Finance Specialist at Crown Agents Ltd

MAIN JOB PURPOSE

The role is responsible for supporting the Project Manager to manage project finances and for performing month-end project accounting tasks as part of The Global Fund Malaria Prime Recipient Project in South Sudan. As a qualified accountant you will use your accounting knowledge to improve all forms of project reporting and assist finance leadership in continuous process improvement.

The incumbent will be responsible for the coordination of the finance team activities and for ensuring that all financial management and oversight work is of high quality and completed within the timeframe set by the client. The incumbent will also be required to travel in-country when necessary.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent is required to perform the function of financial specialist in the relevant country by carrying out the following activities:

Report reviews:

• Reviewing progress update reports and disbursement requests submitted by the grant recipients as per following:Verifying grant recipient and implementing partners’ primary records (supporting documents submitted) for accuracy and completeness, and for the correspondence of those, with the summary internal/external reports prepared by the grant recipients and implementing partners;
• Conducting cross-checks of various primary documents with the summary reports;
• Interviewing grant recipients and implementing partners’ relevant staff members;
• Cross verification of financial data with M&E and health/programmatic, management and procurement data/information;
• Conduct comprehensive financial analysis and reflect in the finance-related sections of the obligatory reporting template.

Implementation Reviews:

Ensure appropriate project accounting from inception to closure through working with Project Managers, this includes:

• Organize and lead recipient assessments, and financial reviews to provide informed and independent professional advice to the donor about the capacity of recipients to effectively manage and implement the donor grant funds from a financial perspective;
• Conduct regular (preferably monthly) and field visits to the grant recipients and implementing partners and provide independent opinion and analysis on the financial management by the relevant parties;
• Working with Project Managers to complete project submission forms and provide commentary on variances and project risk
• Processing project submission forms in a timely and efficient manner
• Reconciling information on the project accounting system (PSA) to the Accounting system (SUN) and resolving discrepancies
• Balance sheet reporting is consistent and accurate
• Balance Sheet Reconciliations are timely, complete and signed

Management & client relations:

• Supervise and closely monitor the work of the finance staff;
• Ensure that all teamwork, includes inputs of all finance staff, is of high quality and completed within the timeframe, and as per guidelines set by the donor;
• Responsible for completion of the performance management process for assigned staff;
• Contribute to the annual scope of work, cost proposal and the consequent annual work plan of team activities

QUALIFICATION & EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in accounting, finance or related field and professional internationally recognized accounting qualification
• Experience in Global Fund
• Experience with financial management systems, with the ability to review and assess internal controls and financial processes and procedures and provide recommendations for improvement
• Experience in financial accounting, with the ability to review and analyse accounting transactions
• Experience with reviewing financial statements (including income and expenditure statements, balance sheets and cash reconciliation statements);
• Experience with grants management, fund management, cash management, financial management / analysis / reporting, asset management, planning and reviewing and project financial control; ideally with The Global Fund
• Experience of working effectively where strong organisational skills are required
• Strong understanding of technical accounting, project accounting essential
• Experience working with The Global Fund projects, including full understanding of The Global Fund compliance ad financial regulations