Vacancies at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Finance and Awards Officer will support the Finance Coordinator in managing the finance activities, financial controls, computerised accounting systems and staff in Turkana in line with Save the Children’s financial procedures. S/he will also support Awards management, by advising on compliance, participate monthly awards review meetings in consultation with the Award Manager, coordinating BVA feedback, and working with budget holders to ensure implementation is on track. 

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

Contract Duration: 8 Months

Location: Turkana

Reports to: Finance and Awards Coordinator (Nawiri)

Directly reports: none

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

• As a member of the Nawiri and finance team, demonstrate the behaviours that are consistent with Save the Children’s Mission, Vision and Values and ensure their broader application by staff across the programme;
• As a member of the Nawiri team, ensure a conducive and productive work environment;
• Implement the Respectful Workplace & Diversity agenda for staff in the Nawiri Programme;
• Contribute to the wider country programme agenda. 
• Carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way that reflects Save the Children’s commitment to safeguarding children, in accordance with our Code of Conduct and Child Safeguarding Policy.

Finance

• Ensuring that documentation is accurate, authorised and complete for all financial transactions.
• Reviewing Nawiri expenditure and income to ensure that they are correctly coded and recoded on a timely basis.
• Ensuring that all income and expenditure is adequately authorized prior to uploading in the system.
• Ensuring that the SCI financial procedures for Bank and Cash are always followed.
• Passing of correction journals in the system
• Checking all the transactions are entered correctly
• Support the finance coordinator in Inducting Nawiri new staff into SCI financial policies and procedures applicable in the field offices and ensure that changes in policies are communicated to staff at all levels.
• Adhere to the CO finance diary including Month end closure, ensuring that all deadlines are met and submissions made to Nairobi Office. This involves liaising with the PSO in FOs to ensure that documents are send to Nairobi on time.
• Support the Nawiri Finance Coordinator in addressing audit recommendations in good time and ensure field staff fully understand and comply with the standard financial procedures.
• Processing the payments for Nawiri including M-PESA and online payments.
• Ensure that all Nawiri documents are archived and scanned properly.

Reporting and Financial Analysis 

• Prepare weekly VAT, customes and levies schedule and fill DA-1 forms for reimbursement in compliance with USAID guidelines
• Prepare and keep track of the annual VAT reports to the donor in compliance with USAID guidelines and contractual agreements with the prime.
• Prepare the BvA for the Nawiri programme on a weekly basis, document the deviation from the donor approved budget and communicate to the budget holders.
• Advice the budget holders on coding of transactions with emphasis to project codes, this will also involve training of budget holders on coding of transactions.
• Take part in preparation of financial reports to donors in compliance with USAID guidelines and contractual agreements with the prime.
• Take part in budget realignment/revision and ensure that this is done on time and accurately.
• Support the Finance Coordinator in development of monthly cash forecast for Nawiri programme.

Awards Management

• Support the Nawiri Finance Coordinator in the upload the phased budgets as per the phased budget submitted by the budget holder.
• Work with the Finance Coordinator to manage and update the master budget for Turkana office, and pro-actively highlight gaps;
• Support the Finance Coordinator in award opening and closing meetings for Nawiri with the Budget holder
• Work with the Finance Coordinator in coordinating the monthly Awards Review Process inTurkana.
• Support capacity building of coordinators and managers in Awards management; 

Policy & Donor Regulations Compliance

• Assist Turkana office in day to day compliance and award financial management issues. Gather information from Kenya Office Awards Team and/or other units within Finance in resolving an issue related to compliance. 
• Work closely with the Finance Coordinator and Awards team in ensuring donor regulations are being adhered to, and report any divergence to the Awards Manager.
• Support the audit/expenditures verifications from the prime and ensure that the recommendation are addressed on a timely basis.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice) 

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• A first degree in Commerce Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or related field. Post-graduate diploma preferred.
• Part II qualified in a recognized professional qualification in Accounting (CPA, ACCA).
• Minimum 4 years similar work experience within a fast-paced work environment with 2 years’ experience managing a USAID funded project.
• Excellent communication skills (Verbal and Written)
• Fluency (Verbal and Written) in English is required. 
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Strong team player, collaborative and capable of building effective relationships across all levels
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets
• Problem solving and risk mitigating skills 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Officer Products (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and financial software such as Agresso. 
• Comply with the requirements of Save the Children’s Safeguarding Policy and other Global Policies.
• A commitment to promoting diversity and equality of opportunity in employment and empathy with SC values and objectives.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children International’s aims, values and principles.

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ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Household Economic Strengthening (HES) officer plays a critical role in supporting household and community resilient livelihood activities that contribute to positive nutritional outcomes. S/he will lead work plan implementation of resilient livelihood interventions as appropriate to context, for sustained vulnerable households’ access to nutrient-dense foods and overall food security despite exposure to shocks and stresses. S/he is directly responsible for supporting all USAID Nawiri Livestock and Agriculture (fisheries and apiculture) program activities primarily; and directly implements financial inclusion and enabling market systems to last-mile communities to support ultra-poor and the most vulnerable households and strengthening diversified efforts for improved Household Economies. S/he works alongside the resilient livelihoods team in layering interventions for collective impact at household and community levels. The officer is able to translate how the interconnected actions at the household and community level contribute to sustainable household food security and therefore motivate community-driven leadership of actions at the local level. 

S/he is a member of the RL team that supports implementation of households’ economic strengthening activities working with community resource persons and local implementing organizations. S/he drives the implementation of innovative CSA approaches including crop/fisheries/apiculture in selected communities with reliable water sources. S/he supports fieldwork monitoring, cross-sectoral collaboration, support assessments, and reporting. 

The holder has an in-depth contextual understanding of pastoral, agro-pastoral, and fisheries contexts and can co-create solutions with stakeholders, communities, and households. S/he can translate evidence and insights contextually to drive actions that sustainably address malnutrition at the household level. S/he supports the USAID Nawiri County Resilience Livelihoods Coordinator and the RL team to map and strengthen the capacity of local stakeholders and is directly responsible for implementing nutrition-sensitive resilient livelihood interventions at the sub-county (ward, village, household) level. S/he supports community resource persons and works alongside community influencers including agro-ecological champions, community facilitators, mentors, and community health volunteers in sequencing, layering, and integrating interventions for collective impact at household and community levels. The officer supports learning and adaptations aimed at strengthening program impact.

The position will be based at the USAID Nawiri sub-county office level supporting interventions within the sub-county and prioritized wards that continuously experience and show through the LS study high rates of acute malnutrition.

S/he will work closely with relevant sub-county, ward officials, village-level representatives, CSOs and private sector players involved in livelihoods and food and nutrition security within their areas of operation. S/he is an excellent community mobilizer with strong facilitation skills in local language.

Position: 2  (Samburu - 1 year contract) and (Turkana - Maternity Cover for 6 months)

