Senior Finance Officer

Job Title: Senior Finance Officer
Group: Nigeria
Team: Finance
Location: Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Responsible to: Finance Manager (FM) – Nigeria

Part 1 – Job Description

1. Position in organisation

• Responsible to the Finance Manager, Nigeria
• Works closely with the Project Managers
• Works directly with Street Child’s (SC) partners, especially the finance staff of the partners
• Works closely with the Street Child’s Finance team, Operations team, and other in-country Street Child’s staff

2. Organisational requirements

The post holder will be expected to live out Street Child’s values as they represent SC internally and externally.

S/he will be expected to fulfil their personal objectives set by the line manager, contribute to the team’s overall objectives, take responsibility for reviewing the ongoing personal development and maintain an awareness of Street Child’s strategy.

S/he will be expected, along with all SC staff, to share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

The post-holder will be expected to behave in accordance with the SC Policies.

3. Duties & Key Responsibilities.

3.1 Financial and Accounting Supervision

• Ensure that all Street Child’s internal controls and other financial procedures are adhered to and fully implemented
• The post holder will be responsible for preparing monthly payrolls and submit to the FM for review
• S/he will be responsible for preparing proposal budgets and submit to the FM for review
• S/he will be responsible for preparing balance sheet reconciliation for the FM to review
• The Senior Finance Officer will be actively involved in the preparing of donor financial reports and project close out processes
• S/he will support the FM to anchor both internal and external audits for SC Nigeria
• Ensure that all Street Child’s financial transactions (bank, cash, accruals) are properly recorded in Aqilla in accordance with SC Policy and donor requirements
• Work with the finance officers to ensure that statutory obligations are met (Taxes, pension and others) are accurately deducted and remitted on time to the appropriate authorities
• Ensure that the fixed assets register is updated and maintained in line with both donor and SC policies
• Ensure that key donor requirements are circulated to the project managers to ensure proper implementation. The post holder will track key donor rules and follow up with project managers for strict adherence
• Manage all payments made, including:
• Verification of the accuracy and appropriateness of invoices and other documents provided for payments.
• Ensure that all relevant supporting documents are in place and that all SC policies and regulations have been followed
• Ensure payments reach the beneficiaries
• Record all bank transactions made in the accounting system provided
• Inform Project Managers and Partner Staff of specific donor regulations for procurement, distribution, and reporting
• Ensure that SC and Partner books and records, insofar as they relate to donor-funded projects, are kept in accordance with donor requirements
• Produce accurate and up-to-date financial reports using required formats
• Ensures that the cash count is made every end of every month (or as determined by the FM)
• Management of advances to staff (ensure that advances are accounted for over time and that no double advances are issued)

3.2 Accounting and Financial Management.

• Track service contracts to ensure they are renewed on time and for those who expire, follow the correct process if they need to be terminated or renewed
• Provide financial / accounting assistance to the country office to ensure that procedures and policies are not flouted
• To be a leader in the prevention of fraud at the base and to provide technical support for fraud investigations
• The post holder will ensure that all transactions are properly coded to the right project and budget lines
• S/he will undertake monthly bank reconciliation and submit same to the FM for review
• S/he will support the FM to ensure that partners’ expenses are adequately supported and recorded in the accounting software
• The successful candidate will work closely with the FM to produce monthly Budget versus Actula reports on the 10th of every month and circulate same to the project managers
• Undertake any other task assigned by the FM

Part 2 – Person Specification

ESSENTIAL / DESIRABLE

Qualifications:

• Degree in Finance / Accounts or equivalent experience
• ACA / MBA / CA, ICAN, ANAN or equivalent
• Proven experience in relief and disaster response work

Experience:

• Minimum of 8 (eight) years’ experience in the NGO accounting and minimum of 10 years’ experience in the non-NGN section of which 5 years must be in the audit firm
• Strong technical experience in book-keeping, accounting, and financial management
• Understanding of accounting issues in the charity/NGO sector
• Strong background in accounting is a plus

Skills/Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication in English language.
• Planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Communication and presentation skills
• Self-motivation
• Computer literate in MS-Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc
• Team player
• Initiative
• Attention to detail
• Ability to Prioritise
• Good analytical skills
• Training and mentoring skill
• Knowledge of SAGE 50, QuickBooks and other accounting software is highly desirable.
• Ability to communicate in Hausa is a plus

Personal Qualities

• Committed to SC Vision, Mission, and Values
• Logical Thinker and Problem solver
• Humanitarian motivation
• Commitment to accountability to Beneficiaries and transparency, showing dignity and respect
• Understanding and sensitivity to cross cultural issues
• Flexible and adaptable to changing environments
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Influential, diplomatic and determined
• Willingness to travel and live in basic and potentially insecure conditions
• Ability to work cross culturally in a muti-ethnic and religious environment