Finance Head of Department 308 views2 applications

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Position Title: Finance Head of Department

Directly Reports to: Country Director

Technically reports to: Regional Finance Specialist

Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in more than 50 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages programs in 7 countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA implements more than $60 million in programs annually, and approximately 1,500 permanent employees based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

Action Against Hunger has been present in Kenya since 2001 and is a transformative leader in nutrition security for improved quality of life among vulnerable communities. Action Against Hunger wants to contribute to the optimal functional performance of National, County, and Community systems through strategic partnerships for innovative nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions to achieve its impact. The organization recognizes gender equality as central to its core strategy towards realization of effective and sustainable outcomes on nutrition, WASH and surveillance interventions. Action Against Hunger is currently implementing activities in West Pokot, Mandera, Samburu, Isiolo, Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Bungoma and Busia counties.

I. Summary of Position

The Finance Head of Department will oversee and ensure seamless operations of the Finance department of the country office. S/he will provide Finance technical support and to support program departments. The position holder is expected design clear action plans for the department and the country supported by the Country Director and the Finance specialist that result to concrete actions.

The Finance Head of department role has the following purpose, engagement and delivery:

Purpose

The Finance Head of Department will oversee the provision services responding to the needs of the workforce and the programs. S/he will support in design, implementation and monitoring of the country strategy, provide oversight in the finance department and to other members core teams and departments.

It is expected that the Head of Finance continue defining clear key strategic directions and ensure that these strategic directions are translate into concrete actions.

Engagement

The Finance Head of Department will work collaboratively with other managers (Logistics, HR, Admin, Grants & Compliance), program and support teams on financial approaches and best practices that ensure coherent and sustain utilization of funding as per the donor guidelines and organization policies and procedures at the country level. The incumbent will advise and recommend on the key operational actions and outcomes for the country office while receiving technical support from the Regional finance specialist and Relevant personnel in New York Headquarters for where needed.

Supervisory management of the Finance manager and technical management of field finance officers

S/he will build and maintain a collaborative network with various external stakeholders such as Donors, Partners, Service providers, local government and non-governmental partners.

Delivery

The Finance Head of Department will ensure high supervision standards of the current finance systems and processes and ensure organization resources are not wasted, ensure value for money in all transactions and ensure timely support to the workforce.

S/he continue to uphold strategic leadership in Finance for Action Against Hunger and promote high standards of integrity and accountability on the utilization of organizational resources.

II. Essential job functions

· Analyze and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate monthly and annual financial statements; collate financial reporting materials for all donor segments, and oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting.

· Making financial and budgetary information available to other departments to facilitate the establishment of the country strategy and advise other departments on their financial and budgetary needs, constrain to consider in the preparation of country strategy, projects proposals, implementation and reporting

· Provide financial and budgetary management ensuring compliance with the internal financial rules of Action Against Hunger and donors. Develop and monitor the country financial plan by steering the process of budget forecasting, cost analysis and issuing budgetary alerts, monitoring financial risks, and issuing alerts when necessary

· Disseminating information about accounting procedures throughout the country office and ensuring their compliance

· Verifying and approving on timely basis the monthly accounting bundle, verifications of cash balances and bank accounts according to ACF regulations and ensuring that it is forwarded to headquarters.

· Responsible for ensuring high quality cash management by defining, promulgating, and ensuring compliance with cash management procedures across the mission, the availability and safe keeping of the necessary cash, adapting methods for cash transfer in the light of local conditions and security considerations, monitoring the correspondence between cash forecast and the BFU and anticipating treasury risks and resolving arising difficulties.

· Management of departmental staffing by guidance, follow up, motivation; capacity build, setting of annual and mid-year objectives, monitoring and evaluate against set objective on an individual action plan.

· Promote and ensure financial collaboration and coordination with partners, participating in the process of selecting partners and validating the financial risk analysis, defining with partners the modes of financial and budgetary management in the framework of consortia’s, validating the financial and budgetary aspects of partnership conventions and agreements

· Identifying risks of fraud and corruption in the field of competence and setting up preventive and monitoring mechanisms in ensure creation of awareness and reporting procedures; alerting the Country Director to cases of fraud and corruption, and undertaking corrective action and monitoring recommendations arising from the day-to-day control and audit

· Improve the finance department’s overall policy and procedure manual.

· Identifying financial risks (exchange rate fluctuations, inflation…), making Coordinators aware of financial risks in their field, alerting the Country Director and headquarters, providing support in the management of risk.

· Coordinate and lead the annual audit process, liaise with external auditors and the board of directors; assess any changes necessary.

· Effectively communicate, build, and manage strategic relationships with external stakeholders, funders, regulators and other partners.

III. Supervisory Responsibilities

· Finance Field teams: Technical advisory role

· Capital Finance team: Technical advisor role and direct supervision (hierarchal link)

IV. Fiscal Responsibility

· Country Funding Plan

· Budget Follow up

· Banks Accounts and Cash Balances

· Donor Financial Reports

· Proposal Budgets

· Expenditure Approvals,

· Financial Statements

V. Physical Demands

· While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

· The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VI. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

· The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.

· Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the country offices if appropriate. Based on the country office needs, the time spent on field trips will be a minimum of a 20% of his/her working time. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well is to infectious diseases.

VII. Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces values of women and men, and equal access to information.

• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

· Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.

· Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.

• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.

• Value and respect all cultures.

VIII. Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

· Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, or related field

· CPA K Qualification holder

· At least 8 years work experience in humanitarian sector

· Master of business Administration will be an added advantage

IX. Required Skills & Competencies

· At least 6 years as finance at senior management level

· Strong Financial background (accountancy and financial management)

· Knowledge of key institutional donors, including ECHO, USAID (FFP, OFDA), SDC, SIDA, GAC, OCHA, DFID.

· Excellent experience in proposal and report writing, donor rules and regulations, validation procedures, coordination of processes.

· Proven management, representation and coordination skills (managing people and processes)

· Excellent writing and analytical skills (ability to analyze budgets and make financial forecasts)

· Rigorous organizational and administrative skills (definition of priorities, delegation, training)

· Proven ability to work independently under minimal guidance, pressure, and tight deadlines

· Communication skills, and a diplomatic, but firm approach to obtain buy in and contributions from a range of staff involved in proposal and report production

· Capacity building and facilitations skills

· English is compulsory, able to forge effective working relationships at all levels.

· Initiative and ability to able to work independently and propose solutions to diverse problems.

· Experience of working within a team and team building.

· Proven ability to evaluation analysis organization strategy into operational plan

· Good communication skills

· Good influencing and negotiation skills

· Significant experience in INGOs in recovery and complex emergencies

· Good knowledge of donors’ guidelines and procedures.

· Proven ability to work in multi-donor short term contract situations and ability to effectively juggle priorities to meet the needs of the Country Office.