Base Administrator

Action Against Hunger is a leading humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide. Our mission is to save lives by eliminating hunger through the prevention, detection, and treatment of malnutrition, especially during and after emergencies of conflict, war, and natural disaster. In Kenya, we are committed to enhancing compliance and accountability in all our operations to ensure the efficient and ethical use of resources. Action Against Hunger has been present in Kenya since 2001 and is a transformative leader in Food security and nutrition for improved quality of life among vulnerable communities. The organization recognizes gender equality as central to its core strategy toward the realization of effective and sustainable outcomes on nutrition, health, WASH and surveillance interventions. Action Against Hunger is currently implementing activities in West Pokot, Mandera, Samburu, Isiolo, Tana River, Nairobi and Baringo counties.

Summary of Position

Action Against Hunger is looking to hire a Base Administrator position based in Mandera. The holder of the position is a key position responsible for managing and overseeing the financial operations of an office or base within an organization. This role ensures financial integrity, accountability, and efficient use of resources and acts as a focal point for both finance and HR at the base level. Base admin oversees daily finance operations and administrations to ensure efficiency and compliance with organizational policies.

The Base Administrator role’s purpose, engagement and delivery are as follows:

Purpose:

The purpose of the Base Administrator role is to ensure the efficient and effective management of a base office. This role is crucial for maintaining smooth day-to-day operations, supporting program activities, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies. The position holder oversees financial operations at the base, including budgeting, expense tracking to advise program team, and financial reporting of the base, ensuring accountability and transparency.

Engagement:

• The role of a Base Administrator is critical for fostering positive relationships, ensuring effective communication, and promoting collaboration with the base staff and coordination office team. This role supports the overall success and sustainability of the base’s operations and programs.

• The base admin will work closely with the Field Coordinator at the base to provide regular reports on administration issues, financial risks, progress and relevant recommendations.

• Communicate organization policies and procedures to all employees and guide them on related matters.

• Collaborate with different departments i.e. HR and Finance at the capital office for quality service delivery at the base level for staff harmonious working relations and full support across departments.

• Coordinate with all relevant departments to conduct internal audits to assess compliance with policies and regulations and External Auditors facilitate external audits and inspections by regulatory bodies or third-party auditors.

Delivery:

The Base Administrator’s delivery role revolves around maintaining financial stability, ensuring compliance, providing accurate financial information, and supporting the overall operational efficiency of the base.

Monitor and control program expenditures to ensure they remain within the approved budget.

Guide programs team to prepare accurate financial forecasts to anticipate financial needs.

Conduct monthly book reconciliations for the base to ensure the accuracy of financial records and transactions within the month.

Provide monthly payroll alteration records for changes within the month and address any payroll-related issues.

Support in facilitating internal and external audits by providing necessary documentation and explanations on a need basis for matters related to the base.

I. Essential job duties:

1. MANAGEMENT OF THE FINANCES OF THE BASE 65%

General Finance:

• Responsible for finance at base level,
• To ensure proper implementation of Action Against Hunger’s financial rules and procedures.
• Responsible for the financial authorization of the expenses done on the base in compliance with financial procedures and monthly cash forecast
• Record all working advances in the advance book and follow up on their clearance by staff on a timely basis.
• To ensure that each cash & bank transaction is justified by an appropriate invoice/receipt, and to ensure the quality of receipts (name, patent no., stamp, description, date, amount, etc.)
• Responsible for proper & regular filing of all finance documents at the base.

