Associate Director, Finance and Operations at FHI 360

Job ID: 17658
Location: Abuja

Job Description

Alive & Thrive is an initiative to save lives, prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth and development through improved breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. In its first five years (2009 to 2014), A&T demonstrated that innovative approaches to improving feeding practices could be delivered with impact and at scale in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Viet Nam. Alive & Thrive continues its work there and is supporting others to scale up nutrition by applying and adapting tested, proven approaches and tools in Burkina Faso, India, Southeast Asia, and Nigeria. Alive & Thrive is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the governments of Canada and Ireland.

Job Summary Responsibilities

• Under the leadership of the A&T Nigeria Project Director, the Associate Director, Finance & Operations, manages, prepares, administers and directs the control of the budget for the A&T Nigeria program.
• S/He manages the activities of the finance staff, reviews and approves recommendations for financial planning and control, providing relevant fiscal information to the management team.
• S/He develops and manages internal financial audits, develops formal reporting systems to communicate results of audit activities to management and those involved in FHI 360 compliance activities.
• S/He selects, develops and evaluates applicable personnel to ensure the efficient operation of the function.

The position requires qualifications and appropriate skills in accounting, extensive experience in sub-award management, as well as strategic thinking, excellent communication skills, and strong technical knowledge in the area of financial management:

• Assumes primary responsibility for managing project financial, operational and administrative functions.
• Manages the operational and strategic functions of the finance team to ensure compliance and efficiency among state offices.
• Reviews and analyzes monthly financial reports regarding budgets – actual and forecast.
• Reviews and approves monthly Imprests prepared by Finance Manager.
• Provides recommendations and consults with management on financial projects and compliances in support of state offices.
• Develops and implements process improvement plans for A&T Nigeria to ensure financial controls and operational procedures.
• Participates and provides financial reporting for annual budget planning, audit reviews and assessments; working closely with technical teams to obtain inputs and HQ team to confirm activity implementation and associated spending.
• Builds and trains staff on financial policies and procedures, practices and client relationships.
• Liaises with relevant FHI 360 Nigeria Country Office departments to ensure accurate and timely invoicing of A&T Nigeria related costs, timely resolution of any issues that may arise, and provision of shared services as agreed upon in Team Operating Agreement.
• Work closely with A&T Nigeria Contracts and Procurement Manager to coordinate local procurement for equipment, supplies, and services.
• In collaboration with the Contracts and Procurement Manager, assist the A&T Nigeria Project Director and other program staff as applicable to prepare advance lists of procurement and technical activities for planning efficient and timely inputs to support work plan activities.
• Provide training and backstopping on the accounting software as needed.
• Provide technical assistance on accounting and financial matters. Identify areas needing improvement and provide necessary staff and sub-grantee development and training.
• Assist technical staff in monitoring sub-project budgets in accordance with approved work plan activities.
• Perform other duties as necessary

Qualifications

• Degree in accounting, finance, or other relevant field or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Minimum of 8+ years financial management experience, with at least 4 in a supervisory capacity.
• Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, practices and procedures with accounting, financial controls and financial information systems.
• Excellent and demonstrated project management skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Quickbooks experience preferred
• Prior experience working for an international NGO
• Track record of being a team player, flexibility and ability to deal with a diverse group of people in a multi-tasking environment
• Ability to travel to project field sites
• Fluency is written and spoken English required, additional local language skills a plus