Organization: Adeso - African Development Solutions
Vacancy Announcement: Finance Controller
Reporting to: Chief
Financial Officer
Program / Duty station: Nairobi, Kenya
Duration: One
year renewable
Starting date: 1st
March 2015
Salary Grade: International Grade D
Organizational Context: Adeso is an expanding and vibrant African based
international development and humanitarian organization.
At Adeso, we work with African
communities who are yet to realize their full potential; working inside these
communities to create environments in which Africans can thrive.
Our belief that economic, social and
environmental security is the bedrock of a healthy community drives the nature
and intent of our programming.
We work to prevent and overcome
situations that adversely affect community well-being by: reinvigorating the
economy, developing skills for life and work, providing humanitarian aid, and
influencing policy.
For the past 20 years we have
strengthened rural livelihoods through environmental awareness, training,
technology transfer and innovative humanitarian projects in pursuit of a
peaceful, self-reliant, and greener future.
Currently, Adeso has programs in
Somalia, Kenya and South Sudan.
Adeso is an exciting and dynamic
organization experiencing managed rapid growth. It offers sound employment
conditions with opportunities for personal growth and development.
Position Summary: Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO),
the Finance Controller will be responsible for oversight of all finance,
accounting and reporting activities.
The Finance Controller will lead all day-to-day finance operations including functional responsibility over accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and grants administration.
The Finance Controller will ensure
that Adeso has the systems and procedures in place to support effective program
implementation and conduct flawless audits.
The Finance Controller will work
closely with program leaders and their staffs, not only to educate them
regarding finance and accounting procedures but also to explore how the finance
function can support program operations.
In addition, s/he will partner with
the CFO, senior leadership, and the human resources (HR) and information
technology (IT) staff to enhance and better integrate finance, HR, and IT
functions.
Position Purpose: To
maximize return on financial assets by establishing financial policies,
procedures, controls, and reporting systems.
Specific Roles and Responsibilities
A. Ensuring finance policy compliance
- Ensure that the country offices finance
functions are in line with the Adeso global finance policy and established
organizational practices.
- Ensure that donor rules and regulations are
adhered to in finance management of specific projects.
- Establish and implement Country specific
finance systems, and guidelines.
- Work closely with the Countries Management of
Adeso to discuss on finance management policies and provide timely advice
on any issues related to compliance, fraud, under or over spending of
project grants and finance staffing issues.
- Closely look at the issue of cost
effectiveness and provide recommendations and guidance to the management
team.
- Understand and share information related to
local government statutory requirements related to financial issues and
ensures compliance with tax regulations and any other legal requirements.
B. Establishing effective internal
finance controls
- Ensure that established internal control
systems for Adeso are in place. Review on effective implementation of
these systems regularly and reporting any discrepancies to Adeso CFO and
Country management.
- Oversees the protection of the country’s
assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control
policies and procedures.
- Ensure that the authorization matrix for the
Adeso countries program is updated and approvals are in line with the
matrix.
- Review should include the allocation of salaries
based on timesheets, and an overall assessment of the general controls
that are in place, provide recommendations if necessary.
- Document in-country policies regarding
advances and maximum cash balances and general cash and banking situation
in the Country Offices.
- Review for adequacy and reasonableness, the
documentation for delineating authority for approving transactions,
procurements, disbursements.
- Ensure that authorized signatory list and bank
information forms are regularly updated and hardcopies are on file.
- Identify requirements for and develop
reporting formats to aid in the management of Adeso Countries program
operations and grant expenditures.
- Undertake internal control audits, report the
same and in discussion with the CFO, initiate actions necessary to correct
any internal control weaknesses.
- Facilitate and co-ordinates external,
internal, donor or government audits.
- Use the Field Office Monitoring Checklist
(FOMC) as a tool to ensure effective finance function at field offices.
- Documentation- ensure that all relevant
finance documents are appropriately filed (soft and print copy), ensuring
quality referencing for the filed documents, and safety of the documents.
C. Perform accounting and finance
management functions
- In compliance with Adeso policy, establish
country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign
currency holdings.
- Ensure the development and implementation of a
plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains
and losses.
- Liabilities – Severance/Accounts Payable/Taxes
Payable- ensure that the Adeso severance policy is not in conflict with
local labor laws; ensure that items in accounts payable relate to open
grants; discuss the office methodology for accrual and payment of taxes to
ensure it is in compliance with local law.
- Supervises all bank relations and bank account
activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange
rates.
- Design, implement, and monitor systems,
procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate
forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including
commitments entered into and which obligate Adeso to future spending.
- Review and approve field offices Cash Transfer
Requests and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to
facilitate grant implementation.
- Implement the Use of Adeso ERP system in all
Country offices.
D. Preparation of project budgets for
donor grants
- Preparation and revision of program and grant
proposals and budgets in line with donor guidelines, and Adeso and donor
formats.
- Keep the country operating budget as a
reference in development of grants budgets.
- Guide finance and non-finance staff in
preparation of grant budgets and review the same.
- Review and finalise partner grant budgets
ensuring cost effectiveness, clarity of budgets.
E. Quality finance staff Management
- Supervise and oversee all finance staff in
Nairobi office and provide technical support to Somalia and other program
finance staff.
- Ensure regular training of the staff on
compliance issues and monitor performance
- Organize a finance workshop regularly for all
finance team.
- Advice the Country management on finance
staffing issues for the country program, including issues of
non-performance, staffing gaps, training needs etc
- Identify capacity building needs for the
finance staff and ensure their participation in relevant training.
- Undertake regular training and orientation of
the non-finance staff on issues such as preparation of budgets, BVA report
analysis and monitoring of spending.
F. Team Leadership
- Leverage strengths of the current finance team
members, help to clarify roles and responsibilities and develop and
implement training programs in order to maximize and reach optimal
individual and organizational goals;
- Provide leadership in strengthening internal
communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization;
create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
Skills and Qualifications
- Minimum of a BA; BCOM and/or MBA preferred.
- Professional accounting qualification
(CPA/ACCA/CIMA/CFA).
- Eight (8) years of accounting and finance
experience, ideally beginning in accounting and audit, followed by
experience gathering, evaluating, presenting and reporting financial
information to executive teams and external stakeholders.
- Experience working in a complex NGO(s) with
multiple programs.
- Provide leadership in strengthening internal
communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization;
create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility,
and unwavering commitment to Adeso’s mission; a proactive, hands-on
strategic thinker.
- Solid experience coordinating audit activities
and managing reporting, budget development and analysis, accounts payable
and receivable, general ledger, payroll, and accounting for investments.
- A track record in grants management as it
relates to compliance and reporting of government, corporate and
foundation grants is essential.
- Technology savvy with experience selecting and
overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software
vendors; advanced knowledge of accounting and reporting software.
- Commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training,
and retaining a diverse team; the foresight and ability to delegate
accordingly.
- Keen analytic, organization and problem
solving skills which allows for strategic data interpretation versus
simple reporting.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations
to senior management, board or other outside partners.
- Ability and desire to translate complex
financial concepts to individuals at all levels including finance and
non-finance managers.
Application Process
This is a challenging opportunity for
a dedicated and highly motivated professional.
If you would like to join this
dynamic team, please submit your application to jobs@adesoafrica.org, quoting
the position in the email subject matter, by 1st March, 2015.
Kindly note that applications screening
and interviews will be on a rolling basis.
Each application should be addressed to the HR Director and include the following:
- An updated CV; and
- An application letter which should include
remuneration requirements and contact information for three work-related
referees.
Applications not including all of the
above information will not be reviewed.
Only short-listed candidates will be
contacted.