Head of Finance at ActionAid Nigeria

Responsible To: Director of Finance
Grade: 10
Line Management: Project Finance Coordinators, Project Finance Advisors, Treasury Advisor and Finance Consultants

Job Purpose

• The position holder will be a member of ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) Country Management Team (CMT) and will provide management with relevant financial information to assist in the smooth running of the organisation.
• S/he will ensure financial and legal integrity of the organization on donor funded projects in particular and within the framework of the policies and procedures established and the requirements of the local law. This post involves a full range of financial control and management activities.

Broad Goals:

• 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.

Main 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.
• Participate actively in budget and planning processes for AAN 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 SUN accounting system by December of the current year.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly management accounts for Country Management Team (CMT) 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 AAN 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 AAN standard SUN 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 ActionAid 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 SUN.
• Monitor Partners and organizational performance to ensure reduced risk of loss of ActionAid 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 AA Nigeria 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 of AAN and partner organisations.
• Process inter Country Programme transactions 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.
• Represent AAN in local and international conferences and workshops as appropriate.
• Take up any other responsibilities as assigned by line manager.

Working Relationships

• Internal Relationships: Entire AAN staff
• External Relationships: Partners, Relevant Government Agencies, external auditors, Donor Community, INGO Community and other stakeholders.

Person Specification
Education Qualifications:

• First Degree in Accounting/Finance is essential
• Master’s Degree in relevant field is essential
• Nationally recognised Professional Accounting Qualification is essential.

Experience:

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

Skill / Abilities:

• Excellent management & leadership skills
• Excellent skills in facilitation and capacity building for inter-linkages between staff, partners & stakeholders
• Ability to work without supervision
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to multitask
• Negotiation skills
• Ability to interface effectively with other members of staff and solve problems using own initiative.