Financial Planning and Analysis (FPA) Analyst Nigeria at British Council

Department: Finance
Job Category: Finance
Pay Band: Pay Band 6
Post Duration: Indefinite

Role Purpose

• To support the Financial Planning and Analysis Lead for Nigeria in running the annual budgeting process, as well as managing cash flow forecast models, variance analysis, and other financial performance tools; providing assurance to the business on the underlying business financial performance.
• The post holder will be greatly involved in analysing and interpreting long - and short - term financial and operational plans through management reporting, analysis and interpretation of financial trends, impact assessment in conjunction with the Nigeria FP&A lead in order to enable informed decisions.
• The role will support all Strategic Business Units (SBUs) and Business Support Services in Nigeria as directed by the Financial Planning and Analysis Lead.

Main Opportunities/Challenges for this Role

• The Finance function is structured along functional lines with the aim of embedding the ‘three lines of defense’ model at its heart, clearly separating the financial control (first line) and risk and assurance (second line) functions, ensuring the integrity of our results and the strength of our controls. This will allow the organization to focus more easily on business decision making, strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting on the basis of accurate monthly results.
• Thus, in the spirit of ‘one finance team’ and in a bid to consistently achieve accuracy and completeness of our numbers, this role will be required to collaborate with other Finance functions (Financial Control and Risk and Compliance) regularly and particularly during period closures.
• This is a critical support role where effectiveness is dependent on ability to offer business insight, which calls for business partnering with both operations and management. Accordingly, personal confidence and credibility is required to ensure advice is seriously considered by senior members of the country executive team.

Main Accountabilities
Accountable for the analysis and interpretation of long-term financial and operational plans for Nigeria through management reporting, analysis and interpretation of financial trends:

Planning, forecasting and budgeting:

• Support the planning process for Nigeria, challenging submissions and identifying synergies and ensuring delivery to deadlines.
• Provide clear summaries of Nigeria planning / forecasting.
• Support Nigeria FP&A Lead in the planning and rolling re-forecasting processes to ensure that information obtained from these processes is reliable.
• Ensure plan and forecast data by the businesses are in line with approved guidelines and assumptions.
• Support the Nigeria FP&A Lead in developing reporting procedures and templates for local use by the various business areas.

Financial analysis:

• Advise on specific business / operational financial issues around efficiency, product and business trends and KPIs.
• Use financial analysis to evaluate performance

Management Reporting:

• Provide clear, accurate and timely information on business performance against targets according to the reporting timetable and as otherwise directed.
• Manage Nigeria management reporting for consolidation at County and Regional level for SBU leads and Executive Board.

Business Performance Management:

• Participate in the reviews of financial performance with the Nigeria FP&A Lead and business leads by providing scenario analysis and financial support to forward planning decisions.
• Monitor cost allocation accuracy.
• Assist individual managers in solving data hygiene / SAP issues.
• Deliver outputs within corporate, regional and country timelines as requested by the Nigeria FP&A Lead.

Regional and Functional Team player:

• Actively support equality and diversity and work to the British Council’s EDI policy at all times.
• Contribute to ensuring the policies, procedures and systems are delivered with integrity.
• Work closely and effectively as part of the country, regional and global finance teams.
• Other relevant duties assigned by FP&A Lead Nigeria and Head of Finance Nigeria

Key Relationships
Internal & External:

• Country Management Team
• Head of Finance
• Financial Planning & Analysis Lead
• Business Services and Programmes Teams
• Regional Finance Team

Person Specification
Language Requirements
Minimum / Essential:

• Fluency in written and spoken English

Desirable:

• Shortlisted candidates will either demonstrate they have met the required standard through presentation of an agreed English language certificate or may be required to take the APTIS/IELTS test and demonstrate a B2 level of English proficiency.

Qualifications
Minimum / essential:

• Degree level education.
• Part qualified with a recognised accounting body ACCA, CPA, ACA, CIMA or equivalent professional accountancy qualification.

Desirable:

• Qualified Accountant with a recognised accounting body ACCA, CPA, ACA, CIMA or equivalent professional accountancy qualification.

Role Specific Knowledge & Experience
Minimum / essential:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in Operational financial management and or management accounting.
• Experience in finance

Desirable:

• Working in Nigeria.
• Experience working with SAP

Role Specific Skills (if any)

• Ability to explain complex financial data to non-finance people, using non-technical language.
• Advanced excel skills including pivot tables, VBAs, macros, VLOOKUP etc.
• ERP systems experience (transaction level and reporting).

British Council Core Skills:

• Analysing Data and Problems Level 3: Analyses patterns – Seeks out and examines a range of information to identify patterns, trends and options, to solve multifaceted and complex problems.
• Communicating and Influencing Level 2: Relates communications to circumstances – Displays good listening, writing and speaking skills, setting out logical arguments clearly and adapting language and form of communication to meet the needs of different people/audiences.

Managing Risks:

• Level 2: Supports a risk management culture – Has track record of identifying and highlighting risks and suggesting mitigating actions.

Planning and Organising:

• Level 3: Develops annual plans – Develops and reviews the implementation of annual plans for a work group or function, taking account of business and customer requirements and reconciling competing demands.

Business Performance Management:

• Level 1: Provide meaningful basic analysis of management information.
• Analyse business results, identify and communicate learning points.

Financial Analysis:

• Level 1: Use financial analysis to evaluate performance.

Management Reporting:

• Level 1: Extract and always deliver accurate and timely management information reports ensuring data integrity. Review management information reports identifying and highlighting variances.

Planning, Forecasting and Budgeting:

• Level 1: Contribute to planning and forecasting activities and apply skills in basic modelling.

Business Partnering:

• Level 1: Engage with others to understand needs and support the business by providing relevant, accurate and consistent financial information on a timely basis.

British Council Behaviours:

• Being Accountable (More Demanding): Putting the needs of the team or British Council ahead of my own.
• Making it Happen (Essential): Delivering clear results for the British Council.
• Shaping The Future (Essential): Looking for ways in which we can do things better.
• Working Together (More Demanding): Ensuring that others benefit as well as me.

Click here to download Job Details (Pdf)

Click here to download BC Behaviour (pdf)

Click here to download BC Core Skills (pdf)