Quality Assurance Specialist at Plan International

Dimensions of Role

• The Quality Assurance Specialist is responsible for the successful financial management and compliance of organizational and donor guidelines (Global Affairs Canada) for the WISE Project.
• S/He is responsible to strengthen the capacity of the respective project staff and local partner organizations to undertake quality financial administration.
• He/She will ensure that financial reports and the respective supporting documents shared with the donor are of high quality.

The Quality Assurance Specialist will focus on three core functions;  

• Quality assurance for financial management and compliance
• Risk management
• Partnerships and capacity building development.
• The position will be based in Plan International Ghana’s office in Tamale.

 
Typical Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position

• Quality Assurance – Financial Management and Compliance: Provide financial and compliance oversight for the WISE project, ensuring that Plan International’s organizational policies and global assurance standards are met, and donor compliance requirements are upheld.
• Develops an annual assurance workplan for the WISE Project, as agreed with the Project Lead and Project Accountant, that provides quality assurance on key financial and compliance systems, processes, policies and controls with respect to Plan Ghana and the donor’s requirements.
• Reviews ongoing assurance assignments in the workplan in the line with international standards on internal auditing; ensuring quality standards are met through review of processes at risk in the annual review plan and alerts management of potential risk areas.
• Ensures timely preparation of quality assurance reports and provides extensive review of the reports to relevant stakeholders on assurance engagement assignments undertaken.
• Monitors the progress of management’s actions in response to assurance reviews, ensuring effective follow up.
• Leads decisions on which assignments to prioritize given competing assurance needs of the various stakeholders of the project.
• Develops and monitors WISE project calendar for reporting, ensuring that both internal and donor agreement deadlines are planned for and adhered to.
• Develops monitoring process for quarterly budget versus actuals analysis to ensure timely implementation of the project’s annual implementation plan.
• Create innovative ways to improve budgeting processes.
• In collaboration with the Project Accountant, work with the project team and partners to attain accurate and timely financial information.
• Review and ensure accurate financial reporting for management and donors.
• Ensure projects are audit ready, in compliance with funding agreements, and lead on project audits in liaison with internal and external auditors.
• Risk Management: Maintain an understanding of the potential financial and compliance risks to the project, and proactively develop plans to avoid, mitigate, manage, and reduce risk.
• Plan, design and implement an overall risk management process for the WISE project.
• Identify, analyze and document risks facing the WISE project and its partners, along with risk mitigation strategies. Update the analysis as often as needed and report to management, providing recommendations for improvement of risk management and internal control system. Ensure the project team has a good understanding of the project finances and compliance risks, allowing the team to develop solutions and risk mitigation tactics, inclusive of varying and rapidly changing risks.
• Ensures the existence and use of effective internal controls in compliance with Plan International and donor rules and regulations.
• Provides technical support in project team and organizational trainings focusing on risk management and effectiveness of the control framework.
• As required, provides advice to the Country Management Team on systems, processes and policy reviews, in agreement with the WISE Project Lead by developing strategies to minimize financial and compliance risks during implementation of the WISE project.
• Partnerships and Capacity Development: Build relationships with the project team and partner organizations, effectively equipping them with the skills and tools to uphold the financial management and compliance requirements of the project.
• Builds relationships with key internal stakeholders mainly project team and country management to facilitate the conduct of quality assurance engagements and identify appropriate areas for management support
• Manage the development and review of partnerships agreements and contracts, ensuring they align with Plan International and donor compliance requirements.
• Provide orientation and ongoing support to the project team and partners on Plan International and donor requirements outlined in agreements and contracts.  
• Lead the identification of capacity building needs with regards to staff, partners and community members (where relevant) in understanding and compliance to donor and internal control procedures; provide orientation, training and ongoing support on Plan and donor related policies and procedures.
• Provides training and technical support to project team, partners and communities on best practices with regards to finance and administrative policies and procedures.
• Facilitates the sharing of learning, based on best practices or from different partners as well from best standards and practices on the project.
• Interact with other quality assurance functions from local and other partner INGOs, and the donor community to exchange knowledge and learn on assurance best practices and developments in risk management.
• Change Management, management support and learning: Influences change within and the project team to strengthen risk management, accountability and effectiveness.
• Supports management in improving operations and to provide a platform for learning across Plan.
• Provides practical recommendations on how to improve systems, processes, policies and controls relating to the WISE project
• Facilitates the sharing of learning, based on best practices or from different partners as well from best standards and practices on the project
• Provides technical support in network meetings and other organizational trainings focusing on risk management and effectiveness of the control framework
• Provides advice to Country Management Team on systems, processes and policy reviews, in agreement with the Project Lead by developing strategies to minimize financial and compliance risks during implementation of the WISE project.
• Relationship Management: Builds relationships with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate conduct of quality assurance engagements and exchange of knowledge on assurance best practices
• Builds relationships with key internal stakeholders mainly project team and country management to facilitate the conduct of quality assurance engagements and identify appropriate areas for management support
• Interact with other quality assurance functions from local and other partner INGOs, and the donor community to exchange knowledge and learn on assurance best practices and developments in risk management
   

Dealing with Problems

• Working across a large geographical area and multiple districts/municipalities with different languages that require strategic choices to be made on the prioritization of assurance needs to be addressed
• The role will work with the WISE project team, Country Management Team, , Plan International Canada. This places a requirement for the development of excellence working relationships and communication that is greater than in more regular management relationships
• Deciding which assignments to prioritize given the many competing assurance needs of the various stakeholders of the project
• Finding effective assurance solutions to varying and rapidly changing risk levels of the project.
   

Communications and Working Relationships

• Wise Project Management Team (including Program Unit Managers)
• Plan Ghana Country Office and Canada National Office Programs, Technical and Finance teams
• Local and international partner organizations
   

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives
Knowledge and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Auditing or its equivalent, with Part II Professional Qualification;
• Extensive practical experience of at least five years in financial management, compliance, and risk management / risk-based auditing;
• At least 3 years’ experience in similar position with a recognized institution preferably an International NGO
• Knowledge and experience working with international donor guidelines and compliance requirements in the development sector, such as Global Affairs Canada, USAID, United Nations, etc.
• Knowledge and understanding of Ghanaian financial legal and regulatory requirements
• Experience developing and reviewing contracts and partnership agreements
• Experience in developing and delivering capacity development and mentoring to project teams and partners, specifically in the areas of financial management, compliance and risk management;
• Knowledge of project cycle management and program implementation is an added advantage;
   

Skills:

• Ability to train and mentor staff, partners and communities
• Good analytical and synthesis skills
• Ability to study and quickly understand new operating environment and organizational systems
• Good communications skills (written or oral)
• Good listening and negotiating skills
• Independence and objectivity, you should be able to work with minimum supervision
• Organized, methodical and meticulous
   

Behaviour:

• Promoting high performance
• Open to feedback and willing to try new approaches and processes
• Excellent Team Spirit
• Promotes innovation, learning and transparency
• Communicates effectively and enthusiastically as appropriate to the audience
• Gains, develops and retains credibility
• Behaves consistently in their approach to work and decision making
   

Physical Environment and Demands:

• The position typically works in an office environment with 50% extensive travel in project locations and visit to partner organizations.

Level of Contact with Children

• Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction
• Low contact- the job responsibilities of this position does not require the post holder to have any one-to-one contact with children on a daily basis. There would be occasional contact with children, and it is expected that children shall be protected at all times.