Senior Financial Assistant – Static Data and Swift Maintenance (SSM)

Job #: req22747

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Treasury

Grade: GD

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment

Location: Sofia,Bulgaria

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s): second language is a plus

Closing Date: 5/31/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

The World Bank Group (World Bank) is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. The World Bank works in more than 100 developing economies to improve living standards and fight poverty. The World Bank uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth and improve the quality of life. The World Bank is owned by 189 member countries whose views and interests are represented by a Board of Governors and a Washington DC-based Board of Directors. More than 190 countries participate in at least one of the five World Bank Group (“WBG”) institutions, each of which specialize in different aspects of development: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA) (IBRD and IDA together also referred to as the “World Bank” or the “Bank”), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Treasury is the Vice Presidency, reporting to the Managing Director and World Bank Group Chief Financial Officer, performing treasury functions for the IBRD and IDA and, to varying degrees, for other members of the World Bank Group and other public sector investors. Its activities are organized and grouped into the following departments: Capital Markets & Investment Management, Client Asset Management and Advisory, Treasury Client Solutions and Treasury Operations.

Treasury has been a large and significant player in the international financial markets for over seventy years and has achieved a global reputation as a prudent and innovative borrower, investor and risk manager. Treasury is responsible for: (i) managing approximately $185 billion in assets for the World Bank and other official sector investors; (ii) leading IBRD’s and IDA’s triple-A rated financing programs in international and domestic bond and derivative markets; (iii) conducting asset and liability management for IBRD’s and IDA’s balance sheets; (iv) overseeing the development and outreach related to the financing and hedging products the Bank provides for its developing-country clients; and (v) collaborating with the World Bank member countries to help build their capacity.

Staff in Treasury regularly interact and collaborate with other Departments across the Bank and Finance Partners teams.

Treasury Operations is the Department (TREOP) which provides a full range of middle and back-office support for Treasury’s asset management, capital markets and banking functions. The Department is organized in three operational units: Treasury Asset & Liability Operations (TREAL), Quantitative Solutions and Analytics (TREQA), and Banking Operations (TREBK).

Treasury Banking Operations (TREBK) is the unit providing all banking and payments services for the World Bank Group. The unit manages the SWIFT connection to the external financial system, the institution’s central cash management system, including its integration with all the Bank’s units and systems which originate or receive cash flows, and manages and reconciles all WBG Bank Accounts. TREBK staff are in the Bank’s Washington DC headquarters, its shared services center in Chennai, India, and will expand into a new shared services center in Sofia, Bulgaria. In performing these cash and account management functions, the team works closely with internal partners and market counterparts as well as external service providers such as technology vendors, banks, and paying agents. In addition to its day-to-day responsibilities, the team is expected to facilitate the implementation of new products, markets, and business-related technology solutions. The team also participates in capacity building for clients in its related areas of expertise.

Duties and Accountabilities: The Senior Financial Assistant will have responsibilities for specific individual tasks/projects within TREBK’s Static Data and SWIFT maintenance team in executing TREOP’s work program, while maintaining close relationships with the other Treasury departments. His/her primary responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, some combination of the following activities:

•  Provide static data maintenance support for the WBG, process requests from internal business units and perform static data updates within WBG and TRE systems, such as counterparty Standard Settlement Instructions (SSIs), currency holidays and currency code updates, and SWIFT BIC and domestic payments clearing codes mapping to internal systems.
•  Maintain and assist in providing WBG’s banking information and Standard Settlement Instructions (SSIs) to internal colleagues and external counterparts.
•  Contribute to the team’s role as the business application owners for the WBG’s SWIFT infrastructure, which includes researching and understanding upcoming SWIFT standards changes and its impact to WBG business processes, performing User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for any SWIFT application system changes and upgrades, maintaining and updating SWIFT Relationship Management Application (RMA) with the WBG’s counterparties.
•  Support and maintain effective controls over bank account access through the monitoring and administration of online banking portal access and privileges, and the periodic review and management of the list of WBG officers who have been delegated authority over particular bank accounts and transactions.
•  Contribute ideas and participate in implementing process improvements to increase the efficiency, improve the accuracy and enhance the controls over how WBG static data, SWIFT messaging infrastructure, and authorized officers lists are maintained.
•  Prepare management reports, including bank briefings, Key Performance Indicators (KPI) reports and other ad-hoc requests for static data related information.
•  Assist in the development and implementation of changes to TRE procedures, processes, and standards. Ensure that all business processes, procedures, and internal controls in the unit are properly documented and complied with.
•  Ability to be flexible and perform ad-hoc functions or back up and assist with other team deliverables.

Selection Criteria

1.Fluent in the English language, with strong spoken and written English language skills.

2.Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting or related field (Computer Science / Information Systems, Finance, Mathematics) and 2 plus years relevant experience in the financial services industry, preferably with back-office operations.

