Finance & IT Manager

ROLE PURPOSE:

To lead the Finance and IT Team in South Area Office and making sure that all finance staff in the field are able to deliver in the best possible manner. S/he will be expected to lead on all aspects of finance and IT activities. The post holder will play a key role in building capacity for the finance team at field level.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Ensure that appropriate financial regulations and controls are in place for Area Office and in use at all times;
• Monitor the effectiveness of the Area office financial records and identify potential risk areas and to recommend solutions;
• Ensure timely submission of accurate monthly, quarterly and on-demand reports and information to Country office;
• To facilitate internal / external auditors during internal / external audits;
• Responsible for monthly closure of accounts in Area Office while maintaining proper schedules.
• Prepare proposal budgets in line with donor guidelines while ensuring that Non-thematic rate of country is achieved.
• Advise and brief the Area Director on key financial matters, including donor compliance, funding gaps, and sustainability of ongoing and planned activities.
• Provide the Area Director with timely financial information and recommendations during planning, BvA reviews, and donor engagement processes.
• Prepare realignments along with program staff for on-going awards if needed.
• Represent Finance department in the BvA meetings at Area Office level while ensuring that actions are addressed after BvA meetings.
• Providing support to Finance director in preparation of Master budget, and forecast processes.
• Providing support to Finance director on Funding GAP analysis and other management reporting.
• Drafting the staff allocation for all staff and ensuring allocations are provided to Finance manager in Country office for clearance of balance sheets holding accounts.
• Review the reclassifications proposed by program staff for eligibility in line with donor regulations and in line with SCI Financial policies.
• Responsible for the timely and complete preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual donor and SCI financial reports in accordance with Save the Children policies and guidelines.
• Maintain regular communications with all members of Area office and ensure that timely and complete financial support is provided.
• Oversee transfer and disbursement of funds to fulfil obligations incurred within the guidelines of Save the Children and donors.
• Develop procedures for monitoring and analyzing budgets, which allow accurate projection of expenditures and comparisons of actual and budgeted spending.
• Prepare a monthly request for funds, based on cash flow projections, to ensure the project has all necessary funds for operations.
• Conduct Budget holders training and advice budget holders on financial aspects of awards management.
• Assist Area Director to ensure compliance of Scheme of Delegation
• To review and analyze Area Office's compliance with all local laws. To ensure good record keeping of all financial data concluded by the Area Office;

Administration/Information Technology

• Ensure legal compliance with respective Government regulations and laws
• Supervise IT function to ensure the smooth import of capital assets when relevant to IT.
• Strive to support programmes with innovative IT solutions to support their work
• Lead IT function with a specific focus on ensuring sufficient primary and backup connectivity and bandwidth in Area Office
• Review all IT contracts
• Review and assess running costs in order to make savings and or upgrade as needed.

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for Finance staff. Manage the performance of all staff in the finance and IT work area ;
• Effective use of the performance management system including the establishment of clear, measurable objectives, on-going feedback, periodic reviews and unbiased evaluations;
• Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities;
• Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance;
• Documentation of performance that is less than satisfactory, with appropriate performance improvements/workplans.

General

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities, fraud and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Ensure the security, health and wellbeing of staff and that staff management and other processes and policies and systems reflect Save the Children's principles of equity and fairness.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
• Creates a managerial environment to lead, enable and maintain our culture of child safeguarding.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working.
• Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust.
• Invests time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realise their full potential, and to build the organisation's capability for the future.

Creativity:

• Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practice within and outside the organization.
• Develops and implements innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in ever-changing and uncertain global and working environments.
• Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organization.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence.
• Displays consistent excellent judgement.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
• Experience of and well developed skills in staff management, supervision and capacity building
• Proven track record of supporting a senior management team, and providing strategic support across multiple sectors and/or regions
• Knowledge of the requirements of the major emergency donors and experience in budgeting and reporting to donors.
• Good attention to detail and analytical skills
• Computer literate (i.e. WORD, advanced Excel, Outlook, Internet Explorer, financial systems).
• Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities
• Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills in English, with experience in managing multicultural teams

Desirable

• Experience working with financial systems. i.e. Agresso.
• Previous experience with NGOs/INGOs.
• Fluent in English.