Director of Finance at Save the Children Nigeria

Application Closing Date
4th November, 2021.

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: Director of Finance

Job ID: 210007SY
Location: Abuja, Nigeria with field travel
Employee Status: Fixed Term
Program / Team: Nigeria Country Office SMT
Contract Length: Permanent
Grade: Grade 1
Direct Reports to: Country Director
Matrix Reports to: Regional Finance Director

Child Safeguarding

• Level 2: 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

• As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) in Nigeria, the Director of Finance shares in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office (CO).  The Director of Finance is responsible for budgeting, financial management, financial and grant reporting and leadership of the finance team, in both emergency and development programming contexts.

Scope of Role:

• Direct Reports to: Country Director
• Matrix Reports to: Regional Finance Director
• Dimensions:  Save the Children currently has field bases in Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kogi, Oyo, Cross River, Lagos, Gombe and Yobe. Save the Children has over 500 staff in Nigeria with a diverse team of over 30 finance staff.
• Staff directly/matrix reporting to this post: Senior Finance Manager, Finance Manager (X4).

Key Areas of Accountability
As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to:

• Leadership of the Nigeria Country Office.
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our full spectrum values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our Members and donors.
• Help design and implement a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with agency practices and appropriate to programme needs.
• Help establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with: host government authorities, partner agencies including humanitarian and development donors, and local and international NGOs.
• Ensure Nigeria Country Office complies with all Save the Children Essential Standards and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Ensure that all required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the Regional Office.

Planning and Budgeting:

• Provision of robust financial oversight using appropriate tools such as Master Budgets and forecast projections. Ensuring committed funds, pipeline funds and funding gap outlook is up to date.
• Assist the Country Director (CD) in the management /administration of the Country Office resources and its sub-offices including (a) the formulation of country work program and resource allocation, (b) providing effective support and guidance to the Senior Management Team and other key program staff during planning and allocation exercises; (c) monitoring implementation of donor agreements and resource utilization. Highlight variances, provide analyses and recommend resolution or reallocation of resources
• Work along with the Director of Program Operations, Business Development unit and the Director of Programme Design & Quality in developing plans to meet funding and programming needs. This includes diversification of funding resources.
• Identify and effectively manage all key risks, especially financial, related to delivering the Country Office program.  Develop mitigation plans at proposal stage.
• Ensure correct level of budget authority exists within Country Office.
• Manage financial aspects of budget development for new proposals.
• Ensure appropriate and adequate emergency finance and grants procedures are detailed in the Country Office Emergency Preparedness Plan in order to enable rapid scale up.
• Ensure budget holders understand their responsibilities (e.g., through training).
• Ensure sub-offices receive adequate support to operate efficient accounting systems, including timely receipt of monthly budget variance analysis by budget holders, timely answers to queries and scheduling tasks and deadlines
• Work with the Director of HR/Support Services to establish equitable staff compensation policies and practices within the approved budget and donor requirements.
• Work with the SMT and the Director HR/Support Services design and implement a coherent organisational structure that is consistent with agency practices and appropriate to approved budget and program needs.

Financial Accounting, Reporting, and Control:

• Manage the Country Office financial systems and provide the SMT and all budget holders a monthly update on the budget variance analysis
• Ensure with the Director of Program Operations and the Director of HR that systems are in place for the control of all assets, funds, equipment, property, and facilities; submit timely financial reports to centre, Regional Office and donors as required
• Ensure that effective systems are put in place, and regularly reviewed, to allow adequate financial management and control including:
  • Annual accounts and tax statement preparation;
  • Accounting and management information systems;
  • Cash and cash flow management and control in particular gain/losses on currency exchange;
  • Financial procedures during emergency responses, including meeting all relevant responsibilities in the Rules and Principles for Emergency Response;
  • Expenditure procedures, especially around procurement;
  • Documentation of all controls and procedures;
  • Finance training for staff in the field and partners as necessary;
  • Availability of funds for sub-offices and the Country Office
• Monitor accurate and timely submission of financial reports and attachments to members, donors and government regulatory agencies
• Ensure quarterly effort reporting is prepared with major variances discussed with Regional Office and centre
• Coordinate submission of control reports, respond to findings and recommend resolutions or action plans
• Lead and participate in the development of finance policies and procedures to be able to maintain a well-financially controlled environment in both development and emergency contexts
• Coordinate and assist CD during any internal or external audits.
• Ensure monthly financial reviews (MFRs) are prepared, reviewed with SMT, and submitted to Regional Office regularly.

Award Management:

• Monitor completion of financial reports for awards/contracts. Ensure proper accounting and closing of books upon receipt of completed reports and documents from various sub-offices
• Coordinate the release of donor fund summaries from the members to ensure accurate and systematic accounting of grant transactions
• Provide guidance to finance and non-finance staff and coordinate efforts to ensure compliance with donor requirements
• Work with budget holders to estimate funds request on a timely basis to ensure resources are in place for carrying project activities
• Ensure Country Office treasury operations are adequately managed
• Ensure timely and accurate information is provided through Award Management systems
• Oversee and monitor sub grantees/ grants as required per SC policies and procedures
• Develop sub-grantees through training and capacity building
• Ensure that donor financial reports and narrative reports align

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development – Finance:

• Ensure appropriate staffing within the finance team.
• Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role.
• Manage finance team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly.
• Ensure the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff incorporates staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building process.  Establish result based system and follow up.
• Ensure adequate segregation of finance duty within Country Office Manage the performance of all staff in the finance work area through:
  • Effective use of the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair 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/ work plans

Qualifications and Experience

• Recommended a minimum of 5 years’ management experience in a corporate or an NGO environment, of which three at a management level within the finance department of a national or international organization.
• Recent experience working in an emergency context
• CPA or equivalent Degree (CA, ACMA, ACCA) strongly recommended
• Excellent understanding of business and financial planning including strategic modelling
• Excellent analytical skills – the ability to analyse complex financial data and design and produce effective management information
• Excellent experience of budgeting and budget management
• Excellent understanding of financial systems and procedures
• Strong business acumen and the ability to contribute to strategic decisions
• Excellent experience of computerised accounts packages, Excel, PowerPoint and Word
• Experience of general administration work
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage a complex and diverse workload and to work to tight deadlines
• Ability to build a small, proactive team, motivating staff and working collaboratively with colleagues and providing support and advice as necessary
• Willingness and ability to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies
• A full appreciation of the value of co-operation, both internationally and within a team environment
• Understanding of Save the Children’s vision and mission and a commitment to its objectives and values
• Written and verbal fluency in English.

Skills and Behaviours (SCI 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.

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

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online