Head, Finance at Aktiva Consulting Limited

Overall Objectives:

• Ensure maintenance of financial integrity of the organisation.
• Ensure improvement and compliance with organisational policies and procedures and professional standards.
• Supports in making key decisions with respect to all donor funded projects.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws at the local and international levels.
• Ensure capacity building of finance and non-finance staff within the organisation and partner organisations.
• Ensure effective process of budgets and budgetary controls.
• Ensure meeting organisational accountabilities both internal and external.

Responsibilities:

• Support in designing, installing, implementing and maintaining adequate accounting and internal control systems.

• Engage in the internal and external audit process and management for the projects- planning and responding to audit queries/findings and follow up on the implementation of their recommendations; whilst also providing support to Project Accountants on all project audits.  Co-ordinate all the audit schedules for the annual audit.
• Participate actively in budget and planning processes for the organisation and partners; and take a lead in central cost (National Office) budget; prepare monthly, quarterly as well as mid-year forecasts. 
• Coordinate the preparation and approval of annual budget and ensure the budget is uploaded into the accounting system by December of the current year.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly management accounts for the Management Team and other stakeholders.
• Support the Director of Finance in preparation of the Annual Finance Report and Statutory Report.
• Carry out quality control checks by ensuring that:
  • Donor agencies’ financial reports are timely, correctly formatted and contains relevant entries.
  • Payment of invoices and other requests are timely and in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  • Effective and Efficient management of cash and bank accounts.
  • Valid input data are entered into the accounting systems.
  • Remittances of statutory returns are made to the relevant authorities.
• Highlight as part of monthly management accounts key audit recommendations for implementation.
• Translate project budgets into Organisation standard accounting software budgets formats for all successful projects proposals.
• Coordinate timely and accurate financial reports to the donors in accordance with the project contract agreements.
• Periodically ensure update of project budgets for activity revisions, additional funding received and communicate budget revision to project managers and partners. 
• Track and ensure income received from donor is accounted separately by project.
• Develop and update regularly financial expenditure tracking tools and share them with staff and partners.
• Coordinate the review of financial information from implementing partners for accuracy and completeness against set guidelines. 
• Monitor reporting deadlines for each project and communicate them to all project staff to ensure financial and programme are sent to donors on time and for consolidated management report.
• Work with Director of Finance on project fund remittance and arrange for timely transfer of project funds to implementing partners in line with budget.
• Support in the preparation of the Mid Year and Annual Finance Report in relation to the donor funded projects component.
• Give guidance to proposal development team in developing proposals and budgets that are realistic and meets all key donor requirements.

• Assist partner organizations in developing policies and financial management systems relevant to management of donor funds.

• Provide financial advice to the Programme team and partners as required for them to improve on their financial management skills.

• Coordinate and provide responses to donor reports sent or additional information requirements.

• Ensure that organisation funds and assets are being used for rightful purposes as intended by the donors.
• Ensure an up-to-date Fixed Asset register schedule and ensure proper treatment of depreciation in the accounting software.
• Monitor Partners and organizational performance to ensure reduced risk of loss of organisation funds and/or integrity.
• Provide advice to senior management team on statutory aspects of the programme work.

• Safeguard the organization from errors, fraud that may result in loss of funding, heavy penalties due to non-compliance with legislation, contract agreement and loss of integrity, low staff productivity and morale for partner organizations.
• Support the Director of Finance on Taxation and Tax matters by working with the Tax consultant and relevant tax authorities to ensure the organisation is up to date in the followings: tax deduction and remittance to relevant tax authority, respond to all tax queries promptly and that annual tax return are done as at when due and reconcile with the relevant tax authority.
• Coordinate preparation of weekly treasury position (Cash/Bank balances). 
• Provide capacity building to finance and non-finance staff in the organisation and partner organisations.
• Processes inter- Country Programme transactions (Recharges) and ensure such is posted immediately the information is received.

• Work with relevant Project Accountants to create and update project database (soft and hard) with relevant project information for existing and new projects.
• Ensure that the filing systems (soft and hard) are created and maintained and could be easily accessed and referred to.
• Work with Project Accountant to ensure monthly full cost recovery in all projects.
• Take up any other responsibilities as assigned 

Persons Specification:

Education/Qualifications

• First degree in Accounting/Finance
• Masters’ degree in relevant field
• Nationally recognised Professional Accounting Qualification

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years post NYSC experience
• At least 6 years post professional qualification experience with 3 years in a senior position
• Experience in implementing financial control systems
• Experience in using SUN Accounting Systems & Spreadsheets
• Experience in working with International development agencies in a similar position.
• Audit firm experience is desirable 
• Experience working with different cultures and nationalities.