Country Finance Manager Save the Children

OVERVIEW
Are you passionate about being an advocate for children? Do you want to use your expertise to bring about lasting change for children and be a part of an inspiring, dynamic global movement?
The Country Finance Manager will be responsible for the overall financial management system book keeping functions of SC. In addition; the position will be responsible for efficient and effective management of SC cash flows, updating and reconciling the accounting ledgers, managing the end of period processes and procedures, capitalization of fixed assets and ensuring the generation of monthly financial reports to head offices.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
• Implement SCI financial policies and procedure, updating and maintenance of the accounts structures, coordinating data and transactions processing and providing user technical support and training Agresso usage for both finance and non-finance staff while ensuring that backup and retention for all finance data is in place.
• Monitor and track all financial accounting KPIs to ensure they are within acceptable Country office thresholds.
Review and conduct monthly reconciliations of debtors, creditors, bank accounts, cash accounts and other balance sheet accounts to identify material differences and discrepancies in the accounts and ensure adjustments are done to make the relevant corrections.
Review of supplier, partner, staff and consultant payment documents and batch them in the Bank Payment system for approval by the signatories,
• Check, maintain and strengthen financial internal controls in Kampala office as well as in field offices.
• Coordinate regularly with finance contact persons in field offices to ensure accurate and timely closing of monthly accounts and implementation of SCI policies and procedures.
• Accountable for producing of monthly financial reports (MFR) and yearend financial statements including supplementary specifications to meet specific deadlines of in country Regulations, SCI and donor requirements.
• In charge of annual statutory as well as donors funded project external audits as per SCI and donor requirements.
• Review/check payroll ensuring that staff salaries and related statutory deductions are timely made and paid.
• Ensure that payments for good and services rendered to SCI are paid as they fall due as per the provision of the finance manual.
• Maintain a system to track financial commitments and outstanding contract amounts by staff and third parties transacting with SCI and ensure that they are diligently executed when due.
• Ensuring that costs arising from the private usage of SCI resources by staff and third parties are tracked and promptly recovered so as to ensure that no one benefits or losses in the process of relating with SCI.
• Monitor and advise management on the changes in local legislation, accounting practices, tax-regulations and implement necessary changes as recommended by management and service providers on retainer.
• In liaison with Human Resources department, develop finance staff directly supervised as an effective and motivated team by implementing a continuous professional development programme.
• Periodically assess capacity development needs for direct reports and develop systems adequate to develop and improve the capacity of staff.
• Strengthen inter-departmental and Sectorial linkages between finance and other SCI departments and sections, and contribute to other SCI collaborative work.
• Conduct support visits to field offices to reconcile accounting records and provide relevant technical support at such intervals as may be required.
• Ensure adequate liquidity for all currencies at the country office while remaining within the acceptable levels as per the regional office requirements. The same applies to mobile money which is widely used in the country office.
• Work hand in hand with the regional office to ensure that all new project rollouts are successfully implemented at the country office level and that staff understand how to implement them.
• Oversee Country Office retention and accruals account.
Risk Management and assurance
• Monitor and advise management on any necessary required changes in the operational policies and ensure SCI complies with the statutory regulations
• Reviews of financial and operational risks in the Country Office and give feedback and recommendations to staff and to management.
• Recommend to management any controls that may be necessary to close any foreseen risks.
• Work with the Internal Audit and Compliance sections to ensure that the external statutory and donor audits of SC is undertaken and that the management letter issues for awards within the region are followed up and resolved/implemented.
• Support the External Auditors and follow up on actions for management resolution/address.
Advise both finance and non-finance staff over matters of internal control compliance and periodically review the suitability of the existing controls to ensure they are adequate to minimise the risk exposure of SCI and that they reinforce the proper implementation of programs.
• Provide a strategic network with banks and other implementing partners where applicable to ensure the bank accounts and Treasury are run and kept with as minimal risk as possible.
• Review the Cost allocation methodology transactions to ensure the recovery is fair and accurately done each month according to the defined and agreed parameters.
• Review the premise allocation and ensure that its posted on a monthly basis to ensure that all premise costs are fairly allocated to the awards that are supported

To be a strong supporter and advocate for children in this role you will need to have:
• At least a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, Accounting or Business Administration from a recognised university. MUST be a member of an Accounting professional body with qualifications such as ACCA, CPA, CIMA, ICSA etc
• At least 8 years’ relevant progressive working experience working with International NGOs in a humanitarian and development setting, of which 3 years should be at finance management level.
• Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet analysis.
• Strong background in external donor reporting for an international NGO and experience working with major donors like USAID, SIDA, EU, KOICA, NORAD, DANIDA, Master Card Foundation, UN etc
• Good financial management skills with knowledge of computer Accounting Packages and good understanding of Government budgets and tax policies.
• Proven ability to work with a team under minimal supervision and being able to prioritize work and meet tight deadlines.
• Audit experience and knowledge and application of tax regulation is desirable.
• Planning, organising and negotiation skills
• Experience of working with local partners and District Local Government in Health, Education, HIV/AIDS or Child Protection program delivery
• Strong analytical skills and strategic planning abilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain conducive collegial relations and perform effectively as a member of a team.
• Willingness to travel and work in hard-to-reach areas, occasionally under strenuous conditions.
• Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills are a must.
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours especially during times of humanitarian responses.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching
• Excellent time management and planning capacity
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.
• Commitment to Save the Children values