Finance Manager at Malaria Consortium

Malaria Consortium is one of the world’s leading non-profit organisations specialising in the comprehensive prevention, control and treatment of malaria and other communicable diseases among vulnerable and under privileged populations. We increasingly find our work on malaria can be effectively integrated with other similar public health interventions for greater impact and therefore expanded our remit to include child health and neglected tropical disease interventions.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Finance Manager

Location: Abuja
Donor Title: Senior Finance Expert
Department: Finance
Length of Contract: 5 years
Role Type: National
Grade: 9
Travel involved: 25% to the state offices
Reporting to: Project Manager
Direct Reports: None
Dotted Line: Country Finance Manager
Indirect Report: State Finance Officers (6)

Country and Project background

Malaria is highly endemic in Nigeria and it remains one of the leading causes of childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality in the country. Nigeria is deeply committed to making progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and it recognizes the fact that, without firm efforts to control malaria, achievement of the targets related to child mortality, maternal mortality, and reducing the burden of communicable disease will not be possible.
Malaria therefore constitutes a significant development challenge for Nigeria. Interventions for reducing malaria burden in the country are documented in the national malaria strategic plan with Government taking the lead in its implementation with the support of all the RBM partners.
The DFID funded and Malaria Consortium led malaria programme, SuNMaP, provided technical assistance and other support to the Nigeria National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) covering the period 2008 to 2016.
The anticipated follow on project, SuNMaP2 has been designed to strengthen the management and technical capacity of NMEP, State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) and their stakeholders to drive the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2014 to 2020 and achieve its ambitious targets.
This will include short term technical assistance and technical assistance embedded in NMEP in key areas of programme management, evidence generation and use, and capacity building across all project outputs and ultimately reducing Nigeria’s malaria burden and strengthening the Government of Nigeria’s health systems capacity to ensure long term programme and impact sustainability.

Job Purpose

The Finance Manager will be responsible for all financial aspects of the project sub-award contracts, partner and project financial reporting, financial accounting and budget management ensuring good value for money is achieved on the project.
They will ensure compliance within the project of both the donor regulations and Malaria Consortium’s policies and processes.

Scope of Work:

They will provide a proactive, efficient, timely and relevant finance service to the project team including budget preparation with the appropriate mapping of financial transactions to be able to measure value for money and achievement of deliverables.
They will drive project financial reporting at a level of detail necessary to manage budgets effectively, checking financial transactions are recorded accurately.

Key Working Relationships:

The role will report to the Project Manager for SuNMaP2 and will work closely with the Country Finance Manager to provide support to the SuNMaP2 state teams and local partners and with the Finance Support Manager (West and Central Africa) for the global partners on financial management, budgeting and forecasting activities.

Key Accountabilities
Management Accounting (40%):

Understand and implement grant management policies, procedures, and practices, and provide policy, guidance, and interpretation to project staff and partners
Manage sub-granting mechanism to partner organisations
Issue Budget versus actuals and transaction listings on a monthly basis, and review them with the Project Manager to ensure prompt correction of errors and resolution of problems
Prepare for review by the Project Manager and the Finance Support Manager, the Donor Budget versus Actual report, which must be submitted within two weeks of each quarter-end.
Develop the annual financial plan and quarterly forecasts for the project based on the work plans to be submitted within two weeks of the quarter end to the donor after review
Ensure smooth operation of technical efforts and field activities by providing accounting, management and logistical support to facilitate the implementation of project activities.
Oversee the budgeting, reporting and accounting for the project for the Abuja office and the six states of operation to ensure timely and accurate reporting

Financial Accounting (40%):

Oversee all administrative, operational and financial management systems according to Malaria Consortium’s standard operating procedures
Evaluate the financial impact of management decisions, ensuring that the donor receives value for money and that all financial transactions undertaken are in line with Malaria Consortium’s and the donor’s policies
Support the state offices on month-end processing.
Make regular visits to the states of operation to ensure compliance with Malaria Consortium’s and the donor’s policies
Actively support the Country Finance Manager with the required audits of the project.
Follow-up on issues with the state offices raised by the Country Finance Manager on the month-end checklists for resolution and those raised as a result of audits
Compile and prepare routine financial reports for the management team
Prepare project financial invoices for review by the Finance Support Manager: West & Central Africa in good time to meet the monthly and quarterly deadlines
Identify financial risks of the projects and prepare and keep updated with the Project Manager the projects’ risk register