3.Business-related certifications are a strong plus (CFA, CPA, CA, CTP or equivalent).

4.Knowledge of and familiarity with treasury business lines and back office operational functions, including banking, payment operations and cash management.

5.Familiarity with treasury systems (e.g., Murex, Quantum, Summit) and with the Swift messaging system and standards is highly desirable.

6.Strong proficiency in Excel, Word and PowerPoint (proficiency test in Excel to be given). Familiarity with Microsoft Power Platform tools (Power BI, Power Automate, and Power Query) is a strong plus.

7.Demonstrated ability to manage simultaneous competing demands to deliver on-time.

8.Demonstrated analytical abilities.

9.Problem-solver with proven ability to develop creative solutions.

10.Detail-oriented and strong organization skills.

11.Strong communication skills – both verbal and written.

12.Self-starter with ability to take responsibility for own actions and learn quickly.

13.Reliable team player, a positive attitude, open and collegial work style with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate in a team-based, multi-cultural work environment.

14.Flexibility to overlap with U.S. hours will be required to meet reporting deadlines along with willingness to travel to Washington DC for training and team projects

15.Strong client focuses and services skills, including the ability to listen, assess and respond to client needs.

16.Complies with highest ethical standards.

WBG Core Competencies:

•  Deliver Results for Clients – Proactively addresses clients’ stated and unstated needs. Adds value by constantly looking for a better way to get more impactful results; sets challenging stretch goals for oneself. Immerses oneself in client experiences and perspective by asking probing questions to understand unmet needs. Demonstrates accountability for achieving results that have a development impact and financial, environmental and social sustainability. Identifies and proposes solutions to mitigate and manage risks.
•  Collaborate within Teams and Across Boundaries – Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives. Appropriately involves others in decision making and communicates with key stakeholders. Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches. Integrates WBG perspective into work.
•  Lead and Innovate – Develops innovative solutions. Contributes new insights to understand situations and develops solutions to resolve complex problems. Adapts as circumstances require and manages impact of own behavior on others in context of WBG’s values and mission. Identifies and pursues innovative approaches to resolve issues
•  Effective WBG staff rapidly and readily share their expertise – Client solutions, Leverages department’s expertise and body of knowledge across WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions. Seeks to learn from more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and helps others to learn. Builds personal and professional networks inside and outside the department unit.
•  Make Smart Decisions – Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward. Seeks diversity of information and inputs, researches possible solutions, and generates recommended options. Identifies and understands risks and proposes recommendations. Based on risk analysis makes decisions in a timely manner within own area of responsibility, considering the interests and concerns of stakeholders.
•  Client Understanding and Advising – Looks at issues from the client’s perspective and advocates for clients within own area as well as urges others to focus on meeting client needs. Works with others across the VPU to define client needs and develop the best approach to meet client needs (e.g., finds appropriate solutions and negotiates internally for needed resources and support.
•  Broad Business Thinking – Maintains an in-depth understanding of the long-term implications of decisions both for related areas within the VPU and the client’s business. Involves the key players in identifying operating needs, issues and immediate solutions. Ensures that decisions are supported by relevant stakeholders and creates the business case for investment in process and enhancements. Sets clear explanations for the integration and alignment of services/solutions with business functions, focusing on the strategic value provided for area of responsibility within the client’s business.
•  Analytical Thinking – Coordinates the information gathering and reporting process. Reviews trends and compares to expectations. Conducts research to define problems and prepares responses to anticipated questions. Prioritizes multiple issues and opportunities. Identifies relationships and linkages within several information sources. Anticipates issues that are not readily apparent on the surface. Identifies root causes and effects. Defines priorities within performance objectives. Reports and identifies areas that need guidance to resolve complex issues. Anticipates the possible outcome of potential solutions.
•  Policies and Procedures – Demonstrate thorough knowledge of policies and procedures in related fields. Provide training and guidance to junior staff in enhancing their understanding of relevant policies and procedures. Lead by example and serve as the best practice champion in applying pertinent policies and procedures.
•  Risk and Controls – Lead by example and serve as best practice champions in completing internal control procedures, including understanding impact beyond own immediate functional areas. Provide constructive inputs to the design, implementation and improvement of risk and internal control procedures for stand-alone end-to-end processes based on understanding of the business. Assess impact of potential control risks and propose mitigating control procedures as appropriate, with balanced efficiency and effectiveness results within any given processes.
•  Information Technology and Systems – Leverage information technology systems and applications to improve productivity and efficiency. Provide inputs to IT system enhancement efforts based on day to day working experience and knowledge of the systems.
•  Communication – Adapt the communication style appropriate for the intended audience. Adopt an inclusive approach to communication as is appropriate to the situation, to ensure adequate stakeholder participation. Present information effectively and encourage feedback.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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.