State Finance Officer at Malaria Consortium

Grade: 6
Job type: Fixed term
Role type: National
Department: Finance 
Length of contract: 5 years
Travel involved: 10%

Country and Project Background
Malaria is highly endemic in Nigeria and it remains one of the leading causes of childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality in the country. Nigeria is deeply committed to making progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and it recognizes the fact that, without firm efforts to control malaria, achievement of the targets related to child mortality, maternal mortality, and reducing the burden of communicable disease will not be possible. Malaria therefore constitutes a significant development challenge for Nigeria. Interventions for reducing malaria burden in the country are documented in the national malaria strategic plan with Government taking the lead in its implementation with the support of all the RBM partners. The DFID funded and Malaria Consortium led malaria programme, SuNMaP, provided technical assistance and other support to the Nigeria National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) covering the period 2008 to 2016. 
 
The anticipated follow on project, SuNMaP2 has been designed to strengthen the management and technical capacity of NMEP, State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) and their stakeholders to drive the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2014 to 2020 and achieve its ambitious targets. This will include short term technical assistance and technical assistance embedded in NMEP in key areas of programme management, evidence generation and use, and capacity building across all project outputs and ultimately reducing Nigeria’s malaria burden and strengthening the Government of Nigeria’s health systems capacity to ensure long term programme and impact sustainability. 
 
Job Purpose

• The Finance Officer will provide a cashier function and accounting services of maintaining proper financial records of all transactions in accordance with MC financial procedures to the respective field/state offices. 

Scope of Work:

• The Finance Officer will be responsible for timely posting of all Invoices approved and paid, petty cash management and banking, filing of field office monthly financial information inclusive of payment vouchers, bank information, financial correspondence etc. S/he will also ensure orderliness within the finance department.
• The Finance officer will deal with all cash receipts and payments as well as advising the State team Manager and other Technical Officers on the arising financial matters and sharing area of concern with suggested solution.

Key Working Relationships:

• The finance officer (FO) will be a staff in the state and will report to the State Team Manager while interacting directly with other staff including the Administrative officer and other technical staff in the field/state office.
• S/he will also work with stakeholders, Local government and communities in the state. Indirectly report to the Finance Manager.

Key Accountabilities
Finance work (40%):

• Prepare monthly reports to the State Team Manager as set on monthly finance timetable which comprises the following:
  • Bank reconciliation statement including copy of bank statement 
  • Aged list of outstanding Advances and Other ledger balances
  • Fixed asset register update and Spot Check reports
  • Authorised Petty Cash Count Certificate and reconciliations 
  • Monthly timesheet update
  • End of Month Checklist
• Making Payments of all meetings, workshop and training participants and consultants
• Safeguarding the organisation resources by scrutinising all payment requests, TAFs, PRFs by adhering to the MC Manual, Policies and Procedures
• Advising the State Team Manager and Finance Manager on the arising financial matters and sharing areas of concern with suggested solutions
• Follow up on the stock balance of financial documents (forms, vouchers, receipts etc.) and make a timely order before stock outs occurs.

Suppliers Invoice (25%):

• Receive all invoices from suppliers & vendors and prepare the Invoice authorisation forms
• Review and post all invoices onto PSF ledger ensuring the accuracy of codes, support documentation, budget availability and necessary approval from the authorised personnel
• Prepare all payments - cash, cheque, bank transfers and obtain approval from the authorised personnel
• Post payments onto PSF general ledger ensuring the accuracy of all the required codes

Operations Related Work (25%):

• Be responsible for issuing travel and activity advances to team Managers, technical officers, consultants and/or any other staff travels, including reconciliation of the same on return
• In charge of archiving and filling all finance documents and ensuring that they are in safe custody and easily accessible by the finance team
• In -charge of collating timesheets of all field office staff 

Petty Cash (10%):

• In charge of keeping the Petty cash impress system and records, making requisitions and issues as approved by the authorised personnel. Take collections after issuing proper receipts and make a deposit of all cash collections in a timely, honest and trust worthy manner
• Count Petty Cash on a minimum of a monthly basis with the Finance Manager
• Post all petty cash invoices and vouchers into the General Ledger with accurate codes

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• HND or Bachelors in Accounting
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a finance team, with at least one year in an Accounts Officer position

Desirable:

• Experience in working in INGO an added advantage
• Member of Accounting Professional body is an added advantage

Work-based Skills and Competencies:
Essential:

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
• Knowledge of NGO donors and their financial reporting requirements
• Excellent computer skills with high proficiency in Microsoft excel
• Good analytical and reporting skills
• Strong ability to be able to manage and prioritise multiple tasks
• Willingness to learn at all times

Desirable:

• Working knowledge of accounting software is an added advantage
• Trustworthiness, Stress tolerance and operational decision making skills is an added advantage

Core Competencies
Delivering Results:
LEVEL A - Focuses on delivering contribution to Malaria Consortium and achieving own objectives

• Puts in effort required to ensure the delivery of own work and objectives to meet (and exceed) expectations
• Strong self-management of time and effort
• Checks own work to ensure quality

Analysis and use of information:
LEVEL B - Uses evidence to support work: 

• Identifies and uses various sources of evidence and feedback to support outputs 
• Uses evidence to evaluate policies, projects and programmes 
• Identifies links between events and information identifying trends, issues and risks 
• Ensures systems are in place to address organisation needs 

Interpersonal and Communications:
LEVEL B - Fosters two-way communication:

• Recalls others’ main points and takes them into account in own communication
• Checks own understanding of others’ communication by asking questions
• Maintains constructive, open and consistent communication with others
• Resolves minor misunderstandings and conflicts effectively

Collaboration and Partnering: 
LEVEL B - Collaborates effectively across teams:

• Proactive in providing and seeking support from expert colleagues
•  Raises difficult issues with teams/ partners and stakeholders with a view to positive resolution
• Proactive in building a rapport with a diverse range of people

Leading and motivating people: 
LEVEL A - Open to learning and responds positively to feedback:

• Willingness to manage own development and performance
• Builds capacity of colleagues by sharing knowledge (induction) and acting as induction ‘buddy’ when asked
• Open to learning new things
• Responds positively to feedback from others
• Identifies mistakes and takes positive steps to improve

Flexibility/ Adaptability:
LEVEL B - Remains professional under external pressure:

• Able to adapt to changing situations effortlessly
• Remains constructive and positive under stress and able to tolerate difficult situations and environments
• Plans, prioritises and performs tasks well under pressure
• Learns from own successes / mistakes

Living the values:
LEVEL A - Demonstrates Malaria Consortium values:

• Demonstrates integrity, honesty and fairness in dealing with colleagues and stakeholders
• Maintains ethical and professional behaviour in line with Malaria Consortium’s values
• Treats all people with respect

Strategic planning and thinking and sector awareness:
LEVEL A - Manages own workload effectively:

• Plans and manages own workload effectively
• Is familiar with Malaria Consortium’s mission and current strategic plan
• Understands own contribution to Malaria Consortium’s objectives

Salary
Competitive.