The Public Financial Management (PFM) team at Oxford Policy Management is currently seeking a Senior Consultant, Public Financial Management (PFM) on a Permanent basis. 

The position will be located in our Islamabad, Pakistan office.

We are an international development consultancy working to improve lives through sustainable policy change in low- and middle-income countries. Our vision is for fair public policy that benefits both people and the planet.

Through our global network of offices, we work in partnership with national stakeholders and decision makers to research, design, implement and evaluate impactful public policy. We draw on our local and international sector experts to provide the very best evidence-based support. We deliver projects with expert knowledge and experience, and can be relied upon for excellence in all aspects of project delivery. We work collaboratively, with ambition, to help deliver impactful public policy that will bring about lasting change.

Our PFM team works on a range of interesting projects related to fiscal policy and public financial management reforms across the national and sub-national governments in Pakistan and other developing countries.  Working closely with government to create and implement tailored and innovative solutions that support broader economic development goals, the team's work is highly visible, and requires strong understanding of the political economy.

The Senior Consultant, PFM works across a wide range of areas, including in policy and data analysis, macroeconomics, budget planning and execution, risk quantification and management, climate/disaster finance, public expenditure diagnostics, advocacy and capacity building. As part of the PFM team, the Senior Consultant, PFM leads and supports the delivery of existing work, identifies and bids for new projects, and manages relationships with key funders, governments and implementing partners.  

As a Senior Consultant, PFM at OPM you will:

Technical Delivery

• Support/Lead on technical deliverables relating to planning and budgeting, macro-fiscal analysis, debt management policy and analysis, revenue mobilisation, disaster risk finance, and/or management of (public) climate finance. This may require travel within Pakistan and/or internationally as per the project requirements.
• Develop and implement appropriate strategies and approaches to achieve project objectives. Demonstrate adaptive/innovating thinking to overcome challenges faced in implementation.
• Contribute to thought leadership and communication of experiences and learnings.

Business Development

• Support technical and financial bids on new public finance projects/opportunities.
• Manage client relationships and build upon existing networks in PFM with key external funders, associates and external consultants.

Reporting & Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

• Monitor project delivery for timely, on budget and high-quality services to the client
• Provide timely, regular reports and updates on project performance and progress towards agreed milestones to the appropriate Team Leader(s) and the client.
• Share experience/learnings with project team members and PFM portfolio members within OPM.

Project and Team Management

• Lead and support project management according to client requirements and OPM’s standards of quality delivery.
• Support the management and professional development of junior members of project teams or the PFM portfolio.
• Collaborate in defining activities and workplans for other project team members.
• Drive oversight and implementation of project activities under their remit, as well as coordination with other parts of the programme and/or other related aid programmes.

• Post-graduate qualification in public finance, economics, development studies, public policy or related fields.
• At least 7 years of experience in public financial management in Pakistan or elsewhere, preferably in South-Asia. Experience of donor-funded programmes on PFM reform is an additional asset.
• Minimum 5 years of specific professional experience in at least 3 of the following areas: macroeconomic and fiscal analysis; public sector budgeting and budget process; expenditure analysis; service delivery costing; expenditure tracking in public sector; debt management; domestic revenue analysis; payroll and pension reforms; public investment management; PFM legislation and regulations; civil service reforms, fiscal decentralization, public expenditure reviews and assessments using recognised methodologies/frameworks; support to the development, implementation and monitoring of PFM strategies and action plans, and capacity building.
• Experience of climate finance-related assignments or sector PFM work (e.g. in health, education, social protection) would be an additional advantage.
• Knowledge of Pakistani institutional settings.
• Team working skills, good communication and facilitation skills.
• Excellent data analysis and report writing skills. Experience of statistical tools will be an added advantage.
• Proven full working knowledge of English (written and spoken), plus knowledge of Urdu.
• Excellent attention to detail and analytical rigour.
• Switches comfortably between detail and the bigger picture, joined up thinking and approach to providing solutions.
• Good at prioritising changing and competing demands and tasks, while consistently delivering quality work.
• Excellent problem solving, organising and management skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; collaborative and constructive approach to working with others, builds effective relationships internally and externally.

Desired qualifications/experience:

• Previous experience in digital public infrastructure would be beneficial. 

• We enable colleagues’ capacity to grow professionally through enhanced learning resources, opportunities to work cross functionally, and space to engage with a range of internal and external industry events.
• Our non-hierarchical culture values support, collaboration, intellectual curiosity, and a rich diversity of perspectives.
• We provide an exceptionally generous annual leave entitlement and a hybrid working model to encourage and enable healthy work/life balance.
• Wellbeing resources including a global Employee Assistance Programme and access to the UnMind app.
• Competitive salary and contributory pension scheme.

We are strengthened by the diversity of colleagues across our global business and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer, promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace for all. 

Our recruitment practices reflect our ambition to make the international development sector more inclusive and firm belief that our work delivers the best outcomes when we actively include a diversity of perspectives and experiences. 

If you share our vision for fair public policy that benefits both people and planet, we would love to hear from you. 

Please submit your application through our careers’ site by the closing date.  We review and interview applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply by way of CV via our careers site at the earliest.  We may close this advertisement before the published closing date, should a suitable candidate be identified.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role and candidates must have a pre-existing right to work in Pakistan for their application to be considered.

Oxford Policy Management is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of the business.  Should you require adjustments to make the application process more accessible please inform us through completing this form or scan the QR code below.