Finance & Operations Manager 212 views0 applications

Reports to: Program Director

Location: Zanzibar, Tanzania

Start Date: March 2020 (or as soon as possible)

Who we are

D-tree International is on a mission to radically improve health by strengthening health systems through innovations in digital technology. D-tree works through partnerships with Ministries of Health and NGOs to bring human-centered design approaches to collaborations in which we support partners to understand local health system challenges and opportunities, and integrate technology into these systems to improve the accessibility, quality and accountability of healthcare delivery, ultimately leading to high-performing health systems that improve health and wellbeing for all.

D-tree has received funding from USAID, the Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Fondation Botnar, Human Development Innovation Fund, Packard Foundation, UN Foundation and more than 20 international NGOs. As a pioneer in the field of digital health, D-tree has supported more than 8,000 health workers serving over 5 million families in 16 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Who you are

We are seeking a full time Finance and Operations Manager, based in Zanzibar, to support the financial, human resource and administrative functions of a small but complex non-profit. This dynamic and challenging role requires an individual with exceptional attention to detail, initiative, and interest in supporting the growth of an organization dedicated to improving the quality health care for underserved communities. The Finance and Operations Manager will manage a team of Finance and Operations staff located in Unguja and Pemba, and work closely with other team members based in Dar es Salaam and Lilongwe, Malawi. She or he will be responsible for all financial, operational, and administrative aspects of a growing portfolio of programs in Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania.

What you will do

You will be a key member of the D-tree team and an integral part of the Tanzanian Finance and Operations team. You will be responsible for managing and executing Tanzania’s professional accounting and financial systems to ensure proper controls are in place, facilitate smooth operational and financial processes across D-tree’s Tanzania and Zanzibar programs, and enable accurate and timely reporting to a range of senior internal and external stakeholders of D-tree International. You will work closely with Program Directors and Program Managers as well as the global support team based in the US to lead the management of D-tree International Tanzania’s financial, accounting, and administrative policies, procedures, and practices and ensure they are properly in accordance with D-tree’s overarching policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities include:

Organizational Leadership

• Maintain and strengthen effective fiscal policies, systems and procedures for financial management, reporting and auditing for Tanzania that fit efficiently within the broader global organization. Ensuring all finance policies and procedures are documented, align with global standards, well communicated to teams and reflect current practices;
• Stay abreast of relevant laws in Tanzania and contribute to plans that enable the organization to stay compliant with all D-tree operations. This includes laws related to taxation, labor, NGO compliance, etc.;
• Provide on-the-job mentoring, coaching and capacity building for all members of the Finance, Operations and Administration team, and work with Program Directors and the global support team to develop clear career paths for finance, operations, and administration staff;
• Oversee office operations in Pemba and Unguja to ensure smooth implementation of our programs and a productive work environment for our staff;
• Supervise Finance & Administration team staff members across Tanzania and Zanzibar; act as focal point between global support team, donors, project managers, government on all finance related matters and reporting obligations, for rapid resolution of needs.

Management of Financial Processes

• Hands on management and backstopping of daily country-wide accounting and financial functions including: timely recording of transactions, cash management, banking, payroll, payables, and receivables;
• Assist global support team with month end, quarter end and year end closings by managing the process for Tanzania and Zanzibar programs;
• Serve as the Tanzania compliance officer for grant and financial reviews and audits, in close coordination with global support team;
• Manage payroll including preparation and submission as well as oversight for tax and social security administration for local nationals in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar;
• Maintain banking relations, and plan and monitor country cash flow requirements in conjunction with Program Managers;
• Perform monthly general ledger accounting reconciliations and analysis ensuring accuracy of ledger and month end reporting in accordance with GAAP, organizational policy and donor regulations;
• Ensure integrity of both electronic and physical file management (HR, accounting, inventory, consultant contracts, lease/vendor agreements) – in compliance with donor and organizational policies.

