Finance Officer - CO at Plan International

Role Purpose

• To provide support under the responsibility of the Finance Coordinator in ensuring that all accounting procedures for documentation of transactions of Funds Receipts and Disbursements are observed and financial processes and reports are in line with policies of Plan International Nigeria.
• To contribute to the provision of regular and detailed financial analysis report to inform management decisions.

Dimension of Role:

• Implementation of financial management processes, protocols and systems.

Key Roles / Responsibilities
Accounting Software Operations and Reporting:

• Prepare payment, journal and receipt vouchers using the corporate accounting software - SAP.
• Ensure that transactions are complete and accurate with self-explanatory and understandable description.
• Maintain good filing for all vouchers in a limited access area to ensure easy retrieval.
• Maintain a record of vouchers retrieved by staff and ensure that they are returned and filed appropriately.
• Support the monthly SAP closure processes.
• Print the monthly SAP reports for signing and appropriate filing.
• Ensure that the SAP balances of the advances account agrees with the sub-ledger balances.
• Contribute to the monthly financial report.
• Support program staff in making payments to participants during activities implementation.

Internal Financial Controls & Payments:

• Ensure that the documentation for payment is acceptable and accurate with all arithmetic calculations being correct.
• Approved payment request should be processed within one week of receipt.
• Prepare the Withholding tax and VAT schedules where relevant before payment is done.
• Cancel (stamped PAID) all vouchers (payment, journal and receipt) and its supporting documents to forestall re-use.
• Ensure all payment schedules and online banking transactions are prepared in a way that ensures accuracy and validation for payments
• Maintain cash books, including providing updates to Finance Coordinator to prevent negative cash and bank balance.
• Release cheques to the right payee and ensure the appropriate receipts are issued and filed.
• Perform any other duties as specified by your supervisor(s).

Advance Management:

• Prepare and maintain the sub-ledger for all advances (travel, purchase etc.).
• Ensure timely liquidation of staff advances and ensure that more than one advance is not given to staff at a time.
• Make available weekly to the Finance Coordinator a list of all un-liquidated advances and support with the follow up of these advances.

Financial and Other Reports:

• Prepare Country Office’s schedule report monthly for the following:
  • Prepaid Rent
  • Prepaid Expenses
  • Accruals
• Assist in the Administration of Staff Payroll:
  • Prepare the withholding tax deductions report and completing and submitting monthly Statutory PAYE forms to relevant Government Organizations.
  • Circulate monthly pay-slip to all staff.

Human Resource Development:

• Support the Finance Coordinator in strengthening financial records, documentation and controls and builds capacity of staff to ensure a high level of quality financial records and management.

Learning and knowledge management:

• Shares relevant financial information as required by Supervisor to support the proper documentation of all financial transactions on the projects.
• Participates in global / regional projects / networks as requested.

Resource Mobilization

• Support resource mobilization efforts through contribution to budget preparation for proposal writing and related engagement.

Dealing with Problems:

• Ensures adherence to the Country’s financial and accounting requirements as per requirements of the Operations Manual (OM) and other organizational policies and procedures to support sound financial management within the organisation.
• Be creative in building and working effectively within a diverse working environment.
• Works with minimum supervision.
• Analyse financial issues for decision-making and refer to a higher manager for approval.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and expectations from internal and external stakeholders and remain calm and resilient in the face of pressure.
• Manage multiple and work with distant colleagues to form a virtual efficient grants and finance team.
• Use Plan procedures to settle conflicts among colleagues.
• Refer, whenever necessary, any case to the Finance Coordinator.

Communications and Working Relationships:

• Working contacts inside and outside the organization; include the purpose and level (high, medium, low) of the contact
• Prepare and submit where required relevant financial project reports for domestic consumption.
• Provide timely responses concerning financial queries linked with relevant projects or programmes.
• Report to the Finance Coordinator.
• Work with other members of the Finance team in-country to ensure effective and efficient programme delivery.

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge
Essential:

• University degree in Accounting or relevant professional qualifications equivalent.
• At least 3 years’ experience in a similar role.
• A B.Sc or HND in Financial accounting and related Financial / Business administration courses.
•  At least 2 years practical work experience in managing financial and administrative systems for donor-funded projects.
• A minimum of 1 years’ experience in grant financial management with donor-funded projects in Nigeria.

Skills & Knowledge
Desirable:

• Communicates clearly and effectively.
• Ability to facilitate participative processes for all stakeholders for implementing grant projects.
• Strong team-building skills, Organized and methodical.
• Independence, objectivity and integrity.
• Good supervisory & coordination skills and ability to deliver to tight deadlines.
• Fair knowledge of project planning, management, supervision, monitoring and evaluation tools.
• Excellent and demonstrable experience in grant and financial management.
• Knowledge and understanding of Nigeria’s policy environment
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including good listening skills, influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Capacity to build and maintain relationships and to work effectively in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment respecting diversity.
• Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook.