Financial Planning and Analysis Manager at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

DUTIES: 

Management Reporting & Business Intelligence

• Lead the preparation of timely, accurate, and insightful monthly management and financial reports, including clear analysis, commentary, and recommendations for decision-making.
• Design, implement, and continuously improve automated financial dashboards and business intelligence tools using platforms such as Power BI, Agresso, Tableau, and related systems.
• Develop financial models, trend analysis, forecasts, scenario analysis, and performance reports to support strategic and operational decisions.
• Establish and monitor key financial and operational performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the financial health and sustainability of the Institute.
• Conduct detailed variance and trend analysis, identifying risks, opportunities, and efficiency improvements.
• Enhance reporting processes, data visualization, and user experience to improve accessibility and interpretation of financial information by both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Support senior management and governance bodies through high-quality analytical reporting and presentations.

Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead the Institute’s annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-term financial planning processes.
• Develop robust short-, medium-, and long-term financial forecasts to support strategic planning and resource allocation.
• Coordinate the preparation, consolidation, review, and analysis of departmental and project budgets to ensure completeness, accuracy, consistency, and alignment with institutional priorities.
• Provide analytical review and challenge of budget assumptions, funding proposals, and expenditure plans, highlighting gaps, risks, and funding implications.
• Develop and enhance automated budgeting templates, tools, and workflows within ERP and planning systems to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Drive continuous improvement and automation of budgeting and forecasting processes through Agresso and related digital platforms.
• Support budget holders through training, guidance, and financial business partnering to strengthen financial planning and accountability.

Full Cost Recovery (FCR) & Costing

• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the Institute’s Full Cost Recovery (FCR) framework.
• Develop accurate costing methodologies, including service costing, cost pooling, allocation drivers, and recovery mechanisms.
• Ensure institutional costs are appropriately allocated and recovered across projects, grants, and service units.
• Review cost structures and recovery models to ensure financial sustainability and equitable allocation of indirect costs.
• Conduct cost-benefit and financial viability analysis for investment proposals, operational initiatives, and strategic projects.
• Develop and maintain automated costing tools and models, incorporating key assumptions such as inflation, exchange rates, and operational trends.
• Maintain and regularly update institutional service catalogues, pricing structures, cost bases, and recovery rates.

Systems, Process Improvement & Capacity Building

• Drive process improvement, reporting automation, ERP enhancements, and financial systems optimization.
• Strengthen financial data governance, integrity, and reporting standards across the Institute.
• Develop institutional capacity in financial planning, reporting, analytics, and business intelligence through coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders to enhance financial awareness and decision support.
• Ensure proper documentation, archiving, and maintenance of records related to financial planning, reporting, and costing activities.
• Undertake special projects and other assignments as required by management.

QUALIFICATION:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field. An MBA will be an added advantage. A professional accounting qualification such as CPA (K), ACCA, CIMA, or an equivalent is required. The ideal candidate should have a minimum of six (6) years’ progressive experience in financial planning and analysis, management reporting, budgeting, forecasting, or business finance.

COMPETENCIES:

The ideal candidate must have:

• Proven experience in financial modelling, management reporting, and advanced analytical tools, including Excel and PowerPoint.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in business intelligence, data analytics, and reporting automation using platforms such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools.
• Experience working with ERP systems (e.g., Agresso/Unit4, SAP, Oracle) and databases such as SQL Server or MySQL is desirable.
• Strong business partnering, stakeholder management, analytical, communication, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong project management, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to independently manage multiple priorities.