Finance and Admin Manager at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

POSITION SUMMARY

• Reporting to the Country Project Manager, the Finance and Admin Manager oversees financial and administrative operations for the CAD 20M Resilient and Inclusive Agri-food Systems Empowering Women and Youth (RISE) initiative strengthening rice, maize, groundnut, and soyabean value chains in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano. The role holder manages project budgets, financial reporting, and compliance systems supporting climate-smart agriculture interventions.
• The Finance and Admin Manager ensures transparent fund utilization for women and youth Small Holder Farmers and Small and Medium scale Enterprises while maintaining donor requirements. Coordinates financial processes with partners.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Financial Management - 50%

• Work closely with MEDA's Regional Lead on Finance to ensure financial recording is accurate, verifiable, and captures gender-disaggregated data across all project locations.
• Submit accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual reports with specific tracking of women and youth beneficiary investments.
• Ensure general accounting functions are completed promptly, including payroll, timely payment of accounts payable, and active management of accounts receivable.
• Manage multi-currency accounting systems across the three project states, including ledgers, subsidiary ledgers, and cost accounting systems tailored to agricultural value chain financing.
• Perform month-end closing, journal entries preparation, and bank reconciliations.
• Maintain detailed and accurate records of all financial transactions in an organized and professional manner, with clear tracking of investments in rice, maize, groundnut, and soyabean value chains.
• Review all budget proposals submitted by partners to ensure proposed fund usage is reasonable, eligible, and aligned with RISE's focus on women and youth empowerment.
• Oversee grant management awarded to local partners including Sahel Consulting, AFEX, Extension Africa, FOMWAN, WIBFO, Emeraid Capital, and DEC, assessing each partner's financial management capacity and recommending training to ensure proper management systems.
• Support project procurement activities for agricultural inputs, processing equipment, and climate-smart technologies.
• Implement robust asset management systems, particularly for agricultural equipment and technology investments.
• Support internal and external audits as needed, ensuring transparent tracking of funds supporting SHF cooperatives and agribusinesses.

Compliance - 20%

• Ensure MEDA's program complies with Nigerian laws including financial reporting, taxation, labor, and registration with all relevant authorities.
• Manage project finances in accordance with MEDA's policy, GAC requirements, and Nigerian legislation, with particular attention to gender-responsive budgeting practices.
• Ensure compliance with climate-smart agriculture investment requirements and reporting standards

Planning - 10%

• Support annual project budget planning and forecasting, with consideration for seasonal agricultural cycles and climate adaptation investments.
• Facilitate detailed budgeting for project activities across all three states, ensuring balanced allocation to support women and youth-led SHF and SMEs.
• Develop financial sustainability models for climate-smart agriculture interventions.

Team Management - 10%

• Build financial management capacity of partner staff working directly with women and youth beneficiaries.

Other Support to the Project Management Team - 10%

• Assist the Country Project Manager with overall project management tasks, including coordination meetings, report writing, annual activity planning, and participation in relevant conferences and forums.
• Support the Country Project Manager in tracking financial metrics related to project outcomes for women and youth in agri-food systems.
• Liaise on financial management with implementation partners, traveling as needed to project sites across Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano to ensure consistent financial practices.
• Develop financial tools to effectively track and report on climate-smart agriculture investments and their returns for women and youth beneficiaries.

Position Qualifications

 Essential: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Management with minimum of 5+ years in managerial position with experience in international standards of project accounting, financial management including budgeting, grants and contracts.

• Certified Public Accountant with valid membership
• Desired: Master of Business Administration, Grant Management Certification
• Strong experience with international audit requirements
• Working knowledge of major donor funded operations, finance services and practices
• Excellent computer skills in Excel & NetSuite or other accounting software.
• Experience in managing International Donor financial reports and relationships, especially desirable is experience with Canadian donors.
• Work experience in an international development organization is desirable
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders and lead and facilitate collaborative processes.
• Demonstrate strong business acumen skills, strong understanding of agrifood market systems competitive market environments, SMEs business development, marketing and facilitation of market systems approaches is highly desirable.
• Sector experience in agriculture/agribusiness is desirable.
• Ability to work in a cross-cultural environment with multiple stakeholders.
• Prior work experience (at least 4) in Nigeria
• Travel within Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano and occasional travel within Nigeria and/ or the region (Africa).

Additional Qualifications

• Appreciation and support for MEDA's mission, vision, and values.
• Experience managing official development projects in a leadership role.
• Experience with professional, tactful communication, persuasion, and influence with host country ministries, officials, and key partners while maintaining optimal collaboration with key stakeholders.
• Coordination skills for multi-stakeholder platforms/initiatives.
• Communication Skills: Facilitating updates to key stakeholders and officials, ensuring alignment with country development priorities, and maintaining professional communication with donors, consortium members, and clients.
• Experience managing agrifood system projects.
• 6 to 10 years of management experience within Nigeria desired
• Professional Requirements for All Staff

Organizational Policies and Procedures

• Ensure compliance with all MEDA management, professionalism, financial, audit, legal, HR, security, and corporate policies.
• Prepare quarterly and other internal reports and planning documents.
• Participate in required training sessions.

Organizational Culture

• Demonstrate understanding and commitment to MEDA’s mission of creating business solutions to poverty.
• Uphold MEDA’s core performance values: Collaboration, Respect, Entrepreneurship, and Accountability.

Image and Engagement

• Uphold MEDA’s image and values.
• Respect the board-approved branding strategy.
• Promote MEDA through conferences, media appearances, and conventions as necessary.

Staff Management

• Manage and lead staff according to MEDA’s policies, procedures, and values.
• Contribute to a healthy work culture and environment for staff.