Location: Turkana and Samburu

Reports to: Household Economic Strengthening Advisor

Directly reports: none

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

program Management 

• Leading implementation of detailed work plan (DIP) linked to budgets in line with agreed strategic approaches/work areas and milestones and specifically responsible for production systems (fisheries, apiculture) and financial inclusion in resilient livelihood scope.
• Lead implementation of RL interventions including coordination with target communities and partners at the sub-office level.
• Supports household engagements for improved economies, transforming household and social dynamics, and is responsible for layering interventions for collective impact at household and community levels.
• Coordinate with the different levels of stakeholders including household members, community groups, local implementing partners, community resource persons, and government stakeholders at sub-county, ward, and village to mobilize actions and ensure effective communication channels.
• Coordinate with community leadership to facilitate activity integration and joint targeting of participants.
• Collaborate with USAID Nawiri health and nutrition team to integrate key messaging into production systems (fisheries, apiculture) training curriculum.
• Support behavior change communication and adoption of supportive priority practices. This includes sharing evidence informing livelihood choices, and household livelihood visioning in a simplified manner with households and communities.
• Plans and leads TOT training sessions for community change agents in collaboration with key Government technical officers
• Liaise with other project teams and staff at the sub-office level to ensure that all USAID Nawiri interventions are well-coordinated and prioritized.
• Coordinate with Markets and Alternative Livelihoods team members to identify map and identify private sector partners or opportunities for new enterprises that improve producer access to input and output markets.
• Support financial inclusion interventions, activation and lasting connections of markets to last-mile communities for affordable access to diverse nutrient-dense foods and services.
• Coordinate with public and private service providers (animal health, crop husbandry) to reach program participants at the ward level.
• Prepares activity reports and supports county resilience livelihoods coordinator in the review and development of work plans and thematic reports
• Collaborate with the M & E team to support monitoring and evaluation on effectiveness and impact of livelihood activities at the sub-office level and make recommendations for improvements.
• Contribute to team work plans and guide successful implementation of program activities, ensuring activities are on track and in alignment to achieve desired impact. 
• Work closely with other program teams at local level to identify clients for financial services and to support service extension and financial inclusion as well as development of suitable products and services.
• Actively participate in the periodic program planning, review and reflection meetings and sessions.
• Prepare accurate and timely reports and other project documentation and communication that contribute to a learning organization.
• Support collaboration, learning and adaptations, monitoring surveys in the areas of operations.

Collaboration & Networking

• Conduct community mobilization and sensitization sessions that are inclusive and help prioritize the economic needs of the target communities.
• Support with collaborative partnership with other development partners and identify potential opportunities for linkages
• Link and strengthen capacity of program participants’ to tap into opportunities including their influence to planning and budgeting of nutrition resilience interventions
• Continuously update stakeholder mapping and coordinate activities with various stakeholders to ensure strong linkages between resilient livelihoods and other priority pathways of strengthening nutrition resilience in the context.
• Collaborate with consortium staff within the geographical and thematic scopes to develop projects, implement and closely monitor selected economic development projects including detailed work plans and business plans.
• Mobilize sub-county, ward level and village meetings with relevant stakeholders.
• Support the facilitation of planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise and customize implementation plans.
• Conduct community mobilization and engagement meetings with ward and community-level leaders to implement USAID Nawiri livelihoods activities
• Support community visioning process for resilient livelihoods
• Support with collaborative partnership with other development partners and identify potential opportunities for linkages

Influence And Representation

• Assist the HES Advisor in coordinating activities with consortium partners, local government, and other IPs
• Support the facilitation of planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise plans and promote partner acceptance and buy-in.
• Ensure close coordination and sharing of information with relevant stakeholders including key county government departments, NGOs as appropriate and advised by the line manager
• Collaborate with consortium partners, sub-county and national government representations, and other development partners working at the sub-office level.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice) 

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency
• Comply with the requirements of Save the Children’s Safeguarding Policy and other Global Policies.
• A commitment to promoting diversity and equality of opportunity in employment and empathy with SC values and objectives.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children International’s aims, values and principles.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Degree in agriculture, agribusiness management, or agricultural economics in a related field with at least 2 years of relevant working experience
• A minimum of 4 years experience directly implementing agriculture (crop, livestock, fisheries, and apiculture) and financial inclusion interventions at the field level in the Kenya ASALs. 
• Proficient analytical skills that demonstrate an understanding of the current concepts, priorities, and issues in program monitoring, data collection, and evaluation
• Effective verbal and written communication, multitasking, and organizational
• Ability to manage priorities independently
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to complete tasks in a timely manner
• Excellent teamwork abilities and interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with M & E, information, communications, and knowledge-sharing technologies and use of innovative approaches to digital financial services.
• Demonstrated computer competency in MS Excel, and MS Word and knowledge of data management software.
• Strong analytical and qualitative skills
• Demonstrated flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and be continually adaptive in a dynamic and often self-directed working environment.
• Ability to focus on day-to-day tasks at hand while also working towards longer-term objectives with an understanding that these will change continuously. 
• Ability to work without constant supervision and as part of a diverse team;
• Good reporting, communication, and representation skills;
• Good problem-solving, written and oral communication skills
• Confident, sound training facilitation skills
• Strong written and spoken English and Kiswahili