Senior Program Finance Officer in Nairobi, Kenya

Micronutrient Initiative

Vacancy: 
Senior Program Finance Officer, Africa

Passionate about developing and implementing solutions for hidden hunger, the Micronutrient Initiative (MI) works in partnership with governments, the private sector and civil society organizations to address micronutrient deficiency and related health and nutrition problems in underserved populations.

Governed by an international Board of Directors, MI works in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America and reaches 500 million people in 70 countries.

With headquarters in Ottawa, Canada MI maintains regional offices in New Delhi, India and soon Nairobi, Kenya that manage our country offices in Asia and Africa.

As we begin staffing our Africa Regional Office in Nairobi Kenya we are seeking skilled and highly motivated individuals to fill key positions in the areas of Finance, Nutrition, Monitoring and Reporting, Contracting and Procurement, Human Resources and support staff.

We are recruiting for the following position:

Job# KENRO-03
 
1. Identification
 
Position Title: Senior Program Finance Officer, Africa
 
Reports Directly to: Finance Director, Africa
 
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
 
2. Overall Purpose / Broad Function: The overall purpose of the position is to act as the primary coordinator for all contracts database related matters and review and process all documents in the contract cycle within the Region.

The Senior Program Finance Officer works in close collaboration with program and finance staff in the Region and finance staff in Head Office to ensure the proper use and maintenance of the Contracts Database in the Region.
 
3. Key Duties and Responsibilities:
 
Contracts Database Management
  • Provide guidance and serves as a resource person to program staff in the regional and country offices for the contracts database, for example, contract database report queries, documentation, guidelines, and any other issues that may be encountered related to the contracts database.
  • Ensure that all regional project and contract details are correctly maintained in the MI contracts database
  • Monitor the contracts database for the Region on a monthly basis by following up with program staff on all contract milestones that are past their activity date.
  • Assist Regional and Head Office with the follow-up of quarterly monitoring reports, in particular, any issues related to pipeline milestones
  • Provide inputs, both solicited and unsolicited, for improving the contracts database, guidelines, reports and monitoring procedures.
  • Assists in the development and implementation as needed of any new databases, guidelines, reports and monitoring procedures.
  • Assists in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual monitoring reports on program spending
Program Accounting & Budgeting
  • Provide reporting from the Contracts Database as requested to assist in the preparation of quarterly and annual program planning budgets
Program and Contract Management
  • Reviews the completeness and accuracy of the funding approval form and related documents received from the country offices in the Region
  • Reviews the completeness and accuracy of the contract approval sheet and related draft contracts received from the country offices in the Region.
  • Reviews the completeness and accuracy of the payment request form and related documents received from the country offices in the Region.
  • Reviews the completeness and accuracy of contract closure form and project closure form and related documents received from the country offices in the Region.
  • Reviews and provides comments to the Finance Director, Africa on approval applications for changes to grant/consulting agreement conditions (budget supplements, time extensions) as well as any ensuing amendments.
  • Review the contracts related to Government, Universities, UNICEF, multiyear agreements of non-administrative support services, support supervision, demand generation, process documentation, studies etc.
  • Ensures compliance with established MI policies for the release and approval for signature of legal documents. (Grant agreements, consulting contracts, travel letters, extension and supplement requests).
Other duties and responsibilities as required.

5. Education / Professional Designations / Experience:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Commerce with seven years of working experience in the development sector.
  • Professional qualification in accountancy such as ACCA or Certified Public Accountant
Experience:
  • 5 years experience working in finance.
  • 3 years experience working in program management environment.
  • Experience working with databases, an asset
  • Experience working with the Microsoft suite
  • Experience in a national or international non-profit entity is preferred
6. Language Skills
  • Fluent in English. 
  • Knowledge of other languages spoken in countries supported by MI is an asset.
7. Travel Requirements
  • Some international travel may be required
4. Supervisory Responsibilities:
  • Program Finance Officer, Africa
8. Other Specific Skill Requirements:
  • Ability to plan and organize work to meet deadlines
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Strong numerical skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both orally and written
NOTE: This job description can and will be amended as required from time to time.

MI is a non-smoking work environment

How to Apply: 

Please forward your resume and cover letter to kenyahr@micronutrient.org quoting Job# KENRO-03 in the subject line. 

Competition closes November 11, 2016. 

Please note that this position is located in Nairobi, Kenya.

No telephone calls please. 

Although we thank all applicants who apply, only those under consideration will be contacted.