Grant and Financial Management:

• In collaboration with Program Managers and global support team Financial Analyst, manage the budgeting, re-forecasting, realignment and donor financial reporting functions for the Tanzania portfolio, including leading the annual country budgeting process and bi-annual re-forecasting process, donor reporting and grant position management, as well as regular financial reporting and analysis for the country team;
• Develop an in-depth understanding of individual programs/budgets/funding and donor requirements, and maintain strong relations with the program team. In collaboration with the global support team Financial Analyst, analyse and clearly communicate monthly, quarterly and annual budget versus actual financial reports to the program team elevating key data points such as high burn rates and potential funding gaps;
• Manage Tanzania cash flow and forecasts and ensure that the country office, its partners and vendors receive funds in a timely manner;
• Lead in-country internal and external audits when required including donor compliance audits and pre-awards. Prepare and present financial analysis and reports on fiscal health of country program;
• Oversee all aspects of procurement to ensure they are aligned with D-tree’s policies. Includes: the negotiation of competition, contracts with vendors, purchase of major assets, and monitoring fixed assets for Tanzania.
• Identify areas for performance improvement and increased efficiency, including processes and systems and elevate to global support financial management for consideration.

Human Resources, Accounting and Compliance:

• Ensure adherence to D-tree financial and HR policies/procedures as well as local employment laws;
• Stay abreast of GAAP, International Accounting Standards and NGO compliance in Tanzania and set up systems for D-tree to remain compliant;
• Provide ongoing review and assessment of current accounting and reporting systems, as well as implementation of enhanced financial strategies, dashboards analysis and systems with the global teams (D-tree is a global organization);
• Maintenance of Finance Operations Manual (review and update of financial controls / procedures) in consultation with global support team to align with organizational practices.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a motivated individual who is willing to wear multiple hats and do what it takes to make our programs succeed. At D-tree we are trying to push the envelope regarding what is possible with digital health systems, while working in environments with extreme constraints. We are looking for an individual who is process and detail oriented, yet flexible and sees the big picture of what we are striving to achieve, one who is comfortable working across functional teams, and is a problem solver.

Essential qualifications

Educational qualifications and experience

• At least 5 years of financial management experience at organizations in a mid-senior level position with annual budgets in excess of USD $1 million.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred (accounting, business management, public administration or related field)
• CPA /ACCA qualification or equivalent required
• Strong Quickbooks knowledge and experience
• Experience in payroll, banking status and reconciliations, budget and expense planning and reconciliations, general ledger reconciliations, fixed asset control, trial balance and management accounts.
• Experience in a project-based non-profit sector that requires financial tracking and reporting for separate programs/projects across multiple funding sources (USG, multilateral, private foundation)
• Understanding of institutional donors’ rules and regulations in relation to program funding mechanisms, procurement, compliance, and reporting
• Experience managing and supervising staff (preferred)

Competencies

• Advanced proficiency in MS Office – including Word and Excel.
• Advanced proficiency in Quickbooks.
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Must be able to work independently, multi-task, collaborate with a distributed team, be persistent and work under pressure and against tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Meticulous, responsible and strong attention to detail.
• Able to multi-task and prioritise.

Desired characteristics:

• Accountability & Reliability – Takes ownership and responsibility for decisions, actions, and results; delivers on commitments. Demonstrates honesty, integrity, and good judgement.
• Initiative – Must display a sense of urgency to effectively and efficiently complete a varying workload in a timely manner. Can initiate actions independently, handles unexpected situations, and volunteers to assist others.
• Adaptability – Ability to adapt to change and respond to challenges positively. Able to manage a variety of different tasks as needed for the position. Can develop and / or learn new processes/systems quickly, and embraces the challenge of unfamiliar tasks.
• Problem Solving – Ability to proactively identify issues, think critically, and take action by analyzing all the information skillfully to persistently purse positive outcomes. Uses sound judgment about when to take action and when to seek guidance.
• Compliance & Quality – Must ensure accuracy, meet established deadlines of work, produce a quality product and show commitment to continuous improvement efforts. Ability to learn, interpret, and comply with all organization policies and procedures.
• Collaborative – Has a strong work ethic. Brings a track record of working effectively with various and diverse individuals and groups, and a willingness to actively listen and invite different views and opinions across all levels of the institution to build alignment in support of a common goal.