Head of Finance and Systems at Practical Action

Practical Action is a global innovator, inspiring people to discover and adopt ingenious, practical ways to free themselves from poverty and disadvantage. We use technology to challenge poverty in developing countries.

Through innovative thinking and technical knowledge we enable poor communities to produce practical solutions to their most pressing needs. With 50 years of expertise, Practical Action has a strong heritage, and track record of bringing communities and experts together to find practical, sustainable solutions to enable people to meet their needs, which work for both people and the planet.

Working throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America, Practical Action improves the lives of around one million people every year through access to energy, sustainable agriculture, water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management, and disaster risk reduction.

The Role

The Head of Finance and Systems plays a leadership role within the Regional Management Team and is accountable for providing strategic operational direction and financial management in the East Africa region. This includes financial management and planning, ensuring timely and quality internal and external financial reports, accountability for defined areas of work within the Finance function including people management, and ensuring compliance to all relevant government, donor and Practical Action laws, policies and procedures. The Head of Finance and Systems is also responsible for the strategic development and implementation of effective and efficient finance and associated systems and ensures that financial and IT systems are aligned to Practical Action’s strategic objectives and program standards.

Main Responsibilities

• Leadership, Management and People
  • Provide leadership to the finance and systems unit, ensuring the best possible support to the programme and advice to the regional management team.
  • Build team capacities in financial management, accounting systems/structure and procedures and ensure effective collaboration and that changes are effectively managed.
  • Support and actively enable team learning and development using approaches such as coaching, mentoring, peer learning and reflection activities.
  • Set annual staff performance goals and perform quarterly and annual staff performance appraisals.
  • Generating Funding and Managing Relationships
  • Ensure that the Business Development team is supported in developing proposals ensuring that we maximize cost recovery and that proposals are realistic and based on actual costs.
  • Build a strong understanding of cost recovery across all teams in both countries. Ensure we maintain accurate trackers of costs and coverage so that they can be built into proposals.
  • Manage operational relationships with internal and external auditors and partners, as required
  • Financial management and accounting
  • Consolidate financial information and provide the RMT with timely, accurate and relevant, monthly accounts for decision making.
  • Analyse risks and opportunities associated with finance management, develop mitigation strategies and ensure these are agreed with the RMT and UK finance team.
  • Ensure accurate accounting records meet internal, donor and legal requirements.
  • Review and monitor management accounts and adjust where necessary and ensure flow of information, requirements and effective financial management with the concerned teams across the East Africa Region.
  • Keep on improving multi-year forecasting and budgeting systems as an aid to developing and analysing longer-term strategies, working in close collaboration with the International Finance Team.
  • As a member of the Remuneration committee, ensure our salary proposals are affordable and consistent with market.
• Controls, Risk and Fraud Management
  • Develop, implement and maintain financial management procedures and control measures to ensure compliance with Practical Action’s group overall policies, generally accepted accounting standards, external donor requirements and national laws and regulations, identifying corrective measures as required.
  • Create a well-efined financial and budgetary delegation of responsibilities in consultation with the Regional Director and ensure this is reviewed and approved by the Directors of Finance and International Programmes.
  • Ensure segregation of duties to prevent fraud and mismanagement
  • Build organisational understanding and awareness of fraud and ensure this is regularly monitored.
  • Review and monitor organisational risk and audit actions and course adjust where necessary.
  • Develop and implement procedures for assessing the value for money that Practical Action obtains in all its activities.
• IT and Data Protection
  • Responsible for the delivery of the organizational information systems strategy to facilitate communications, information flow and management information, ensuring appropriate use of information technology-based systems
  • Ensures that there is efficient communication with the Information Systems team in the region, ensuring an appropriate level of coordination and collaborative ways of working.
  • Manage and oversee the IT function by monitoring IT infrastructure and making recommendations for improvements

Required Skills and Qualifications

Overall

• ACCA/CIMA/ ACA or equivalent professional qualification
• At least ten years relevant work experience in finance or business administration, preferably in the international development sector, with at least half of that at the senior management level.
• Proven leadership skills and the ability to support organisational change.
• Demonstrated experience of successfully leading the implementation of operational improvements

Technical

• Proven ability in budgeting, planning and control of medium or large sized development organisation
• Ability to forecast financial challenges and provide strategic inputs
• Experience in office operations, organisational development and institutional practices
• Good understanding of information systems and information technology with a sound knowledge of their development and capabilities
• Proven experience of contributing to development and designing of proposals
• In-depth knowledge and experience in financial reporting requirements
• Strong understanding of donor rules
• Ability to identify, assess, monitor and manage risks including developing mitigation strategies
• Excellent report writing, strong analytical, networking and communication skills (verbal and written)