Regional Business Analyst at CARE

Job Summary

The Regional Business Analyst is responsible for promoting sound Finance & Budget Management within the ECSA Region and the Regional Management Unit (RMU). S/he provides technical support in Regional report reviews and feedback to Country Office (Country Offices) to include Country Office Monthly Finance & Operations Report, Finance Analysis & Reporting, Budget Grants and Contracts Review log to Country Offices in the region as well as Regional Office Budget Management and Reporting. S/he will work closely with Shared Services Center, Regional Office and Country Offices to ensure appropriate annual Financial Accounting & Reporting at the Country Offices is accomplished.

Position Brief:

Department: Regional Management Unit – East, Central and Southern Africa Region

Reports to: Regional Finance Support Coordinator

Travel: Expected 50% travel to Country offices in the East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) region.

Job Responsibilities

1. Country Office Financial Management 40%

Budget Management:

• Provide technical review to ECSA Country Offices for Master Budgets and advise of the Country Office health position to management, advise options for Country Offices Budget management across restricted and unrestricted resources.
• Deliver technical support to ensure maximized Shared Program Country Offices cost recovery and optimize charges to Restricted donor funding instead of Unrestricted.
• Support Country Offices in annual budgeting processes including review Country Office submissions.
• Proactively identify and recommend opportunities to increase revenue, decrease in Country Office , gain efficiencies, improve internal controls and/or improve operational capabilities.
• Provide financial analytical support for grant budgeting in proposals, especially in Country Offices budgets and ensuring adequate funding is included in budgets.
• Review and Recommend financial systems, controls, and procedures for recording program activities.
• Support Country Offices in ensuring accurate and on time financial reporting to donors.

Capacity Building:

• Provide Country Office capacity building in grants and contract management and Accounting as may be required from time to time,
• Provide in country gap filling for both Grants and contracts and Accounting as may be assigned,
• Provide support to the on boarding process of key finance positions within the region.

2. Regional Financial Management & Reporting 40%

Management Reporting:

• Monthly Regional Financial Reporting: will support in Country Office Monthly financial and Operational Report Review and feedback to Country Offices. Review and prepare management report to the Regional Management Team (RMT).
• Support in updating the Quarterly Regional Management Dashboard, and work in collaboration with the Internal Programs Office Analyst in the use of the Power PI tools in analysis & reporting.

Regional Analysis:

• Provide technical assistance to Country Office finance teams to improve in country financial operations, and awareness of global accounting and donor requirements. Will be required to participate in Country Office reviews, desk or in country.
• As delegated review internal audit, external audit, donor audit and other compliance reports to identify common issues requiring additional guidance, support and/or training.
• Support in follow up on Country Office CARE USA audit recommendations to help in implementation and resolving of pending issues in finance.
• Support Shared Services Center and HQ capacity building team in the training in financial management.

3. Regional Office (RO) Financial Management 20%

The incumbent will:

• Accountable for Regional Office budget management from the annual budgeting process to the monthly reporting on regional office finances.
• Liaise with the budget holders in the review of RO finance Reports including donor reports, (monthly BvA reviews).
• Follow up on Regional Month end close processes with the NBI shared services unit and support in the close as per the month end close calendar.
• Complete ad-hoc projects/assignments as delegated.
• Other duties and projects as may be assigned

Key Competencies

Problem Solving

• Uses Rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions.
• Looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answers.

Planning

• Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects.
• Anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks
• Initiates action
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in fast paced working environment.
• Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor his/ her own work.

Decision Quality

• Makes good decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement.
• High degree of accuracy to ensure correctness of financial information.

Coaching

• Constructs compelling development plans and executes them.
• Will take on those who need those who need help and further development.

Communicating with Impact

• Is effective in a variety of formal presentation settings.
• Commands attention and can manage large group process during presentation.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills are essential as is attention to detail, team work, customer services and the ability to work in a large, complex international organization.
• Is at ease and works well in a multicultural and diverse environment; Strong interpersonal skills.

Managing Performance for Success

• Clearly assigns responsibility for tasks and decisions.
• Sets clear objectives and measures.

Negotiation

• Can negotiate skillfully in tough situations with both internal and external groups,
• Gains trust quickly of others parties to the negotiations to deliver on outputs

Functional / Technical Skills:

• Strong Grants and Contract Financial Management knowledge: specific major donors e.g. US Government rules and regulations, EC, DFID etc.
• Knowledge of GAAP and accounting applications suitable for field financial management required.
• Thorough knowledge of financial and accounting practices and procedures
• Advanced computer skills, including spreadsheets and database applications,
• Hands on experience of an Enterprise Resource Planning system
• Ability to prepare reports and articulate emerging issues and defend recommendations
• Knowledge of finance and budget management,

Qualifications

Education and professional membership

• University Degree in Accounting, Finance or equivalent
• 5-7 Years’ Experience in Finance and Grants management, preferably in not-for-profit sector.
• Member of a professional Accounting body e.g. ICPAK or ACCA

CARE Values

The core Values Commitment describes who we are, what we do, and how we do it. It reflects our core values of TRANSFORMATION, INTEGRITY, DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, and EXCELLENCE, which serve as a foundation for all what we do. The core Values Commitment articulates our shared expectations of each other including our board, staff, volunteers, interns, partners and contractors globally.

Stakeholders

Internal: Country Offices, Regional Office, Shared Services Center and Head Quarter Departments

External: External Auditors; Donors; local government agencies as appropriate