Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda is seeking to fill the position of Project Finance & Compliance Manager- Rooted in Diversity (RiD): Partnership for food security and Livelihoods project at the Country Secretariat Office in Kampala – Uganda.
As part of a strong Regional Network of over 220 civil Society organizations spread out in 12 countries in East, Central and Southern Africa PELUM Uganda works to improve the livelihoods of small holder farmers and the sustainability of farming communities by fostering ecological land use management. Since 1995, PELUM Uganda has been sharing skills and knowledge about ecological Land use practices and techniques working with a broad network of likeminded organizations; undertaking research and demonstration projects and advocating for policies that better support small holder farmers with a vision of empowering communities in Uganda to sustainably utilize their natural resources.
About the RiD Project.
RiD is a 5-year project formed by a consortium of farmer associations, Civil Society Organisations and Agricultural Research Organizations across 3 Country Implementing partners of Uganda, Malawi and Niger with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Department of Climate Change and Environment; Section for food.
The project is intended to enhance local knowledge, skills and capacities of small-scale food producers to improve food production and consumption in highly variable and poorly predictable agroecologies premised on the understanding that agrobiodiversity is the best way to promote food and nutrition security and adapt to the unpredictable weather conditions. The project will also work towards positively impacting systemic change towards appreciation of the roles of small-scale food producers and their organisations in combating food insecurity in the context of climate change by challenging power structures and relationships that underlie policies and practices around seed and food systems through sharing proven methodologies, previous experiences and linkages, documentation of learning processes and successful approaches for policy advice towards agrobiodiversity, seed and farmer’s rights.
The project focus and impact areas include; Local biodiversity management intended to build research agendas and capacities on participatory plant breeding while improving food storage and stimulating demand for marketing, Local value chains of agrobiodiverse products through dissemination of high quality seed of locally adapted varieties and support local value chains for agrobiodiverse products for stronger market linkages and access for farmer organisations; Innovative Farmer-researcher partnerships to build new ways of farmer-researcher collaboration for increased seed and food systems research and Collaborative environment for policy change to influence policy reforms through evidence based advocacy.
The project will be implemented in arid and semi-arid zones across Niger (Maradi, Dosso and Tillaberi regions), Malawi (Dowa and Nkhotakota districts) and Uganda (Pader, Gulu, Serere, Katakwi, Lamwo and Amuria districts) due the similar agroecosystems and crops, vulnerability to climate shocks largely increased by reliance on subsistence agriculture.
Suitable Candidates who possess the credentials below are therefore encouraged to apply.
Job Title:
• Project Finance & Compliance Manager, Rooted in Diversity (RiD); Partnership for food security and Livelihoods project
Reports to: Finance & Administration Manager – PELUM Uganda
Responsible for: Project Finance Team
Other key relationships:
Support:
• Project Thematic working groups (TWGs), Country implementing Teams (CITs), Regional Project Advisory Group (RPAG), Project partners, Government Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs), Project beneficiaries and other stakeholders, All Programme Managers, Officers & Colleagues within PELUM Uganda.
External relations:
• Members, Civil Society/ Private Sector, Development Partners and Government
Job Purpose
To maintain a functioning accounting system and generate financial reports. Maintain bookkeeping and financial records in the accounting software for effective accountability.
Job Summary
The job holder will ensure that the accounting system produces accurate reports and that all funds are accounted for. S/he will support the Finance and Administration Manager to ensure financial compliance, the alignment of activities to the budget lines, and compliance with procedures as stipulated by the donor requirements and PELUM Uganda’s policies in compliance with statutory provisions
Main Tasks and Responsibilities
Financial Planning and Budgeting
• Provide historical financial data & Information to facilitate planning and budgeting.
• Post/enter the approved budget figures /amounts into the accounting systems for budget monitoring and control purposes.
• Generate budget performance/monitoring reports for decision making
• Generate outstanding advances report /status report for monitoring of advances (both personal and working) and taking action in line with financial management policies
Accounting and Financial reporting
• In charge of the bookkeeping and financial records by reviewing financial transactions entered in the accounting software.
• Prepare bank and cash reconciliations, general ledgers, journals and reports for completeness and accuracy.
• Prepare periodic and up-to-date, timely, accurate financial reports (from the accounting system) in line with PELUM policies.
• Prepare donor reports by reconciling the transactions from the system to the donor’s format
• Review all financial transactions posted by the Finance Assistant.
• Make any corrections in the system and authorize any reversal of entries made in error by the Finance Assistant
• Supervise petty cash management.
• Provision of financial reports/information required in preparation of proposal and as may be required by current and prospective donors.
• Comply with, state, and local legal requirements by studying requirements; enforcing adherence to requirements; filing reports; advising management on needed actions.
Support to Programmes & PELUM Members
• Demand for accountability of sub- grants
• To execute all financial transactions to partners on a monthly basis, with the authorization of the Country Coordinator.
