Director – Pensions

Director – Pensions

 Job Description

Job Title:                         Director – Pensions 

Post Number:                  78146 

 Job Level:                      FMG/PA 3 

Department:           The Accountant General’s Department – A Department of the Ministry of Finance and the PublicService 

The Financial Operations Division is responsible for revenue management; budget execution; pensioner’s payroll and centralized salary payments. The Division undertakes all functions of the Central Treasury Management with regards to receipt, payment, and reporting. It performs the role of manager of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and other bank accounts of the Government. It executes an efficient receipt and payment system. This division ensures that centralized disbursements of payments from the Consolidated Fund under the authority of Warrants, including pension payments and salaries, are executed accurately and timely. Disbursements also include payments from extra-budgetary funds.

This division also has responsibility for revenue management and compliance as per section 15 of the FAA Act, ensuring that all receipts/revenue due to the Government are deposited to the designated accounts in a timely and efficient manner.

2.      JOB PURPOSE:

The Director, Pensions ensures and oversees the accurate and timely disbursement of pension and gratuity payments.

Summary of the broad purpose of the position in relation to Government’s goals and strategies:                                                                                   

• To ensure timely payment of Government pensioners and their dependants;
• To monitor the Pension Payment process;
• To administer the Government Pensioners’ Health Insurance Scheme;
• To ensure the timely payment of contract gratuity and other awards.

 3.      KEY OUTPUTS:

• Compliance with financial regulations, standards and legislation;
• Strategic advice to the Director, Pension and Public Salary;
• Operational Unit Plan;
• Appropriate procedures, systems and operating guidelines for pension payment maintained;
• Payment of pension and other awards to Government pensioners;
• Unit targets are met or exceeded;
• Annual, quarterly, bi-annual and monthly reports;
• Completed staff performance appraisals.
• Government Pensioners’ Health Insurance Scheme maintained;

 4.      KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical

• Forecasts the level of resources (budget) that would be required to pay pensioners for each financial year;
• Ensures timely funding in collaboration with the Assistant Accountant General Revenue and Expenditure;
• Ensures adequate payment systems are maintained for the disbursement of pensions payments;
• Ensures the accurate and timely payment of awards, monthly pensions and Health Insurance premiums;
• Assists the Director, Pensions and Public Salary to prepare timely and accurate financial management reports, special reports, forecasts and statements on a periodic basis;
• Acts as a liaison officer between the Treasury and other Government Ministries and Departments (MDAs) in accordance with defined procedures.

Strategic Leadership

• Ensures staff compliance with relevant laws, regulations, policies, procedures and Instructions governing the operations of the AGD;
• Plans, develops, organizes, implements, directs and evaluates the Unit's fiscal function and performance;
• Leads in the smooth and efficient operation of the unit through the management of daily operations;
• Establishes and implements systems for reporting of work done against stated and agreed work plans for the unit;
• Establishes internal control processes required to manage and grow the unit.
• Meets or exceeds unit performance targets;
• Deputizes for the Director, Pensions and Public Salary as and when required.

Human Resource Management

• Plans, organizes and directs the work of the Unit by overseeing the development of performance targets for the Unit and staff (Unit Operation Plan) based on the Divisional Operation Plan;Ensures that the Unit’s staff have sufficient and appropriate physical resources to enable them to undertake their duties efficiently and effectively;
• Provides leadership and guidance through effective planning, delegation, communication, training, mentoring, coaching and disciplinary action.
• Participates in the hiring of staff for the Unit;
• Recommends transfer, promotion, termination and leave in accordance with established Human Resource Policies and Procedures;
• Identifies skills gaps and collaborates with the Training and Development Manager to develop and implement Staff Development and Succession Plans for the Unit to ensure adequate staff capacity;
• Monitors job specific and environmental factors, implements and promotes health and safety policies; and mitigates and minimizes workplace hazards;
• Monitors the performance of staff and ensures effective and objective staff performance management, through timely and accurate completion of the staff appraisal process, including periodic reviews;
• Ensures the welfare of Unit staff are clearly identified and addressed.

Any Other Duties

• Any other related duty that may be assigned from time to time

5.      Key Performance Indicators

The job is successfully performed when:

• Technical advice provided to the Director Pensions and Public Salary, and the AG, is accurate and timely;
• Pension paid to Government pensioners are done accurately and within stipulated time lines;
• Budget(s) prepared annually within stipulated timelines;
• Timely and accurate financial management reports, special reports, forecasts and statements on a periodic basis;
• Reports and financial statements are accurate and meet quality standards, and are produced within agreed time-frame;
• There is compliance with the FAA Act, and Accounting and Audit standards including cash basis IPSAS, and other financial regulations and standards;
• Unit targets are met or exceeded;
• Staff performance appraisals are done accurately and within stipulated timelines.
• Government Pensioners’ Health Insurance Scheme implemented and maintained
• Audit queries are responded to in a timely manner;

6.      AUTHORITY

• Terminate Pensioner from payroll
• Add new pensioner to the payroll
• Re-instate pensioner
• Unit Budget and Cashflow management
• Approve leave and resolve other staff issues

7.       CONTACTS

    Internal

External

8.      Job Specification:

Minimum Qualification and Training

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting/Management Studies with Accounting or BBA Degree from an accredited University or; ACCA Level 2 or; Asc. Degree Accounting, MIND, along with the Diploma in Government Accounting, MIND.

Essential Experience and Knowledge:

• At least 5 years of experience in Accounting;
• At least 3 years of experience working at senior executive level in Accounting or Finance;
• Comprehensive knowledge of Accounting practices and applications;
• In-depth knowledge and experience in all areas of financial management;
• Knowledge of public treasury operations;
• Sound knowledge of how financial markets operate;
• Knowledge of international Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS);
• Knowledge of Government Accounting;
• Experience in budget management and Chart of Accounts formulation and maintenance.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of banking operations;
• Knowledge of investment strategies

9. Competencies

The incumbent is a senior public servant who represents the Government at all times;  a member of the Senior Executive team of the AGD, who is expected to participate in managing the Department, and to lead a team of professionals in realizing the goals and objectives of the Department, in a highly dynamic environment.  The following competencies are required for the effective performance of this job:

Core Competencies

• Oral and Written Communication Skills
• Problem Solving and Analytical Skills
• Customer Focus
• Results Focus
• Integrity

Technical Competencies

• Accounting and Reporting
• Budget and Forecasting
• Knowledge of Legislation, Policies and Procedures

Managerial Competencies

• Leadership
• Performance Management
• Emotional Intelligence

10.      SPECIAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOB

Physical Demands - Pressured working conditions with numerous critical deadlines.

Work Environment - Normal office conditions