Finance Manager at RTI International

RTI (www.rti.org) is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to conducting innovative, multidisciplinary research that improves the human condition. With a worldwide staff of more than 5,000 people, RTI offers innovative research and development and multidisciplinary services.

RTI International is an international, independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. With a worldwide staff of more than 4,000 people, RTI offers innovative research and development and a full spectrum of multidisciplinary services that meet the highest standards of professional performance. For more information on RTI International’s work, visit www.rti.org/InternationalDevelopment

Act to End NTDs | East is a five-year project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at providing assistance to national neglected tropical disease (NTD) control programs for the control and elimination of seven targeted NTDs: lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, three soil-transmitted helminths (roundworm, hookworm, whipworm) and trachoma. Act to End Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) | East program was awarded to RTI International in 2018 and will continue until 2023. To learn more about Act | East’s work, visit www.acteast.org

RTI International hereby invites applications from highly resourceful, motivated and experienced professional to fill the following vacant position:

Job Description:

Under the supervision of the Chief of Party (COP), the Finance Manager will be responsible for overall accounting and financial management of the project in Nigeria. The Finance Manager will work closely with the COP, technical staff, and RTI regional and home office staff to ensure project resources are effectively and efficiently used in order to achieve project objectives and results. 

The Finance Manager must ensure that project implementation is done in an environment of strong controls and that the project complies with RTI and USAID rules and regulations and all applicable local laws. S/he will ensure appropriate systems and procedures (payroll, cash management, vendor payments, budgeting and forecasting, procurement, property management, grants management and other related financial and operational tasks) are in place to properly disburse, account, budget, and report project funds in timely and cost-effective manner. The Finance Manager is responsible for financial quality control and reporting and must ensure financial and operational information is provided to project leadership, technical staff, regional and home office staff for timely decision making.

This position supervises the project’s field-based Accountant

 Accounting and Treasury

• Ensure compliance with RTI finance, accounting and procurement policies and procedures as well as local laws (i.e., taxes, customs, registration, minimize unbillable expenses);

• Ensure timely submission of monthly accounting reports (preliminary & final extracts) including trial balances, balance sheets, P&L statements to project leadership and RTI Home Office, and review balance sheet reconciliations.

• Review, approve and pay out cash disbursements to vendors and grantees in a timely manner and ensure that all expenses are allowable, allocable, and documented per RTI/USAID policy and have adequate support documentation.

• Responsible for management of financial documents and maintaining a proper filing system that ensures documents can be retrieved with ease.

• Manage and oversee project’s internal and external financial audits, follow up on implementation of audit and compliance review recommendations.
• Manage and monitor performance of office petty cash system, supervise the management of cash available amount in safe, check balances, and ensure financial security instructions are followed.

• Facilitate monthly payroll and remit required withholdings and other benefit management.

• Assess monthly cash flow needs for the project and communicate cash requests to Home Office according to planned activities.

• Oversee the management of bank accounts: follow transfers, check balances, check authorized expenses and online transactions, advise COP on changes in bank account signatories.

• Ensure bank reconciliations of all accounts are performed monthly and compliance issues addressed in a timely fashion and advise project leadership accordingly

• Track value added taxes (VAT), compile submissions to Nigeria Revenue Authority and US government through the local US mission, monitor activity and update protocols.

• Ensure adherence to RTI’s standard operating procedures for the procurement of commodities as described in the project’s Field Office Operations manual and RTI’s Global Operations website.

• Ensure that proofs of purchase are valid (contracts, orders, bills, invoices, delivery receipts, etc.)

• Issue advances and ensure staff comply with RTI’s advance liquidation policies.

• Provide necessary administrative support to the Act | East Program (Nigeria) office as may be directed by the COP.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Budget Management

• Utilize/review monthly financial and operational monitoring tools (forecast, procurement tracker, activity tracker, etc.)

• Review and provide financial inputs for monthly forecast updates.

• Analyze gaps between planned budgets and actual expenses and report to COP, Home Office staff and activity leads.

• Identify project financial risks and consult with the COP for rectifying these and, where necessary, seek regional finance controller support and/or home office support.      

 Team Leadership

• Ensure all staff adhere to financial and operational policies outlined in the Field Operations Handbook, train project staff as necessary on RTI/USAID financial and operational policies and procedures (advances, expense reports, travel policy, allowable versus unallowable costs, etc.)

• Update the TORs of the finance department in collaboration with the COP and Human Resources Manager as needed.

• Oversee the daily operations of the finance department and undertake appraisals of directly supervised colleagues.

• Ensure capacity building for finance team members in order to increase the level of technical ability and skills within the department to deliver financial and operational outputs.

• Improve information flows within the department and with other departments within the Nigeria project.

• Engage with Finance Managers from other RTI/Nigeria projects to coordinate tasks, share best practices and lessons learned, and collaborate on process improvements.

Qualification, Experience, Skills and Abilities:

• Master’s degree and 6 years of professional experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 10 years of professional experience in Business Administration/Financial Management or equivalent combination of education and experience. CPA, ACCA preferred.

• Experience working as a finance manager, or project manager with strong finance oversight required.

• Advanced knowledge and prior experience using QuickBooks.

• Experience working with USAID or other donor-funded projects preferred.

• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.

• Excellent financial and analytical skills.

• Ability to monitor and evaluate financial and monitoring skills of communities through capacity-building efforts.

• Ability to build effective relationships with all clients, peers, and stakeholders.

• Ability to work hands-on, independently, and within team.

• Demonstrated success managing and leading technical and administrative teams.

• Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to coordinate activities with officials from host country government, US Government, NGOs, and other agencies.

• Strong computer skills: Microsoft Office applications.

• Experience in general business administration and financial management.

• Willingness to travel frequently to program districts.