we work with governments, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in people, strengthen markets, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that generate more and better jobs and improve lives. For more information, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/who-we-are/ibrd
The WBG Controllers Vice Presidency oversees all aspects of financial reporting and the internal control framework across the World Bank Group, including its extensive Trust Fund and Partnership portfolio. CTR supports a robust fiduciary control framework, administers disbursements for Bank lending operations, and leads the client service function for the WB's corporate expenses. The Vice Presidency is organized into three departments – Corporate Accounting and Reporting; Loan and Financing Operations; and Financial Operations – and is guided by a shared focus on delivery, optimization, impact, and people and culture.

CTRAC – Financial Instruments Accounting and Valuation
Within CTR, the Financial Instruments Accounting and Valuation (CTRAC) is responsible for product control functions for financial instruments including borrowings, derivatives, and investments for IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and Trust Funds except for pension funds. These include financial instrument product aligned accounting, determination of the lending rate of the Bank, producing valuation for the IBRD/IDA bonds, derivatives, and loans, implementation  of financial models and valuation review, market data sourcing and verification, implementing accounting policies around financial instruments, independent price verification, financial instrument related data management and providing disclosure information for financial statements regarding these financial instruments.

This position is that of Financial Officer in Chennai (CTRAC), who will play the role of a technical lead in the delivery of the unit’s responsibilities as they relate to the project management, accounting, valuation and reporting of financial instruments. She/He will interact with counterparts in Finance (CTR, Chief Risk officer, Treasury, and Corporate Finance) and with external counterparts especially MDBs and will represent the division in working groups related to new initiatives and new financial instruments.

What will you do:

• Lead / support efforts to implement institutional projects and business initiatives. Translate new initiatives or financial products into new processes and / or system portfolios
• requirements. This would include implementation and maintenance of systems supporting various Coordinate the documentation and consolidation of business requirements (BRDs) with business Subject Matter Experts, into clear, actionable specifications for the technical development team.
• Manage User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for sprint and quarterly releases, including review, and quality assurance of test cases in accordance with defined testing standards
• Collaborate with business and information technology teams across locations to address system issues and implement solutions promptly
• Review accounting entries and ensure daily / weekly / monthly control activities are performed, especially for the liquid investments portfolios
• Identify, investigate, and resolve system-to-system reconciliation and accounting flow breaks
• Monitor and analyze accounting and valuation results as they relate to the investments portfolios primarily, to ensure they are consistent with expectations and business objectives or deviations (if any) are justified and adequately documented. This would include the establishment of exception and monitoring reports and review and investigation of the same.
• Verify trade set-up and trade modifications
• Prepare and provide quality assurance of calculated market data, evaluation of data sources, and verification of the data reliability
• Develop expectations, perform analysis, prepare / review and present sign-off commentaries, suggest and implement solutions in a pro-active manner
• Prepare and analyze allocation of debt funding to separate pools and computation of cost pass through rates for Bank lending products
• Prepare / present various financial and management reports, as required by the department or other stakeholders
• Proactively interact with World Bank Treasury (TRE) front office business units to stay abreast of new/proposed activities that may have accounting or reporting implications.
• Provide services to clients within and outside the Bank by providing financial information, training programs and related materials.
• Coordinate with / support external and internal auditors, when required
• Exercise fiduciary responsibility by reviewing policies and procedures and ensuring they are correctly followed.  
• Staying abreast of accounting pronouncements and industry best practice as it relates to accounting / valuation of financial instruments.
• Continually look for opportunities to improve processes and internal controls.  Be responsible for promoting controls and ensuring compliance in WFA.
• Maintain and develop processes, procedures, documentation and internal controls around portfolios handled, with the objective of increasing efficiency and accuracy

Selection Criteria

What will you bring:

Education:
•Master’s degree(s) or equivalent in relevant profession discipline (Accounting, Finance, Economics, etc.)
•Professional finance/accounting qualification (CA, CPA, ACCA or equivalent accounting qualification and / or CFA / FRM)

Experience:
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience 
• Professional experience with major financial institutions with practical knowledge of product control functions (such as accounting and valuation) related to financial instruments.
• High level of proficiency in using the Murex system.

Core Technical Knowledge:
• Strong understanding of fixed income and derivative products.
• Strong knowledge of Murex, including familiarity with accounting-related outputs, trade booking, trade lifecycle processing, and investigation of system or data discrepancies. 
• Proven quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, including excellent spreadsheet and skills. Familiarity with Power BI, financial modeling techniques, programming languages (e.g., Python), writing macros will be a plus.
• Hands-on experience of accounting, financial analysis and reporting in an integrated financial systems environment
• • Demonstrated high level of initiative, self-confidence, and a self-starter.
• Diplomacy and strong interpersonal skills; commitment to work in a team-oriented, multi-cultural environment; detail oriented.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, including preparing presentations for senior management.

Abilities:

• Ability to deliver results and respond quickly and effectively to requests.
• Ability to lead systems projects and institutional initiatives.
• Ability to lead discussions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain and express views/opinions clearly and confidently.
• Ability to deal sensitively in a multi-cultural environment and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.

As the World Bank Group continues to evolve, we value candidates who:

• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively across teams, disciplines, cultures, and institutional boundaries.
• Responsibly leverage digital and AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, learning, and decision-making.
• Bring experience working in fragile, conflict-affected, and violent (FCV) contexts and are encouraged to highlight relevant experience in their application materials, where applicable.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

WBG Five Managerial Competencies Include only for managerial positions

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 the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.