Finance Specialist at Medair

Role Overview

Contribute to Medair success through leading the Finance Shared Service Center (SSC) located in Nairobi (Kenya). Ensure the quality and timeliness of the month-end closing, keep up-to-date best cash / mobile banking /online banking practice, assist in external statutory / donor audit (if any) and internal audits and financial reporting of Medair. Ensure an excellent partnership via strong collaboration with GSO Finance Partner, HCPs, country directors and local country finance team.

Project Overview

Medair Global Support Office (GSO / SSC) provides operational guidance for country programmes, along with both technical and compassionate support for our relief workers. Within our headquarters, we are also responsible for promoting the work of Medair to the world, to raise and manage the funds needed to run our life-saving and sustaining programmes, and to recruit international and GSO staff.

Medair GSO Finance / SSC Finance team, primarily focus on Medair financial and investment decisions in all aspects, acts as a financial gatekeeper and strategic advisor in daily business operation and also mid to long-term strategic decisions of Medair, from the aspect of transformation the function/ optimization in key processes, and implementation of fit-for-purpose ERP system.

Key Activity Areas

Responsibility / Outcomes

• Assist in the development of concepts and techniques, ensure the quality and timeliness of complex tasks in creative and effective ways, interact with various stakeholders such as GSO finance partners, various depts, country Finance Manager, Country Directors, PCs (Project Coordinator), PM (Project Manager) to drive efficiencies.
• Contribute to the development of concepts and techniques, ensure the quality and timeliness of complex tasks in creative and effective ways, interact with various stakeholders such as GSO finance partners, various depts, country Finance Manager to drive efficiencies.
• An important key player within SSC Finance team to ensure smooth operation.
• Ensure high quality financial data / book closing in line with Medair Finance required deadlines, including timely review, reconciling and posting of financial transactions (Navigotor/Navision or other systems) per “Closing Checklist”.
• Ensure that a local set of statutory finance books is kept updated in compliance with local statutory requirement via collaboration with local finance team and GSO Audit Support team. Contribute to preparing and reviewing monthly and annual financial statements for various country programs.
• Strongly drive Medair process standardization projects, as improving systems, policies and procedures on an on-going basis on key processes and ensure proper documentation and implementation to cope with the objectives of Medair, and strive to be a “Super user” of Medair ERP system.
• Actively seek and provide training to the relevant country Finance teams in a systematic approach.
• Proactively drive other departments to improve overall Medair’s efficiencies.
• Ensure the financial sustainability, such as cash position of each country program served is at optimal status for Medair via collaborating with GSO Finance & relevant country teams.
• Actively provide consultancy and support to the country finance teams as needed as “Roving Officer” with a visit once every two months to the country programs served and also the special targeted visit in the annual performance objectives. Review and verify if country finance teams are in compliance with internal controls within “Finance / Accounting manual”.
• Proactively participate in “Donor audits” via collaborating with various parties. Ensure timely communication regarding audit observations are properly followed upon by various stakeholders.
• Contribute to other Medair Finance members for proper coaching on personal development and training of required skills (as a backup) and supporting the tasks to the relevant team members.
• Participate in the overall financial health of Medair projects via closely collaborating with various stakeholders; driving changes to meet the overall Medair Finance function objectives and visions.

Innovation/changes

• Implement a new ERP system.
• Streamline and optimize the key processes related to Finance and other relevant key processes.
• Work smartly with strong collaboration with various stakeholders.
• Renew mindset to have proactive approaches on tasks and jobs.

Team Spiritual Life

• Lead and reflect the values of Medair with team, local staff, beneficiaries, and external contacts.
• Work and pray together in our Christian faith-based team settings. Fully contribute to the rich spiritual life of SSC Finance team, including team devotions, prayers, and words of encouragement.
• Encouraged to join and contribute to Medair’s international prayer network.

This job description covers the main tasks that are anticipated. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary.

Qualifications

• College / university graduated with major in finance or accounting.
• Professional qualification in finance, audit and accounting. Preferred in holding CPA (certified public accountant), or CMA (certified managerial accountant) or other finance related licenses.
• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written). French desirable.

Experience

• Minimum relevant working experience in accounting and finance for more than 2 years, it is a plus if holding field experience in the humanitarian or development sector.
• Proficient in Excel; knowledge in Medair finance systems to be highly productive in performing the job.
• Strong knowledge of accounting, finance, internal control and risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with various stakeholders, working through issues and operational challenges with; also ensure the understanding of the cost drivers of the business and can provide insight to the non-finance members. Savvy in Technology and IT driven.
• Proven managerial accounting experience with strong knowledge on a project-based organization.
• Analytical ability with a good attention to detail with high capacity to draw intelligence from numbers.
• Oral and written communication skills with the ability to present plans to support business decisions.
• Good time management skills, ability to prioritize workload and to work to strict reporting deadlines.