Country Finance Manager at ACTED Nigeria

Location: Maiduguri/Abuja
Department: Finance
Contract: Fixed term
Duration 12 months
Starting date: ASAP

Position Details

• Under the authority of the Country Director and Finance Director in HQ, the Country Finance Manager (CFM) will be responsible for ACTED accounting and financial management in-country.
• The CFM ensures that national legislation is adhered to, and that the country specific standards are applied in ensuring efficient use of resources.

Accounting and treasury Management:

Accounting management - supervise the accounting cycle for the mission:

• Ensure timely and accurate data entries in cashbook, bankbook and SAGA following the standard descriptions defined in ACTED’s Global Finance Procedure Manual;
• Verify and coordinate the monthly compilation accounts from each area;
• Supervise cash and bank balance checking process when closing the monthly accounts;
• Communicate accounts on a monthly basis to HQ, respecting SAGA procedures and deadlines in line with the monthly accounting schedule as per ACTED’s Finance Procedures;
• Manage the presentation, circulation, filing of vouchers and archiving of accounting and financial documents in compliance with FLAT and Finance procedures (maintain an up-to-date filing follow-up: A8.01_Red Cell Game); Review on a random basis quality and compliance of documentation from areas when centralizing;
• Supervise the Yearly and Midyear Accounting Closures for both General and Analytical Accountancy aspects (V1 and V2).

Treasury management - ensure a controlled and smooth cash management:

• Ensure justified bank selection process, open/close bank accounts under the authority of the CEO;
• Oversee the management of bank accounts: control, follow and make sure flows are properly lettered (advances, transfers, etc.), check balances and justifications, authorised visas; Report to HQ through the flows reporting tool A1_PRATIC;
• Supervise the management of safes and cash: available amount, balance checks, security instructions;
• Assess monthly cash-flow needs for projects and areas, fill and share the form A4.01_Cash Request on the 15th of each month;
• Manage money transfers, areas cash-supply and amounts in circulation, whilst defining payment procedures (bank transfer, cheque, cash etc.);
• Make sure donors are invoiced on time and report it through the tool A4.04_ATROCE, comply with good practices described in the Money In Acted HOUse Plan (MIAHOU).

Commitment of expenditures, budget control, & Financial Management:

Commitment of expenditure - guaranty budget availability and compliance to ACTED and donor’s procedures before releasing payments:

• Collect visas of authorised staff members, set-up commitment ceiling in local currencies, define methods and timescales for payment;
• Before commitment / payment of any expenditure, check authorization levels, budget availability, budget line on which the expense is to be allocated to, ensuring full compliance with ACTED and donors procedures
• Before commitment / payment of any expenditure, check authorization levels, budget availability, budget line on which the expense is to be allocated to, ensuring full compliance with ACTED and donors procedures:
  • In close coordination with the Country Logistics Manager (CLM) or equivalent, negotiate terms of contracts including payment schedule & taxes obligations; ensure that procurement procedures are adhered to; Follow-up commitments and payments through the tool A7.02_Contract Follow-Up (CFU); Ensure financial, compliance & budget control points during Purchase Committee meetings; review coherence between orders, quotations/offers, purchase orders, call for tender documentation, procurement memo, contract, invoices, receipts, works/services completion certificates; Check the receiver’s ability to endorse payment;
  • In close coordination with the Admin Team, ensure that staff contracts are in line with ACTED standard salary grid, available budgets and regulations; propose salary grids revisions based on benchmarks, national legislation and budget constraint; review and validate the payroll on the 25th of each month;
  • Validate partner’s accounting and documentation accuracy and compliance before payement.

Project budget follow-up, mission’s cost control, internal & external audits - anticipate and mitigate financial risks ensuring operations are run in a compliant and cost-efficient manner:

• Lead Budget Follow-Up (A7.01) and Allocation Tables (A5) consolidation process;
• Analyse/report gaps between planned budgets and actual expenses; comply to the flexibility rule;
• Anticipate financial risks, present budget updates and mitigation plans during FLAT meetings;
• Analyse and report monthly running costs, fleet and communication of each area (A6.01-04)
• Prevent and report any financial and operational loss (A6.01 ACT follow-up);
• Submit to HQ all the annexes of the internal financial follow-up reporting tool (TITANIC) by the 15th of each month;
• Follow-up Exit Forms for international staff and make sure they are sent to HQ once validated;
• Take the lead on external audit preparation in support to the country compliance teams if any; Contribute to opening/closeout meetings, responses to audit reports, recommendations’ implementation plans.

Project financial cycle management:

Develop project budgets and reports - ensure the financial feasibility of projects, respecting ACTED and donors’ rules and deadlines:

• Gather information from the relevant departments to consolidate budgets for project proposals according to project/mission needs and donor constraints; Propose sufficient programme and support budgets including mission’s investment plans in close link with country coordination;
• Review and negotiate terms of grant contracts before signature (payment & financial reporting schedule, use of HQ cash-pooling system, etc.);
• Plan, consolidate, draft & crosscheck with Project Development Department (PDD) financial reports when required (ad’hoc, interim and final), respecting contractual deadlines and rules such as flexibility, eligibility and liquidation period, etc.;
• Follow-up payments from donors and financial project close-out (contract liquidation).

Team leadership & other tasks:

• Update the organization chart and ToRs of the finance and administration departments (if applicable) according to the mission development;
• Oversee the team, plan & conduct finance staff recruitment's, undertake appraisals, follow career management, identify staff with potential and contribute to ACTED internal mobility policy; Ensure training and capacity building for finance team members of ACTED and Partners in order to increase the level of technical ability and skills;
• Actively promote strong & structured articulations with all teams (Logistics & PDD in particular); Represent ACTED with relevant finance & admin networks at country level;
• Improve information flows within the department and with other departments;
• Plan field monitoring missions;
• Perform any other related activities as assigned by immediate supervisor.

Qualifications

• Master's degree minimum in Finance or related area
• 3+ years of solid experience in financial management and monitoring systems, preferably of large development programs, possibly complemented by academic expertise
• Excellent financial and analytical skills
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting on programme financial performance
• Ability to manage a financial/monitoring team and demonstrate leadership
• Ability to monitor and evaluate financial and monitoring skills of communities through capacity-building efforts
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility
• Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;
• Prior knowledge of the region an asset
• Fluency in English required - ability to communicate in local languages an asset
• Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management software

Conditions

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance
• Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance.