Finance Manager at African Development Solutions (Adeso)

POSITION ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Financial Manager has overall policy and management responsibility for the finance and accounting functions within the organization. The Finance manager’s responsibilities include ensuring policy compliance and controls, field office support, staff training and capacity building, management of finance functions, treasury and budget functions. The finance Manager has a responsibility of working with various local and international sub grantees and partners. The position will supervise and oversee finance staff in Nairobi and Somalia offices.

Specific Responsibilities

Ensuring finance policy compliance

• Ensure that the country office finance functions are in line with the Adeso finance policy
• Ensure that donor rules and regulations are adhered to in finance management of specific projects .
• Establish and implement Somalia specific finance systems, and guidelines
• Work closely with the team to discuss on finance management policies and provide timely advice on any issues related to compliance, fraud, under or over spending of project grants and finance staffing issues
• Closely look at the issue of cost effectiveness and provide recommendations and guidance to the management team
• Understand and share information related to local government (throughout Somalia) statutory requirements related to financial issues and ensures compliance with tax regulations and any other legal requirements

Establishing effective internal finance controls

• Ensure that established internal control systems for Adeso are in place. Review on effective implementation of these systems regularly and reporting any discrepancies to the Executive Director
• Ensure that the authorization matrix is updated and approvals are in line with the matrix
• Review the allocation of salaries based on timesheets, and an overall assessment of the general controls that are in place, provide recommendations if necessary.
• Ensure that authorized signatory list and bank information forms are regularly updated and hardcopies are on file
• Identify requirements for and develop reporting formats to aid in the management of Adeso Somalia program operations and grant expenditures.
• Undertake internal control audits, report the same and in discussion with the ED, initiate actions necessary to correct any internal control weaknesses.
• Facilitate and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits
• Documentation- ensure that all relevant finance documents are appropriately filed (soft and print copy), ensuring quality referencing for the filed documents, safety of the documents

Field office support

• Establish and implement practices to ensure efficient and seamless support and coordination with the field offices
• Undertake regular field office visits in order to support, guide and monitor implementation of internal controls, identify support needs, and train finance and non-finance staff
• Monitor program activities in line with donor proposals and share observations with the concerned team members
• Undertake monitoring of the partner organizations and provide training on Adeso and donor guidelines
• Ensure that cash transfers to the field offices are taking place and any challenges are communicated and addressed

Undertake quality finance reporting and documentation

• Provide monthly financial reports - ensuring integrity of information and explanations, and timely submission
• Prepare donor reports when necessary- ensuring reporting in the due format of the donors, accuracy of information and timely submission
• Analyse finance information to generate report on overall finance management issues- i.e. spending trends, operation vs program costs, funding gaps, funding pipeline analysis
• Preparation of various monthly finance reports The reports include- trial Balance, collate bank statements, monthly financial grants summary, monthly grants tracking sheet, monthly reconciliation file etc
• Prepare monthly budget vs actual (BVA) report for all donor grants and share the same with senior management team. Participate in BVA review meetings and share any observations and recommendations

Preparation of project budgets for donor grants

• Preparation and revision of project and grant proposals and budgets in line with donor guidelines
• Review and finalize partner grant budgets ensuring cost effectiveness, clarity of budgets

Team Leadership

• Leverage strengths of the current finance team members, help to clarify roles and responsibilities and develop and implement training programs in order to maximize and reach optimal individual and organizational goals;
• Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of a BA; BCOM and/or MBA preferred
• Professional accounting qualification (CPA/ACCA/CIMA/CFA).
• Five(5) years of accounting and finance experience, ideally beginning in accounting and audit, followed by experience gathering, evaluating, presenting and reporting financial information to executive teams and external stakeholders
• Experience in a complex NGOs with multiple programs.
• Keen analytic, organization and problem solving skills which allows for strategic data interpretation versus. simple reporting
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations to senior management, board or other outside partners
• Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels including finance and non-finance managers