Project Finance Specialist at TechnoServe Kenya

Role Summary and Position Description:

• The Project Finance Specialist provides fiscal leadership for program activities, ensuring the effective use of donor resources to meet program goals. The Project Finance Specialist supports the Senior Program  Manager in managing the overall program budgets, by monitoring spend by cost category, highlighting areas that need attention to ensuring budget spend by budget code is accurate and producing timely and accurate financial and burn rate reports.
• The Project Finance Specialist is responsible for program accounting, audit, budget control, monitoring of program and financial performance/progress, and working with the Sub awards and Enterprise Fund Manager, disbursement of funds to contracted local organizations.  The position holder will be responsible for preparing program finance reports (to the donor and internally to TNS) working closely with the Sub-award and Enterprise Fund Manager i.e. financial reporting and in compliance with donor requirements and guidelines. 
• The role will lead the program’s strategic and operational finance and asset management. The holder will ensure finance operational excellence and standards per TechnoServe’s (TNS) policies, international accounting standards and donor requirements. As required in the donor agreement and TNS’s policies, the role will ensure proactive periodic Finance Internal/External Audit and lead an effective Audit process in line with TNS and donor guidelines. The Project Finance Specialist will support the program team to develop and understand activity-based budgets and to monitor expenditure against budget and work plans; and provision of staff training and capacity building to implement financial management policies and procedures.
• Where necessary, the Project Finance Specialist may deputize the Subaward and Enterprise Fund Manager in liaising with local organizations on financial reporting and management.

Working relationships

• Reporting to the BlueBiz Senior Program Manager as a member of the program leadership team, the position holder will collaborate closely with the Kenya Country Platform Finance Controller to co-create finance solutions for BlueBiz Program and ensure compliance with TechnoServe’s financial management policies. The role holder will work closely with the Subaward and Enterprise Fund Manager to manage program financial risk and reporting to the donor. The position will be responsible for leading, coaching & developing a high-performing finance team. 

Duties and responsibilities:

Budget Preparation and Monitoring

• Support detailed activity-based budget development closely linked to work plans.
• Build capacity of country teams to understand and manage the budgets.
• Prepare a monthly report to track expenditure against the budget for each program country. Lead program teams call to review monthly and quarterly budget variances and plan for the future.
• Participate in quarterly burn rate calls for Kenya and East Africa.
• Lead mid-year reviews of the program budget.
• Support annual budgeting, forecasting and year planning, and ensure that they are consistent with TechnoServe's guidelines and procedures

Financial Management, Accounting and Analysis

• Oversee the day-to-day program finance operations including but not limited to timely payments to suppliers, timely posting of financial transactions in the system, proper coding of expenses by program staff, proper supporting documents that can withstand an Audit etc.
• Establish and ensure compliance with budget codes. Ensure that all financial data recorded in the financial management system across the program countries has mandatory dimensions.
• Monitor cash flow and work closely with the Finance Controller to manage wire requests to the donor and to TechnoServe Head Office.
• Timely month end closes to support country office closures.
• Effectively communicate and present critical finance matters to the Financial Controller and the Senior Program Manager.
• Review monthly accounting transactions using online NAV accounting tools and correct errors noted before they are posted.
• Ensure all accounting data in the system are updated, reconciled and fully supported per Mastercard Foundation’s rules and regulations.
• Liaise with the Kenya Country Finance Controller to ensure timely completion of month-end procedures and that the results are posted on time.
• Liaise with the Kenya Country Platform Finance team to ensure timely and accurate preparation of quarterly financial reporting to the donor and accruals as needed.
• Working in close collaboration with the Subaward and Enterprise Fund Manager, monitor program partner expenditures against budget. Review disbursement to partner including review of partners' financial reports and documentation before posting in NAV system.
• Provision of accounting training to the local partners to ensure compliance with the donor’s accounting and financial reporting systems.
• Maintain the program’s accounting records.

Policies, Procedures, Internal Controls and Compliance Oversight

• Maintain high levels of confidentiality with sensitive and confidential commercial and business financial decisions and issues.
• Provide proactive advice to ensure optimal financial systems, reporting and maintenance of TechnoServe's accounting policies, financial procedures and guidelines.
• Ensure that all processes and procurements adhere to corporate policy, legal and contractual obligations, and corporate and donor standards.
• Guide staff (including through regular training) on laid down policies and procedures to ensure financial compliance.
• Continuously review systems and internal program finance controls as and when need arises and implement financial operations to ensure compliance with local laws, donor policies and contract provisions.
• Work with the Kenya Country Platform – specifically the Financial Controller to ensure timely filing of relevant government returns as needed.

Audit and Legal

• Work with the Senior Program Manager and the Subaward and Enterprise Fund Manager to proactively minimize financial and legal risk to the program and organization.
• Working with the Kenya Country Platform, coordinate and lead all forms of audit related to the program and prepare responses to audit findings or observations.
• Lead the implementation of audit findings and sensitize staff on new processes and internal controls designed to implement audit recommendations, policy or legal requirements related to the finance function.

Asset Management

• Ensure procurement processes adhere to laid down financial policies and procedures
• Supervise the program asset inventory, recording and verification and protection of program assets and equipment

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Finance Assistant(s)
• Provide mentorship and capacity development to more junior staff
• Perform other tasks as needed, to ensure success of the program.

Any other duties as allocated by the Senior Program Manager and Kenya Country Financial Controller.

Required Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Abilities:

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, public administration, or a related field. Finalist qualification as a CPA–K or ACCA is strongly desired.
• At least 5-7 years of accounting and finance experience with donor-funded programs, including USAID and the private foundations. At least 2 of these years must be in a senior accounting or financial management role. Supporting Mastercard Foundation-funded program is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of GAAP strongly preferred with requisite Financial management and financial reporting skills.
• Excellent knowledge of Excel, Access and PowerPoint required; familiarity with Serenic Navigator, or similar finance and accounting software, preferred
• Experience and understanding of not-for-profit accounting.
• Knowledge of key donor reporting requirements (USAID, USDA, DFID, SIDA, Mastercard Foundation and other international donors) an advantage.
• Good analytical and management, leadership and strategic orientation skills.
• Ability to control and manage financial policy and procedures and good practices/systems.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent verbal, analytical, organizational and written skills.
• Ability to mentor and coach finance and program teams.
• Ability to work independently under pressure and diplomatically in a multicultural environment.
• Willingness to travel to the program geographical area of focus. Must be a Kenyan Citizen.
• Excellent English skills.