The National Treasury has initiated several Public Financial Management Reform (PFMR) initiatives under the PFMR strategy 2013-2018. This PFMR strategy seeks to make Public Finance Management more efficient, effective, participatory and transparent resulting in improved accountability and better service delivery for Kenyans. The new County governments also have PFM responsibilities that need to be integrated within the new PFM strategy that is to be produced in 2018. The current PFMR strategy has seven priority themes outlining key PFM reforms:
1.Macro-economic Management and Resource Mobilization
2.Strategic Planning and Resource allocation
3.Budget execution, Accounting & Reporting and Review
4.Independent Audit and Oversight
5.Fiscal decentralization and Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations
6.Legal and institutional frameworks
7.IFMIS and other PFM Systems
AFD has agreed to support the implementation of the PFMR Strategy, along with a sectoral budget support - GESDEK -financed by the World Bank, which uses the “Program for results” tool. The AFD support will be funded through two means:
-A soft loan in the form of a Sector Budget Support (SBS), of 30 million euros.
-A grant in the form of a Technical assistance support (TA) of 1.5 million euros, managed by Expertise France, the French public agency for international technical assistance.
The TA support will also aim to promote partnerships between Kenyan institutions and their French counterparts. The mobilization and coordination of the technical expertise will be ensured by Expertise France.
The PFMR Secretariat of the National Treasury will monitor the implementation of the TA support in conjunction with the other departments of the National Treasury and the Office of the Auditor General. The TA support will focus on five components:
-Component 1: Strengthen the National Treasury capacity to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public investment
-Component 2: Strengthen the National Treasury capacities on public procurement procedures
-Component 3: Strengthen the National Treasury capacities for budget regulatory, fiscal risk management mechanisms, and debt management
-Component 4: Strengthen the Office of the Auditor General capacity to ensure accountability and oversight of public resources
-Component 5: Strengthen the PFMRS capacity to improve the monitoring and communication of PFM reforms
In order to implement the TA two long-term experts will be mobilized to complement the short-term supports.
One of the long-term experts (component 1 of the TA support above), targeted within those terms of reference, will be specialized in public investment management and placed within the Public Investment Management Unit under the supervision of the directorate of Budget, Fiscal and Economic Affairs. The second long term expert (component 5 of the TA support above) will support the PFMR Secretariat.
The PFM Secretariat is a coordinating unit within the National Treasury dedicated to the PFM Reform strategy. The role of this unit is to manage the implementation of the PFMR Program, by reviewing the work plan implementation schedule and updating it periodically. The PFM Secretariat also insures the reforms communication and awareness as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the PFM Reform implementation.
Public investment context
A recent PFM assessment quoted that among core pillars of PFM, PIM needed strong development: “A medium term perspective is required for selecting capital projects consistent with a government’s development strategy and which meet project appraisal criteria. Once selected, they should be entered into the MTEF (Medium Term Expenditure Framework) and annual costs budgeted for.” […] “As yet there is not a standard set of rules and procedures to be followed when monitoring progress in investment project implementation”.
The implementation of a comprehensive process will ultimately allow the allocation of public resources to projects with the best social and economic returns ("value for money") and in accordance with the strategic orientations of state policy.
The National Treasury has setup a PIM unit (Public Investment Management unit) in order to establish and manage this framework.
The main tasks of this unit should be the following:
-Establish a normative framework and unified criteria for the evaluation of projects initiated by the line ministries, then extended to those of public institutions and public enterprises that have signed program contracts with the State, and finally to the projects of the local authorities.
-Use this framework to evaluate proposed projects.
-Propose the necessary arbitrations between these different projects.
-Evaluate the relevance of the envisaged contracting method (public market, PPP ...)
-Manage a database of projects using a dedicated information system.
-Follow up on selected projects.
Description de la mission
By Project is meant the TA support funded by AFD with the 1.5 MEUR grant.
By GESDEK Program is meant the GESDEK co-financed by AFD’s and the WB’s soft loans.
The expert is part of the PIM Unit, recently created within the Budget Department of the National Treasury. He/she is under the supervision of the Director of the PIM Unit to who he/she will report directly. His/her contract is signed with Expertise France, he/she is therefore under the hierarchical authority of Expertise France Project Director. He/ she will also have to work in good relationship the PFMR expert. Therefore, he/she will have to participate to the bi-weekly Project meetings with the PFMR expert and Expertise France Project Director. If the PIM Unit is not yet established at the date of starting his/her assignment, the PIM expert will be temporarily located under the authority of the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury and Planning, until the PIM Unit is formally established.
Coming from the French Public Administration, the Expert will add value to the PIM Unit by bringing on board skills which are lacking within this Unit. He/she will contribute to the achievement of the GESDEK DLIs related to his/her field of experience (see Annex 2).
Therefore, he / she will be in charge of the following activities:
-Technical Assistance (TA) on supporting the set-up and the implementation of the PIM Unit;
-TA on developing and implementing the Public Investment management Manual within the PIM Unit, including support to the drafting of the public projects’ guidelines and sensitization of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs);
-Support the establishment of a policy and regulatory mechanisms on public investments at national and county level ;
-Support the organization of a study visit in France under PIM Department to learn on best practices on Public Investment Management and Public procurement;
-Set up and implement a training program (PIM Unit, MDAs), including training of trainers on public investment management cycle, including project planning, appraisal, selection, costing, monitoring and evaluation; Support the implementation of the activities of the component 1, through the preparation (drafting the TORs) and coordination of the short term missions and reporting on the same to the PFMR long-term expert to enrich the Project reports.
During his/ her mission, the expert will focus on maximizing the transfer of skills to the PIM Unit and other GESDEK implementing agencies, with the help of formal and informal relations and trainings to ensure a long-lasting impact.
The Project will start in September 2018.
The PIM expert should start as soon as possible after the project kick off, possibly in October 2018.
The expert is expected to be enrolled for 24 months.
Qualifications et compétences
-University postgraduate degree in a field relevant to the assignment: Public administration, Finance, Public law
-Good understanding of the public administration, especially public financial institutions
-Ability to work in a multicultural environment and adaptability to foreign systems and institutions
-Good command of computer applications and information technologies (such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Internet browsers)
-Proficiency in English
-Ability to work as part of a team
-Capacity to handle sensitive issues with discretion in a multicultural environment
Expérience professionnelle
-A minimum of 15 years’ experience on PFM in the French Public Administration
-At least 5 years professional experience on Public Investment Management
-At least one practical experience and proven track in the field of Contract Management
-A working experience of risk analyses, planning, performance assessment, financial advice
-Experience in similar assignments would be an added value
Informations complémentaires
-Mission area: Nairobi
-Duration: 24 months
-Starting date: September 2018
Documents à fournir
All applications must include the following:
-CV
Applications should be sent to Expertise France by email before 10/08/2018, using the following subject: KENGEFIP Application
If you do not receive a response within 4 weeks of the application deadline, please consider that your application has not been shortlisted.
The process of selection of expressions of interest will occur in two phases:
-As a first step, a shortlist will be freely established by Expertise France.
-Selected candidates may then be invited for an interview.
Fees for the services will be negotiated with the designated candidate.