Value for Money (15%):

Assist the Project Manager in preparing a Value for Money (VFM) Action Plan, acceptable to the donor, with time-bound deliverable examples of economy, efficiency, and effectiveness. The Action Plan should be agreed with the donor within six months of the start of the project.
Create a mapping of project costs (including unit costs) that will enable the programme to control cost, convert inputs efficiently into outputs, and obtain the maximum possible outcomes.

Human Resources (5%):

Provide finance induction to new State Finance Officers and non-finance staff in the project providing on-going support to the same people
Feed into the performance reviews of finance staff in the project
Highlight any financial capacity issues to the Country Finance Manager and Project Manager, making recommendations of any action required
Provide a gap fill service for the financial management in the project as required due to staff absence from leave or resignation

Person specification
Qualifications and experience:

Essential:

Qualified accountant in recognised global body, ACA or CIMA
Significant experience in a financial management managerial position
Past exposure and experience working on large scale projects and managing teams across multiple locations
Previous experience of providing data to evidence value for money on a project.
Highly familiar with cost accounting standards and management of sub-contracts and sub-grants with partners

Desirable:

Working knowledge of rules and regulations of donors and their application
Experience of working with DFID as a donor
Experience of working on a payment by results contract

Work-based Skills:
Essential:

Fluency in English with proven ability to communicate effectively within a multi-cultural environment
Demonstrated supervisory skills, and ability to work effectively within teams
Ability to develop and interpret standard financial reports (balance sheet, income statements, cash flow)
Excellent computer skills with high proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Excellent organisation skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver to deadlines
Excellent analytical skills with good attention to detail

Desirable:

Experience of working with PS Financials

Core competencies
Delivering results:

LEVEL C - Supports others to achieve results:

Displays a positive and enthusiastic approach and is not deterred by setbacks, finding alternative ways to reach goals or targets
Supports others to plan and deliver results
Supports others to manage and cope with setbacks

Analysis and use of information:
LEVEL C – Works confidently with complex data to support work:

Interprets complex written information
Works confidently with data before making decisions, for example; interpreting trends, issues and risks
Acquainted with the validity, relevance and limitations of different sources of evidence

Interpersonal and communications:
LEVEL C - Adapts communications effectively:

Tailors communication (content, style and medium) to diverse audiences
Communicates equally effectively at all organisational levels
Understands others’ underlying needs, concerns and motivations and communicates effectively in sensitive situations
Resolves intra-team and inter-team conflicts effectively

Collaboration and partnering:
LEVEL C - Builds strong networks internally and participates actively in external networks and think tanks:

Builds strong networks internally
Participates actively in external networks and/or think tanks.
Engages with relevant experts to gather and evaluate evidence
Shares and implements good practice with internal and external peers

Leading and motivating people:
LEVEL B - Manages own development and seeks opportunities:

Actively manages own development and performance positively
Learns lessons from successes and failures
Seeks and explores opportunities within Malaria Consortium which develop skills and expertise

Flexibility/ adaptability:
LEVEL C - Supports others to cope with pressure:

Responds positively to change, embracing and using new practices or values to accomplish goals and solve problems and supports others to do the same
Adapts team approach, goals, and methods to achieve solutions and results in dynamic situations
Sets realistic deadlines and goals for self or team

Living the values:
LEVEL C - Supports others to live Malaria Consortium’s values:

Demonstrates personal integrity by using role position responsibly and fairly
Cultivates an open culture within the wider team, promoting accountability, responsibility and respect for individual differences

Strategic planning and thinking and sector awareness:
LEVEL B - Is aware of others’ activities and vice versa in planning activities:

Takes account of team members and others’ workloads when planning.
Maintains awareness of impact on other parts of the organisation, keeping abreast of other’s activities, objectives, commitments and needs
Has a good understanding of the sector in which Malaria Consortium works

Salary