Project Finance and Risk Advisor at Sightsavers

Locations: Cote D’Ivoire (Abidjan), Nigeria (Abuja), Ghana (Accra), Malawi (Lilongwe), Zambia, Tanzania
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract
Specific Hours: Standard office hours
Contract: Two year fixed term contract

Background
Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities. We are looking for three new Project Finance and Risk Advisors to work closely with country office staff and other support teams to ensure that projects funded by donors run smoothly.

About the Role

• The Project Finance and Risk Advisors will work on targeted capacity building initiatives and special objectives / projects to enhance the status of project financial management and donor compliance within Sightsavers’ financial management processes.

A typical day could include:

• Calling the country office finance manager of the Senegal Eye Health project to discuss pending issues in the financial report
• Noticing an area for improvement in our review process. Making a note of it to bring up in our team meeting next week
• Dealing with ad-hoc requests about exchange rates and budget flexibility from your various country office and global contacts
• Attending a meeting with stakeholders across the organisation to kick-start the Inclusive Employment proposal application for a £1mn European Commission grant in Mali
• Working on a payroll journal that charges staff time to donors for this month
• Pausing your work on the payroll journal to review and sign-off that Senegal Eye Health project financial report that just came in your inbox. You send it to the Institutional Funding team who then submit it to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Job done.

About You
This job may be for you if:

• You are proactive by nature and have initiative.
• You are comfortable taking decisions and have a good sense of when to escalate issues.
• You are quick to notice irregularities, yet you do not lose sight of the bigger picture.
• You enjoy solving problems and have a keen eye for improvement.
• You communicate clearly. You adapt your language and pace to suit your listeners.
• You are confident holding close working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Last but not least, you are comfortable travelling to the countries we work in if necessary.

Job Holder Requirements
Essential:

• Able to demonstrate finance and accountancy experience or excellent numerical skills
• Advanced Proficiency with Microsoft Excel
• Awareness of overseas development context gained through working in the INGO sector
• Proven experience of institutional donor project financial management
• Willing and able to travel on average twice a year if required (1-2 week trips)
• Good English language skills and experience working in English
• Good communication and stakeholder management skills
• Well organised with an appreciation of meeting reporting commitments
• Ability to work independently and manage a portfolio of projects, acting as a point of reference
• Strong attention to detail with a willingness to follow issues through to resolution
• Continuous improvement mindset, seeking ways to improve processes and mitigate risk
• Willingness to continuously develop skills and knowledge to remain current with donor funding developments

Desirable:

• Proven experience of USAID, EC and FCDO project financial management
• Proven experience of financial training to finance staff
• Able to explain financial issues and procedures to a non-financial audience.
• Experience of a computer-based accounting system
• Any knowledge of languages aside for English (notable focus on French, Portuguese, Wolof, Swahili)
• High level of programmatic and financial understanding of the project cycle

Salary
Local terms and conditions apply and can be confirmed in advance of interview, dependent upon location