Fnance Manager (8 Months Contract) at MAL Consultancy

JOB SUMMARY 

• One of our clients, in the NGO sector advocating for human and health rights, is seeking to onboard a temporary Finance Manager for a period of 8 months.
• The Finance Manager will work under the Operations and Compliance Department and will be based in Nairobi with occasional field travel.
• S/he will be responsible for overseeing and managing the financial health and integrity of the organization.
• S/he will oversee the planning, implementation, managing, and running of all the finance activities, including organization planning, budgeting, forecasting, internal and external financial reporting, grant management, audit coordination, donor management, and finance policies, as well as oversight of relevant financial regulations and compliance. S/he will have a strong financial and accounting background, with CPA(K) certification, and will be a member of ICPAK. The Finance Manager will have NGO experience and strong people leadership experience. 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

Reporting to the Head of Operations and Compliance, the duties and responsibilities of the Finance Manager will include but not be limited to;

Finance Strategy Planning & Implementation

• Lead in developing the organization's annual consolidated budget and related budget notes for Board Approval
• Participate in formulating project-specific budgets and in performing financial analysis  that facilitates effective monitoring of the organization’s performance to ensure that the set out objectives and targets are achieved
• Lead in developing and monitoring the organization's overhead budget, including recovery of overheads from the various grants.

Finance Policy Implementation and Maintenance

• Ensure adherence to Finance policies, SOPs, and procedures within the organization, and provide guidance to management and staff on the interpretation of the same
• Provide technical and effective advice on all financial issues and support managers on issues related to financial reporting, budgeting, adherence to reporting standards and regulatory requirements
• Maintain awareness and knowledge of financial practices and reporting and accounting standards (IFRS/IAS/SIC/IFIRC) and provide suitable interpretation to managers and staff within the organization
• Manage the key accounting processes in strict conformance with the finance manual, including but not limited to payroll processing, payables, receivables, etc. 

Financial Systems Management

• Serve as the custodian of the organization’s financial system, including managing user access rights, oversight over postings and audit trail of all transactions recorded in the system
• Oversee the effective functioning and continuous improvement of existing automated finance processes, ensuring ongoing accuracy of data recorded in the systems
• Ensure consistent and compliant use of the financial management system by all relevant staff, providing support and guidance as needed
• Leverage financial data from the system to produce timely and accurate reports, conduct in-depth analysis, and provide actionable insights to support strategic planning and informed decision-making.

Financial Reporting

• Lead the month-end closing and year-end closing processes and procedures, ensuring that this happens within the stipulated timelines
• Lead financial forecasting and budgeting processes and oversee the preparation of all financial reporting
• Ensure prompt submission of monthly, quarterly, annual or as per donor-specific schedules, financial reports to all relevant stakeholders both internally and externally
• Highlight risks or variances early through detailed reporting and financial analysis
• Ensure proper allocation of costs to donor grants and projects.

Financial Risk Management

• Ensure that the organization complies financially with all legal and regulatory requirements and that all relevant licenses, legal and regulatory requirements are procured and valid
• Ensure that record keeping meets the requirements of internal policies, auditors, partners, donors and government agencies
• Maintain relations with external auditors and investigate their findings and recommendations
• Ensure that donor funds are managed responsibly, adhering to regulatory standards, and safeguarding the organization from financial losses or reputational damage.

Fund Raising & Donor Management

• Collaborate with program teams to develop donor-compliant budgets for funding proposals
• Monitor grant expenditure against approved budgets to avoid under or overspending.

Compliance and Regulatory Adherence

• Ensure compliance with local tax laws, donor regulations, financial reporting standards, and audit requirements
• Track donor funds and ensure they are used in line with agreed upon terms
• Stay updated on changes in financial legislation or donor policies that may pose risks. 

Implement Internal Controls

• Ensure internal controls are adhered to and prevent mismanagement, fraud, or misuse of funds
• Ensure segregation of duties, including proper authorization and adherence to processes, and ensure regular reconciliations are done as per agreed upon SLA’s.

Capacity Building & Team Leadership

• Supervise and mentor finance team to enhance skills in reporting, compliance and financial systems
• Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within the finance and organization teams and financial processes.

Any other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to you from time to time. 

EDUCATION SKILLS & COMPETENCIES DESIRED 

• Bachelor’s Degree in commerce, Economics, Accounting, Finance, or related field
• A Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA(K))
• Member of ICPAK
• At least eight (8) years of financial and accounting management experience, 4 years of which must be at the management level focused on leading a financial and accounting function within an NGO environment.
• Demonstrable experience in managing a diverse range of stakeholders within the NGO sector
• Working knowledge of QuickBooks Accounting System 
• Deep understanding of financial models
• Strong team management experience—led a team of at least 5+ people
• Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to build strong relationships with clients and external actors
• Ability to remain calm and in control even under immense pressure
• Ability to remain open to change while managing complexities
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, trust and dependability with a strong sense of urgency
• Results-oriented, entrepreneurial, self-motivated, self-starter who is flexible and adaptable, with the ability to work in a fast-paced, high demand environment.