Finance Coordinator (Kano) at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Finance Coordinator

Ref No: 220000N8
Location: Kano
Employee Status: Fixed Term
Contract Length:  1 Year
Grade: 3
Team/Programme: Finance

Child Safeguarding

• Either the role holder will have access to personal data about children and/or young people as part of their work; or they will be working  in a ‘regulated’ position (accountant, barrister, solicitor, legal executive); therefore a police check  will be required (at ‘standard’ level in the UK or equivalent in other countries).

Role Purpose

• To provide sound financial management, manage the financial information function and to assess at the sub office level. Train and manage financial relationships with partners.
• In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

Scope of Role:

• Reports to: Program Manager/COP/Field Manager
• Matrix Report - Finance manager –Accounting & Reporting
• Dimensions : Matrix reporting
• Staff directly reporting to this post: Finance intern
• Technical responsibility: None
• Budget responsibility: None

Key Areas of Accountability
Financial Management:

• Supervise, coach and build the financial management capacity of the finance and non-finance team of the office.
• Coordinate all month end and Yearend Activities of the office.
• Perform visits on the project implementation site and ensure financial compliance and report to manager /Country office.
• Collect partner’s financial report and necessary documentation and perform the reconciliation
• Participate in program monthly finance meeting and provide input to budget holders.
• Works with budget holders on budget review and reallocation and ensure change are approved is posted in the system.
• Prepare the draft of the monthly cash request of the State office.
• Verify transaction posting and approve posting online Aggresso system or offline spreadsheet (GLACOS).
• Handle account Payable Transactions for the state Office
• Verification of all payment vouchers before making final payments
• Validation of Purchase order
• Represent Finance in procurement meetings
• Coordinate the transaction documentation process.
• Ensure bank reconciliations and single account matching are done timely and ensure regular cash counts
• Ensure the office has in place a voucher approval process and all staff adheres to this working hour.
• Where there is a limitation of resources perform the role of Finance officer or perform the interim roles of Finance manager.
• Participate in statutory and specific grants audits
• Any other tasks assigned by your supervisor or line manager

Budget Monitoring:

• Participate in the annual budget development
• Prepare the project Donor Financial reports for the state Office
• Support budget holders in the proposal budget costings, creating Reporting Templates and DEAs
• Support budget holders in the understanding of budget reports including phasing and re-phasing of budgets
• Support finance manager in the development of standard costings for country programme
• Review monthly transactions with Budget Holders and provide comments to finance

Office and Partner Support Function:

• Capacity Building of partners in understanding finance and awards management
• Capacity Building of Budget Holders & field staff  in Awards Management
• Pre awards assessment and due diligence check for new partners
• Organize audit of Implementing Partners

Audit & Evaluation:

• Assist with the Internal and External audit preparations including putting together relevant documentation and TOR for the Audit
• Coordinate all SC awards audits and ensure complete implementation of recommendations
• Follow up on audit issues and provide appropriate response with support from Director of Finance

Other Support:

• Work closely with  Country office Finance Team on finance /awards related issues
• Participate in monthly finance and awards meetings and provide update on all financial awards issues
• Participate in Year End & on-going processes relating to awards status including final reconciliation of donor disbursements & awards expenditure, confirmation of debt and income carry forward positions, awards closures
• Coordinate team for representation in vendor due diligence check
• Attend to financial queries related to awards administration from Donors/Member, Budget Holders, Regional Office and the Centre Finance.
• Other - Any other ad hoc tasks as requested by Line Manager.

Additional Job Responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Working Relationships:

• Internal: All sub office staff/National office Finance staff
• External: Bankers/Vendors
• Competences and Behaviours (Our Values in Practice)

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• A Bachelors Degree in Business Administration or other relevant professional qualification
• 5-7 years working experience in relevant Area,
• Thorough understanding of interdepartmental relationships, dynamics and functioning in an overseas programme setting
• Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children
• Ability to translate complex, technical and financial issues into a language understandable by non-finance staff
• Computer literate (including working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, Access) and competency in development of spread-sheets and databases
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate clearly with thoughtful and accurate information
• Willingness to travel to other offices and work in difficult environment from time to time
• Ability to work within a multicultural and multi-religious settings
• Proven experience in financial management and producing appropriate management information to support strategy development and decision-making by budget holders and programme implementers
• Proven training experience to all levels of staff, both informal (on the job coaching) and formal (structured training courses).
• Proven analytical skills and ability to translate analysis into appropriate, feasible and practical implementation plans and goals.
• An understanding of development work in order to communicate effectively with Members/Donors and programme staff on funding sources and programme issues
• Experience of developing guidelines and formats to support staff in donor applications and reporting  with particular reference to USAID grants
• Knowledge of major donor funding sources and grants application processes
• Experience of managing or supporting programmes in each stage of the project cycle, including development of funding proposals, budgeting, technical and financial monitoring in the context of grants/restricted funding sources.

Desirable:

• Experience of Save the Children financial accounting packages (eg Agresso), policies, systems and procedures.
• International experience preferably gained within an INGO in a relief/emergency setting
• Proven experience in grants auditing especially of USAID grant audits

Competencies and Behaviours (Values in Practice)
Competencies:

• Leading and inspiring others – Delivering results – Developing self and others –Applying technical and professional expertise – Working effectively with others
• Adhere to SCI Values: Accountability; Ambition; Collaboration; Creativity; Integrity

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.

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 widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

Equal Opportunities:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

• We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

• The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

Health and Safety:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline 9th February, 2022.