TITLE:  FINANCE MANAGER – MULTI AREA PORTFOLIO

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Finance

LOCATION: Somali/Somaliland; based in Hargeisa with frequent travels

GRADE: 2

CONTRACT LENGTH: 24 months with possible extension

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3:  the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; ore because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The role will be leading on the financial management for multi area portfolio that require focused support to the field and country office. This role will work collaboratively with members and other departments of the Country office programme to ensure smooth financial management of Multi Area awards.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Finance Director

Dimension of Role:

Save the Children operates across all zones in Somalia/Somaliland and currently has three main area offices and additional 11 field offices. Programmatically Somalia is a large Country Office with more than $100million annual budget turnover, more than 70 active awards at any time and over 650 staff.

Number of direct reports: Finance Coordinator – Multi Area Portfolio

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

MULTI AREA PORTFOLIO

·         Provide a high standard financial accounting management across multi area portfolio, ensuring compliance to SCI and donor regulations and consistent with accounting policies, procedures and tools. 

·         Contribute the preparation of high quality, compliant and timely proposal budgets and budget revisions for the multi area portfolio and ensure full cost recovery is achieved.

·         Monitor coding of expenditures and ensure timely adjustments when activation of new awards with relevant audit trail.

·         Produce and share area specific budgets with DEAs (Donor Specific Analysis codes) soon after the multi-area awards are approved; and ensure Area Offices are using their specific budgets.

·         Work with Budget holders and Area Finance Managers to develop realistic and accurate phased budgets, for multi area portfolio, in line with the project implementation plans and monitor this monthly to ensure the relevant KPIs are met.

·         Prepare monthly BvAs (Budget Vs Actual) reports for Multi-area portfolio and have one-to-one discussion with Budget Holders, Project Directors, and Country Operations leadership for any action points.

·         Participation in internal and external audit exercises and subsequent implementation of the auditors’ recommendations.

·         Participate in the multi-area awards procurement process and ensure that it’s compliant with the donor and Save the Children Regulations.

·         Identify, assess, input, recommend on the existing and desired reconciliation process (reporting assurance mechanism) between Finance, Procurement, Logistics, Distribution, M&E that will ensure accountable reporting to donors on all humanitarian inputs (items delivered to beneficiaries).

·         Assess new Consortium Partners’ financial capability and provide financial capacity building when relevant

·         Strengthen the non-finance staff knowledge and capacity to manage finance by providing, induction, training and coaching consistent with their various roles and responsibilities. 

·         Carry out periodic field visits in order to support and build capacities of the field teams in the area offices and/or finance staff of local implementing partners.

·         Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to consortia, donors and the relevant Save the Children member. This may include developing business cases where donor waiver/derogation requests need to be more thoroughly articulated or negotiated with donors.

Donor Financial Reporting

·         Review and sign off all donor financial reports before submission to the Donor reporting team and the members

·         Responsible for timely, accurate, and compliant financial reporting across the Country

·         Ensure KPIs on donor financial report submission and quality are met consistently

·         Ensure all donor financial compliance requirements are met and reports are prepared with complete audit trial

·         Support with the finance reconciliations for award closeouts.

Grant Management and Donor Compliance:

·         Maintain regular and affective contact with Save the Children members, donor representatives, and Consortium partner organisations to exchange information on status of the Multi area Awards.

·         Attend Multi area Award Kick-Off meetings to ensure that all award finance related information is shared effectively with relevant staff across the country office (including field offices) and partners.

·         Provide regular management information to the Finance and Operations Directors on the performance of the Multi-Area and Consortia Awards portfolio.

·         Support all functions to ensure donor requirements are understood and complied with.

·         Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to donors via relevant Save the Children member. This may include developing business cases where donor waiver/derogation requests need to be more thoroughly articulated or negotiated with donors.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

Leading

Delivering Results

Takes personal responsibility and holds others to account to deliver our ambitious goals for children, continually improving own performance or that of the team.

Skilled level

·         Delivers timely and appropriate results using available resources

·         Takes responsibility for their work and its impact on others

·         Plans, prioritizes and performs tasks well without needing direct supervision

·         Understands the link between their work and the organization’s objectives and Adapting

·         Problem Solving and Decision Making Applying Technical and Professional Expertise

Thinking       

Problem Solving And Decision Making

Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organization and making appropriate judgements.

Skilled level

·         Gathers the right information and uses critical thinking to make effective and timely decisions

·         Stays with a problem or challenge until a solution is reached or no longer reasonably attainable.

·         Knows when to involve others in a decision

·         Demonstrates awareness of the wider external influences that impact on decision making

·         Simplifies processes and procedures wherever possible

Applying Technical and Professional Expertise

·         Delivers work that reflects a good knowledge and application of technical and professional standards

·         Keeps up to date with trends in their work area

·         Maintains ethical and professional behavior in accordance with relevant codes of conducts

Engaging

Working Effectively with Others

Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives. Knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working.

Skilled level

·         Actively listens to new and different perspectives and experiences of those they work with

·         Proactively supports team members and trusts their capabilities

·         Demonstrates understanding of their skills and how they complement those of others within diverse teams and groups

·         Clarifies their role and responsibilities within the team to maximize impact

Essential

·         Degree in Accounting and/or Professional qualifications (CPA or ACCA)

·         At least 5 year’s INGOs experience especially in complex budget setting (in excess of $70m), monitoring and financial accounting; having a country office experience is preferred

·         Working experience with donors (USIAD, EU, ECHO, BMZ, FFO, GAC, Sida, NORAD, AfDB etc)

·         Proven experience to help facilitate a smooth audit process and work efficiently with external auditors

·         Strong computer skills, especially in computerised accounting packages such as AGRESSO and Excel  

·         Proven skills on managing changes, achieving results, ensuring quality, team building and capacity building.

·         Ability and willingness to work under pressure as part of a professional team.

·         Excellent interpersonal skills, including cultural sensitivity, assertiveness and negotiating skills.

·         Willingness to travel to field offices regularly

·         Experience of working in a busy INGO environment

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Adult Safeguarding.

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy, all employees are also expected to carry out their duties in accordance with SCI protection from sexual exploitation abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best qualified talent.

Female qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Interested and qualified applicants can view the profile and apply for this position through the below URLs

https://stcuk.taleo.net/careersection/jobdetail.ftl?job=2200018G&lang=en

Date of issue: 15th Feb 2021