• Provision of performance reports including comparison of budget to actual
• Work closely with the Head of Programmes to provide advice, assistance and training on financial matters to programme team to enable them better manage the financial aspects of the project.
Audit and Risk Management
• Contribute to the Terms of Reference for external audit in liaison with the Country Coordinator.
• Generate financial statements required for external audits
• Provide all the information required by both annual audits and special audits, internal audits and investigations
• Provide responses to audit queries and advise the Finance and Administration Manager as appropriate
• Coordinate all project audits.
• Maintain and update a comprehensive risk management register and share it with the Country Coordinator and management team.
• Participate in the development /review of policies and procedures
Proper management of PELUM’s financial and physical resources
• Ensure safety of PELUM funds and other assets like buildings, vehicles, computers, furniture etc.
• Properly post acquisition of assets to the appropriate ledgers and regularly reconcile assets ledgers with assets register
• Charge depreciation/amortization/impairment and any other charge to assets to the appropriate ledgers
• Annually reconcile assets ledgers to reflect the values of assets in line with Accounting policies and national legal requirements.
• Ensure that resources are properly deployed and utilized.
• Participate in the development and update of procurement policies and procedures.
• Generating asset register from the system
• Provide accounting information/report on store items procured during the period under review to facilitate stock-take or other investigations.
General Duties
• Attend regular departmental meetings and provide feedback especially from other meetings and other key PELUMs issues and events that impact on the work of the departmental staff.
• Actively participate in planning, budgeting, M&E and reporting on PELUM Uganda activities.
• Provide support supervision, set performance targets, regularly appraise and give feedback to the Finance Assistant.
• Advising staff, board, PELUM members on any financial related issues.
• Support fundraising activities (preparation of project budgets & monitoring).
In addition to individual respective tasks, all PELUM employees are expected:
• To adhere to our organizational values and to actively promote their application amongst colleagues.
• To undertake tasks in a creative, self-driven and innovative fashion.
• Participate in relevant organizational, meetings and fora.
• Participate in raising resources for building PELUM’s reserves.
• Ensure that all activities are implemented in a gender sensitive manner.
• Adhere to PEL UM’s policies, procedures, and performance expectations in all functions.
• To identify and implement additional tasks/ ideas of benefit to the organization (whether directly linked to one’s job or not)
• Any other duty as may be assigned by the supervisor.
The attainment of the above will be reflected in the employee’s appraisal, as well as the achievement of outputs, as described in above key responsibilities.
Person Specifications a. Education
• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in commerce, Finance or Accounting with a certified accounting qualification (level Il) such as: ACCA, CIMA ACA, and CPA or equivalent.
Skills & Experience
• 3+ years of experience in budget development and monitoring of financial reporting.
• Demonstratable ability to work with a diverse team across borders.
• Demonstrated experience in the relevant accounting computer packages [name them]
• Prior experience as a Finance and Administration Manager, or comparable senior level leadership position in a similar or international donor funded project.
• Awareness, knowledge or exposure to implementation of agroecological related projects or practices is an added advantage.
Key competencies
• Ability to work well within a team and to complete multiple tasks effectively and efficiently.
• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively work with project staff, donors and beneficiaries.
• Flexibility and adaptability to team dynamics and diverse working approaches.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of French language is an added advantage.
Technical Skills
• Knowledge of accounting standards, previous experience in using Accounting programmes i.e. (Navision, Pastel, QuickBooks) etc. software packages and other Microsoft office (Excel word) applications.
• Bookkeeping, Knowledge and skills in Financial Management Capacity Building and complex donor reporting. Current on the statutory obligations and taxes.
Industry experience
• Experience in finance roles within NGOs/CSOs with complex multiple reporting requirement, and multiple donor reporting progressively. Experience of managing grants with a program budget of around USD 500,000.
Management skills
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with various internal and external stakeholders. Team player with positive attitude, flexible mind and good coaching and motivational skills.
Personal qualities Proactive.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Excellent analytical, critical reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Open to change and ability to work in a transitional and complex organizational structure. Keen sense of ethics, integrity and commitment to PELUM’s mandate.
• Attention to details.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Communication and Interpersonal skills.
• Ability to convey complex financial concepts to staff and key stakeholders.
• Strong coaching skills and ability to provide effective feedback.
• Comfortable working in multi-cultural settings.
• Effective interpersonal skills to work with colleagues, stakeholders and donors.
If you believe you have the requisite qualifications for the position, please tender in your application cover letter highlighting your suitability for the position, CV, Copies of relevant certificates, testimonials, National ID and contacts of 3 referees addressed to:
The Country Coordinator
PELUM Uganda,
Plot 37/37A Martyrs Way Ntinda P.O Box, 35804, Kampala.
Applications should also be sent via email to pelumuganda@pelumuganda.org and copied to christinekabagenyi@pelumuganda.org. The Deadline for submission is 8th July 2024 at 05:00pm EAT.
Please Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.
PELUM Uganda is an equal opportunities employer, all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply irrespective of gender, race, religious affiliation, ethnic background or physical abilities.