Budget Management

• Where required and in consultation with the Field Coordinator, provide inputs to budget proposal design and procurement plan design.
• Check availability of funds for all activities and expenses- validate the procurement requests and SPOs
• Hold monthly Budget Follow Up(BFU) meetings at base level and communicate feedback to Nairobi Finance office
• Ensure that correct budget lines are used for each activity & expense- link to PFU and BFU

Cash & Bank Management:

• To ensure respect for Action Against Hunger’s finance procedures and Cash Management Policy at the base level.
• Monthly cash and Bank reconciliation
• Ensure the safekeeping of Action Against Hunger funds and assets
• Make cash count at least once a week and also at the end of each month (in writing)
• Consolidate the base cash forecasts. Ensure liquidity at base level- sending balances to Nairobi, follow up on transfers to bases
• Ensure base expenditures are in line with the approved cash forecast, analyze the discrepancy between actual expenditures and cash forecast

SYLOGIST AND SAGA:

• Record all transactions in the Sylogist system/SAGA cashbook in full respect of internal saga rules. This cashbook & bank book must be updated daily to be able to verify the physical bank & cash balance at any time.
• Ensure that correct budget lines are used for each activity & expense- link to PFU and BFU
• Accountable for the SAGA monthly closing: check all books and transmit all documents before the 4th of the following month to the Nairobi finance team.

II. MANAGEMENT OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES AT THE BASE 20%

Administration of Employment practices

• To ensure the implementation of the staff regulation in the base,
• To ensure the proper communication within the base concerning administrative issues,
• To implement all HR procedures, projects and initiatives in the base and to propose to the Field Coordinator of Base new procedures where required,
• To maintain an accurate staff database of the staff, management of leave to include leave plans and leave follow-up
• To ensure the Payroll Alteration Forms are remitted to Nairobi HR on the 15th of every month for payroll processing.
• Responsible for all HR filing in the base including recruitment files, personnel files etc.

Employee Resourcing (HR Planning, Recruitment& Selection, Induction& Orientation

• In collaboration with the Field Coordinator, participate in the recruitment and selection process at the field level including preparing JD’s, job adverts, receiving and sorting applications, preparing interview materials, interview schedules, contacting candidates for interviews and helping set up interviews.
• Working closely with the HR Manager, preparing recruitment documentation to include the recruitment matrix and conducting reference checks to assist the Field Coordinator in the orientation and induction of new staff at the base. This includes preparing an induction schedule for new staff, collecting all documents from new employees as per the employee personnel checklist and opening employee personnel files for all new employees as well as assisting in conducting comprehensive HR induction at the base level.
• In consultation with the Field Coordinator, advise on staffing needs including the need for new hires and/or reductions.

Employee Relations

• Responsible for staff welfare at the base level including but not limited to staff meetings, medical, contributions etc.
• To ensure that each disciplinary action is justified, compliant with the law and staff regulation, and validated by the Field Coordinator in conjunction with HR Nairobi.
• To prepare for the base all propositions regarding changes in the HR policy, i.e. organization chart, comments on the salary grading structure and to be communicated to the Field Coordinator of Base who will liaise with other coordination teams.
• Be a change champion for HR initiatives and projects at the base level
• Working closely with the Field Coordinator, assist in the implementation of HR projects and initiatives at the base level

III. Any other duty 5%

• Perform any other assignment assigned by the supervisor

IV. Supervisory Responsibilities

• The base Administrator manages the cleaner and Assistant in the base

V. Gender Equality Commitments

• Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. Race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

VI. Fiscal Responsibility

• No fiscal responsibility

VII. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VIII. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
• Must be able to travel regularly for business purposes which can be up to 75% of the time. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.

X. Required Qualifications Required Education:

• Degree in business-related Field: Finance/Accounting.
• Professional qualification of CPA will be an added advantage
• Basic knowledge of and interpretation of the Kenyan labour law

XI. Required Skills & Experience

• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Problem Solver.
• Compatibility for both independence and teamwork.
• Persuasive and confident communicator, able to deal with senior colleagues throughout the organization.
• Persistence and assertiveness combined with tact and diplomacy
• 3 -5 years’ experience in a busy organization or Nonprofit organization
• Demonstrated flexibility and or adaptability.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills
• Good writing skills.
• Good management and representation skills.
• Good interpersonal skills
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to work in a high pressured environment