Duties
Three-Country Financial Coordination and Oversight:
- Coordinate the financial management and reporting requirements of I-Youth 2.0 across Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
- Serve as the central finance focal point for coordination between the project management team and country-level finance/admin personnel.
- Establish and maintain mechanisms for the timely collection, review, consolidation, and submission of financial information from the three countries.
- Ensure consistency in the application of project financial procedures, reporting requirements, and financial controls across country operations.
- Coordinate country-level financial reporting calendars and ensure timely submission of financial information required for project management and donor reporting.
- Review country-level financial information and identify discrepancies, unusual expenditure patterns, budget pressures, unsupported costs or other financial management issues requiring corrective action.
- Consolidate country-level financial information for program-wide management reporting and financial analysis.
- Facilitate cross-country learning and consistency in financial management practices while recognizing applicable country-specific regulatory and institutional requirements.
Budget Management and Financial Analysis:
- Monitor project budgets and expenditure across the three countries against approved work plans, budgets, and implementation schedules.
- Prepare regular budget-versus-actual analyses and identify significant variances, emerging budget pressures, and under-utilization of funds.
- Provide financial analysis to support project management decision-making, work planning, reprogramming, and resource allocation.
- Monitor project commitments, obligations, expenditure trends, and available balances across countries and project components.
- Prepare cash-flow projections and funding requirements based on approved implementation plans and projected expenditures.
- Advise project management on the financial implications of planned activities and proposed changes to implementation schedules or resource allocation.
- Support budget revisions and reprogramming exercises by providing accurate financial analysis and supporting information.
Financial Reporting and Donor Accountability:
- Lead the consolidation and preparation of periodic project financial reports for management review and submission to the relevant institutional and donor platforms.
- Coordinate financial inputs from Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to ensure completeness, accuracy, consistency, and timely reporting.
- Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, including expenditure summaries, budget-versus-actual analyses, cash-flow projections, and other management reports.
- Coordinate preparation of financial information required for MasterCard Foundation reporting in accordance with approved reporting formats and timelines.
- Ensure alignment between financial reports, approved work plans, implementation progress, and narrative reporting.
- Review financial data for accuracy and completeness before submission for management review and approval.
- Provide financial information and analysis required for project reviews, management meetings, donor engagements, and other strategic discussions.
Financial Controls and Compliance:
- Monitor compliance with IITA financial policies, donor financial requirements, applicable country regulations, and approved project procedures across the three countries.
- Review country-level financial submissions, expenditure returns, imprest retirements, and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with applicable requirements.
- Identify control weaknesses, financial risks, and compliance gaps and recommend appropriate corrective measures.
- Follow up on outstanding financial documentation, unsupported expenditure, and other compliance issues with relevant country teams.
- Ensure appropriate segregation of duties and adherence to established financial controls within project operations.
- Maintain oversight of project financial documentation and ensure that financial records are complete, accurate, properly authorized, and audit-ready.
- Keep abreast of relevant donor and country-specific financial and regulatory requirements affecting project implementation and communicate implications to relevant project personnel.
Fund Management and Disbursement Coordination:
- Coordinate timely disbursement of project funds to country teams, implementation locations, and approved project partners in accordance with approved work plans and financial procedures.
- Monitor utilization of disbursed funds against approved activities, budgets, and implementation schedules.
- Coordinate cash-flow requirements from the three countries and consolidate funding requirements for project management and Finance.
- Monitor outstanding advances, imprests, retirements, and financial obligations and ensure timely resolution.
- Identify potential cash-flow constraints and communicate them proactively to the Finance Manager and project management.
- Ensure that project funding is aligned with implementation priorities and approved financial plans.
Country Finance Coordination:
- Provide technical coordination and guidance to country-level finance and finance-facing personnel on project financial procedures and reporting requirements.
- Establish clear timelines and reporting expectations for country-level financial submissions.
- Review and provide feedback on country financial reports and supporting schedules before consolidation.
- Coordinate resolution of financial queries arising from country operations.
- Facilitate communication between country teams and the central Finance function on project-specific financial matters.
- Support orientation and capacity strengthening of country-level staff on project financial management, donor requirements, and financial controls.
- Promote consistent application of project financial procedures across Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
Procurement and Contract Financial Interface:
- Work closely with the Procurement Officer to ensure that procurement and contracting activities have appropriate budgetary and financial coverage.
- Review financial implications of procurement and contractual commitments within the scope of the accountant’s responsibilities.
- Monitor financial commitments arising from major project contracts and procurement activities and ensure appropriate recording and reporting.
- Coordinate with Procurement and project teams to ensure that financial documentation required for payment and accountability is complete.
- Provide financial information required for procurement planning and project implementation without assuming the procurement function or procurement decision-making authority.
Audit, Assurance and Risk Management:
- Coordinate project financial preparations for internal, external and donor audits across the three countries.
- Prepare financial schedules, supporting documentation, and responses to audit queries.
- Coordinate with country teams to ensure the timely provision of documentation requested during audits and financial reviews.
- Track implementation of financial audit recommendations and report outstanding issues to the Finance Manager and project management.
- Identify emerging financial risks and recommend measures to strengthen financial controls and accountability.
- Maintain an organized and audit-ready financial documentation system for the overall project.
Management Advisory and Decision Support:
- Provide the Finance Manager and project management team with timely analysis of the project's financial position and implementation performance.
- Highlight significant financial risks, variances, funding gaps, under-utilization, and emerging financial pressures requiring management attention.
- Provide financial inputs to annual work planning, project reviews, forecasts, and implementation decisions.
- Participate in project management and planning meetings and provide professional financial advice on proposed activities and operational decisions.
- Support management in assessing the financial implications of changes in implementation priorities, activity schedules, and resource allocation.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of financial management systems, processes, and controls across the program.
Financial Systems, Records and Data Management:
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date project financial records and supporting documentation in accordance with IITA requirements.
- Ensure appropriate electronic and physical filing of financial records, contracts, payment documentation, financial reports, and other accountability documents.
- Develop and maintain financial tracking tools, reporting templates, and analytical schedules required for effective program-wide financial management.
- Promote accurate, timely, and consistent financial data across the three countries.
- Support the effective use of financial management and reporting systems for project monitoring and decision-making.
- Perform any other duties assigned by the Financial Manager or Program Manager.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field.
- A professional accounting qualification (ICAN, ACCA or equivalent) is an added advantage.
- 3-5 years of relevant accounting/finance experience, preferably on donor-funded development or agriculture projects is required.
Competencies
The ideal candidate must have:
- Working knowledge of accounting software (e.g., Oracle, SAP, QuickBooks, or similar ERP systems) and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
- Familiarity with donor financial compliance requirements.
- Strong attention to detail, integrity, and ability to manage confidential financial information.
- Good organizational and time management skills, with the ability to meet reporting deadlines across multiple locations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong financial management and accounting skills.
- Sound knowledge of budgeting, financial reporting, and grant management.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- High attention to detail and accuracy.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Ability to interpret financial data and prepare management reports.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- High level of integrity, confidentiality, and professional ethics.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other financial management software.
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