Director of Finance and Administration, USAID/Nigeria Health Project 959 views0 applications

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) saves lives and improves health by helping public and private organizations throughout the world to effectively manage people, medicines, money, and information. Working from more than 30 country offices and our Arlington, Virginia and Medford, Massachusetts US headquarters, our staff from 65 nations is highly regarded for its technical expertise, integrity, and commitment to making a lasting difference in health. We live our mission to save lives and improve the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health.

MSH is seeking a Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) for a USAID-supported health program in Nigeria. The proposed program will support USAID’s approaches to health systems strengthening (HSS) and reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) to improve the capacity of the Federal and State Ministry of Health (F/SMOH), local organizations, and communities to deliver quality, integrated health services. Building on the achievements of current and past USAID-supported activities, MSH will work through partnerships with the Government of Nigeria (GON), civil society, and local implementers to 1) increase resiliency, responsiveness, and accountability of the health system; 2) increase coverage and equitable access to essential primary health care interventions, and 3) work to increase the quality of evidence-based primary health interventions, toward the ultimate goal of sustainable improvements to the health status of the Nigerian population.

This position is contingent upon project award and funding.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) provides high-level financial management and operations leadership, contract, and grant management support. The DFA ensures that financial and operational functions support the timely and effective implementation of the project’s technical scope of work. They provide counsel to help project leadership ensure that resources are allocated and used in compliance with contractual requirements, applicable regulations, and appropriate standards and procedures. The DFA will liaise with local partners, USAID, and MSH’s headquarters regarding any aspects of program implementation, contractual, risk management, cost share, governance, and all other matters related to finance and administration. The DFA will work with the project leadership team to ensure that all expenditures, payment, procurement, and vehicle management are carried out per USAID and MSH standards and regulations. The DFA provides authoritative leadership on all budget, expenditure monitoring, financial reporting, and contract matters to ensure timely and effective implementation of the program.

The DFA will oversee the financial management for all project activities in Nigeria. This includes oversight of procurement, grants, construction, logistics, human resources, accounting and finance, and records. The DFA will manage the contract budget and prepare financial reports for submission to USAID. The DFA will ensure that funds expended are compliant with USG regulations and policies, implement fraud mitigation practices, and ensure systems and processes are implemented effectively to support the implementation of the award. The DFA reports to the Chief of Party (COP), participates in the project leadership team, collaborates with the Technical Directors, and provides direct supervision to Finance and Administration (F&A) staff.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Financial Management:

• Lead program annual budget development process that includes managing the annual work plan, life-of-project and activity budgets and ensuring compliance of program expenditures with approved budgets; ensure the consistency, inclusion and accuracy of costs and that they comply with agreed policy and practices, and work with staff in developing budgets for technical activities as necessary. Revise overall and sub-budgets as needed throughout the work plan year.
• Maintain systems for program budget monitoring and tracking that include financial and contractual data. Provide routine pipeline analyses to COP and USAID. Also, provide any ad hoc reports requested by USAID. In addition, perform routine financial analysis on program expenditures, documenting and monitoring overall performance, analyzing trends, identifying gaps to ensure efficient and sound project management.
• Responsible for coordination of contract management activities. Work with program staff, home office and partners to draft, manage and monitor implementation of contracts. Provide routine progress reports to program management team.
• Serves as a local office lead with MSH headquarters for preparation of budgets and budget amendments to be submitted to USAID. Submission to the USAID officer shall be reviewed by the MSH contracts officer or Senior Contracts officer prior to submission.
• Monitor adjustments to the annual budget whenever required.
• Coordinate monthly requests of funds, based on budget and cash flow projections, to ensure the program has all the necessary funds for the operations.
• Review purchase orders and confer with team leader for approval, prior to issuance of the purchase orders for program procurement of commercial goods and services within agreed upon thresholds.
• Ensure all program staff is trained on USAID Rules and Regulations and compliance with the Contract.

Grants Management:

• Supervise grant and contract administration functions. Supervise the grant management team for the project.
• Correspond as necessary with grantees, local subcontractors, and MSH Home Office.
• Lead the design of the grants program; make recommendations to the Chief of Party for the selection of the grant instruments.
• Manage the development of the Request for Applications; determine appropriate deadlines and scope of work. Collaborate with the Corporate Contract Office in the development and revision of all grant templates.
• Participate and be a voting member of the selection committee. Prepare, present, and negotiate grants; amend as needed.
• Document the process by which grantees are selected for awards; notifies applicants and other stakeholders of award decisions.
• Conduct pre-award surveys of the grantees and complete capacity building plans and compliance monitoring plans for each grantee.
• Oversee compliance with the terms and conditions of the grants. Provide technical assistance to grantees to build their capacity.
• Monitor grantees’ compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant and the grantees’ policies and procedures.
• Keep abreast of, interpret, and provide training and guidance to project staff and grantees on all donor regulations and policies (including but not limited to Circulars A-110, A-122. Educate program staff and grantees on agreement compliance and operational topics.
• Approve invoices and payments to grantees. Supervise all aspects of grant close out.

Administration:

• Collaborate with the Chief of Party to (a) ensure that project activities and management operations are implemented as per MSH Mission, values, and policies, and standard operating procedures, and local laws and regulations, and (b) to safeguard MSH’s reputation – Financial, Contractual and political integrity.
• Support the Chief of Party in the management of the project, aligning staff, systems, and other resources with the annual work plan and budget to provide timely, cost effective, responsive, and high-quality operations and administrative support within local laws and available resources, and in an environment with adequate internal controls, adhering to contracts regulations, MSH Policies, and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure timely submission of administrative and financial reports to the team leader and corporate operations office as required.
• Provide administrative supervision to the project specific support staff and is accountable for their performance management (including regular results, check-ins, formal appraisals, supportive supervision, rewards, training, coaching and carrier development support).
• In liaison with the project leadership team, coordinate, execute internal/external financial, operations, and program reviews or audits, and ensure timely follow up to review or audit conclusions and recommendations.
• Participate in project risk register development and implementation and take proactive steps to mitigate risks within operational functions.
• Take responsibility for risk management and good governance.

General:

• Ensure project actions are governed by the highest standards of personal and business conduct as stipulated in policy guidelines.
• Contribute to maintaining teamwork, discipline, sound work relationships and productivity.
• Ensure that unit staff charges their time to the different project activities in a manner which accurately reflects their level of effort.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting or related subject with at least 10+ years of relevant work experience managing, in increasing roles of responsibility, finance, procurement, contracts management, construction, logistics and/or human resource-related matters for international development activities of similar dollar value, and : a) USAID experience required,; b) Nigeria working experience preferred, and; c) training and capacity-building experience preferred
• Thorough knowledge of USAID financial reporting, contracts administration, grants under contract and compliance requirements.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, management, planning, analytical and organizational skills demonstrated by ability to work both independently and within a team, assess priorities, and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.
• Proven leadership and capacity in negotiation and conflict management.
• Demonstrated experience of providing technical assistance to organization and conducting trainings.
• High levels of diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English, and demonstrated capacity to effectively communicate and document, including the writing of quality reports and detailed analysis of strategic information. Fluency in a local language is a distinct advantage.

Qualified local female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.