Provide the Chief of Party with the required leadership support in managing the finances and procurement functions of the programme.

Responsibilities

Manage the Finance process to achieve:

• Strong internal control environment
• Efficient reporting and projections to enable robust planning
• Excellent grant management and donor reporting
• Partner management including diplomacy, assessments, controls and capacity building

Financial Management

• Support the Chief of Party in effectively managing the finances (including budgets) of the Country Office, ensuring accuracy and respect of the group deadlines.
• Formulate financial strategic direction and support the Chief of Party to assess implications of financial issues in the short and long term.
• Ensure the global finance policies have been adopted locally, made context-relevant and in line with Donor requirements. Issue and monitor more specific and detailed programme specific guidelines; in line with global finance policies.

Budget & Forecasting

• Run a robust planning process that involves all stakeholders resulting in an annual phased (monthly) budgets and monitor partner budgets on a quarterly basis (re-budget / forecast)

Grant Management 

• Work with the technical teams in designing budgets and reporting forms that reflect project goals;
• Be fully conversant with all new project financial requirements of the donors. Responsible for communicating these requirements to project staff and partners and providing reporting timetables;
• Prepare sub-grant agreements and vendor contracts between VSO and partners;
• Budget preparation and monitoring, and recordkeeping as required. If poor practices or serious issues are identified, such concerns are raised to the Finance Manager/Senior Project Manager for further discussion with Senior Management Team;
• Take part in Training and providing support to all sub grants partners and project staff to ensure adherence to VSO and donor policies and procedures;
• Assure timely cash disbursement to recipients;
• Reviewing recipients’ financial and narrative reports for accuracy and raise questions to the appropriate member of the team;
• Assisting with quarterly Budget vs. Actual (variance) Analysis for donor reporting and review of program activities;
• Ensuring compliance by VSO Malawi and local legislation, internal VSO Malawi requirements, and various donor regulations and policies.

• Assist with monthly performance reviews
• Lead in liaising with appointed external auditors and reviewing external audit opinions on financial report and incorporating them into donor reports
• Complement Monitoring and Evaluation and Technical teams in conducting comprehensive recipient site visits;
• Identify areas where the Project requires support and providing specific support on financial management, internal control systems, budgeting and sub-grants management, capacity building etc. for ensuring effective project implementation;
• Ensuring that grant funds are effectively utilized against project deliverables;
• Track/monitor monthly actual expenditures against budget and prepare a variance analysis report by project;
• Perform all monthly accounting tasks relating to Grants by reviewing Financial Statements, correcting mis-postings where needed, preparing monthly standard journal vouchers;
• Provide monthly reconciliations between donor reports and SUN and ensure that the two systems are kept in line with each other;
• Ensure that donor reports, including re-forecasts are submitted on time;
• Maintain files for each grant which includes such information as signed contract, amendments to contract, financial reports submitted, income request forms etc.;
• Ensure all project small grants and staff business advanced are monitored, followed up those in arrears and due.

Internal and External Reports

Ensure high quality timely production of:

• Donor reports
• Fundraising reports
• Monthly management reports for the Chief of Party and the International Finance team, advising on variances
• Other internal and external reports as required

Internal Controls

Presides over internal controls reviews of the following key functional areas:

• Finance and Cash Management
• Grants management
• Administration and Procurement
• Payroll and HR
• Floats and liquidation procedures
• Financial System Closure Process

Participate in the yearly self-audit by filling in the Finance section and consolidating overall Malawi CO document 

Procurement Management

• Establish and maintain high quality and compliant procurement procedures, in line with VSO and donor compliant requirements
• Ensure all procurement contracts are appropriately negotiated, prepared, managed and adhered to.
• Support the people and operations department to ensure that programme resources and assets are deployed efficiently and effectively; VSO’s assets are safeguarded at all times
• Ensure procurement plans are in place and monitored at all times and weekly procurement tracking sheets are shared on a weekly basis with all budget holders.

Risk management

• Design risk assessment tests to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the systems as well as compliance to laid procedures
• Prepare reports, listing findings and risk/implications , recommendations, management responses.

People Management and Leadership:

• With support from People and Operations Manager develop and manage a team and ensuring that they perform to a high standard in line with global processes.
• Working with the People and Operations Manager and Chief of Party to promote a culture of high performance, creativity, ambition, customer service, positive communication and teamwork within the Country Office.

Responsible for senior level decision making  and strategic direction of the programme

Extensive grants finance manager experience of restricted donor funding, reporting, procurement procedure and donor rules and regulations for non-profit organisations .

Experience of capacity building of large programme teams, demonstrating clear results.

Experience of working in multiple foreign currencies and understanding of foreign exchange hedging.

Strong leadership experience in budget management (including project budgets), financial planning and analysis. Strong knowledge of internal financial controls and year-end procedure. Knowledge of Internal, External and Project Audit. Strong attention to detail.

Financial Business Partnering - Service oriented, customer focused approach. Experience of working in and understanding a global organisation, using knowledge to analyse and interpret financial information to support management.

Risk Management - Experience of identifying and analysing financial and Operational risks.

Customer Service – Experience of managing internal or externally focused customer services

Communication and Influencing Skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills - able to listen, analyse, present, consult, negotiate with confidence and obtain stakeholder engagement.  Able to communicate complex financial information effectively to wide range of audiences. Experience of remote and cross-cultural communication, demonstrating sensitivity to cultural and language differences.

Decision Making and planning – Capacity for inquiry, research, logical and analytical thinking, powers of reasoning and critical analysis. Able to demonstrate sound judgement and a solution-focused approach, solving unstructured issues in unfamiliar settings.  Able to consider implications of professional value, ethics and attitudes to decision making.  Able to plan, juggle complex multiple priorities within restricted resources.

Values – a commitment to VSO’s work and values

Desirable – Malawi language or one of the ethnic languages from Malawi

Experience of working in Southern Africa or in a developing country context

If you’re interested in applying for this role click on the link https://www.vsointernational.org/about/careers/programme-finance-manager-a0m3z00000dy7zsaad?source=myJobsinKenya to make an application’ and complete all relevant fields on the online application form.