Finance Director at Human Capital Synergies

ACTS is currently recruiting for the position of Finance Director (FD). The FD is responsible for the financial and administrative aspects of the Centre, reporting to the Executive Director, with an ex-officio post on the Executive Committee of the Governing Council.

The FD’s main responsibilities are to: be accountable for the financial probity and financial security of the Centre; deliver operational and strategic reporting regarding the Centre’s finances; ensure the Centre has adequate levels of income and that its resources are suitably matched to such income; manage an administrative team within the Centre to deliver operational excellence within an organization with typical annual spend of US$ 3-10 million.

The candidate will be joining a team and global network of excellent / award winning researchers in the area of science, technology and innovation policies. ACTS was in 2016 rated among the top three global think tanks in Climate Change, and number one in Africa.

Job Responsibilities

• Overall leadership of the finance and administrative activities at ACTS, setting the policies and procedures to ensure proper and effective financial management.
• Develop and implement an overall funding strategy for the Centre that delivers short and long term financial security and lead resource mobilization efforts that grow and diversify the Center’s funding.
• Overall responsibility for ensuring ACTS income is sufficient for its needs in both the short and long term and that operational costs are aligned with the income.
• Deliver fast and accurate reporting throughout the ACTS organization and ensure that financial processes are well defined, appropriate and adhered to across the Centre.
• Be responsible for the financial probity of the Centre and ensure a culture of zero tolerance for corrupt or illicit practices is maintained throughout the organization.
• Establish and nurture close links with partner/donor organizations and support the ED in contractual discussions regarding both existing and new programs of work.
• Build and promote the Center’s reputation amongst donors and customers and develop a strategy for financial endowment to provide the Centre with long-term financial stability.
• Support the ED to ensure sustained progress towards achieving ACTS purpose and mission.
• Represent the ACTS Secretariat as an ex-officio member in its dealings with the Executive Committee of the
• Governing Council on financial and administrative matters.
• Represent the ACTS Secretariat by invitation in its dealings with the Governing Council (alongside the
• Executive Director) on financial and administrative matters.

Requirements

• The preferred candidate for this position is a fully qualified accountant with CPA(K)/ ACCA, with good quality degree from a well-respected university;
• The preferred candidate should have a minimum 5 years’ experience of running the finance and administration department of an organization with US$ 3-10M turnover;
• The preferred candidate should have the ability to self-start and run a finance operation in a hands-on way, without a large team of supporting staff.
• The candidate should have the ability to analyze and report financial data and to communicate this clearly within the organization and to the Governing Council; has the experience of contract negotiation, contract management and associated procedures.
• The candidate should be detail-oriented and have the ability to put in place the required processes for cost control and management; have experience of employment law and employment contracts; a collaborative worker, operating closely alongside the Executive Director and Programme Director to acquire new finance and to oversee existing programs.
• Complete familiarity with conventional accounting tools (e.g SAGE) and the ability to drive appropriate financial IT solutions for the organization are required.
• Experience with working with financial donors / NGO sector would be a distinct advantage but not mandatory.

This is a 3 years contract, renewable.