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Purpose

Danish Refugee Council is currently looking for a Finance Manager in Nigeria.  Under the supervision of the Head of Support Services (HoSS), the Finance Manager will ensure that all financial functions in the country programs, including accounting, payments and banking payroll, budgeting, financial reporting (internal and external to donors and government authorities), capacity building of finance team, budgetary management training for support and program teams and grant financial management and compliance are done effectively and on time. The finance manager will manage a team of three staff members (two finance specialists and one finance officer).

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The main responsibilities and tasks of the Finance Management are the following:

• Financial Accounting, Management and Reporting
  • In close cooperation with Managers in geographical areas, reinforce existing procedures and systems for financial management and control in compliance with guidelines of DRC’s Operations Handbook, internal guidelines, and donor requirements.
• • Ensure that proper financial procedures are adhered to and maintained at the Country Office, in collaboration with Budget Holders and in compliance with DRC rules and regulations.
  • In collaboration with the Head of Support Services, work with and support Budget Holders in budget preparations, realignments, monitoring and follow ups.
  • Ensure day-to-day accounting functions, including regular cash verification, cash/bank reconciliation, monthly cashbooks closing, advances’ reconciliation, timely submission of accounts to HQ finance desk.
  • Ensure payments to suppliers and recurrent expenditures from the Country Office are made in a timely manner and authorization done as per IDRA and CT authorization.
  • Gather information from the relevant Area Offices to consolidate budgets for project proposals according to projects’ needs and donor constraints; Propose sufficient program and support budgets including mission’s investment plans in close collaboration with the Head of Support Services.
  • Ensure a controlled and smooth cash flow management process for Country Program  and ensuring all Area Offices have sufficient cashflow for operations.
  • Oversee the management of bank accounts in country office, as well as oversee Cash management and safe(s).
  • Maintenance of the Country Master Budget on a monthly basis and highlighting any foreseen gaps to the Head of Support Services for gap management. Also responsible for dissemination of the same to the respective Area Offices.
• Capacity Development
  • Works closely with the Head of Support Services to implement, improve and maintain financial management policies, systems, structures, and procedures within the Country Office
  • Update the Job descriptions of finance department staff when required.
  • Provide technical support to the Area offices-based finance staff as well as providing leadership to the finance staff in the Country Office.
  • Proactively identify and act upon capacity Building needs of Finance staff based in the Country Office, providing training and other capacity-building where necessary to ensure that finance staff capacity is continuously developing.
  • Conduct on-the-job training for Budget Holders, guiding them through Budgeting, donor compliance and compliance to DRC handbook.
  • Plan field monitoring visits by the Country Office Finance staff to Area and Field office for field teams’ support
• Technical Line Management Responsibilities
  • Ensure an ongoing, accurate both physical & digital data filing system for all Finance vouchers in the Country Office and relevant documentation in the program finance offices.
  • Ensure master in the DRC Dynamics (ERP) System and responsible for training other finance staff in the Country Office as well as in the Area offices.
  • Manage special projects, assigned by the Head of Support Services.
  • On request, perform any other additional duties assigned by the supervisor(s) in order to allow the organization to function optimally.

Required Qualifications

• Post graduate University degree in Economics, Finance/Accounting or Business Administration.
• Minimum 5 years of international practical experience in financial management
• At least 3 years of experience working with INGOs.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in team management.
• Proven experience in managing large budgets.
• Competence in providing technical guidance and training.
• Ability to prepare basic training modules on Dynamics, accounting, and finance management.
• Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office, Internet) and advanced proficiency in Excel are required.
• Proficiency (written and spoken) in the English language.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills with a well-developed ability to motivate and persuade at high levels.
• Proven significant financial management experience.

Required Skills & Qualities

Core Competencies of DRC:

• Striving for excellence
• Collaboration
• Taking the lead
• Communication
• Demonstrating Integrity
• Proven leadership skills and a competence in people management
• Competence in providing technical guidance and training.
• Proven experience in managing large budgets.
• Ability to prepare basic training modules on Dynamics, accounting, and finance management.
• Proven experience in working with national partners, local/government authorities.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills with a well-developed ability to motivate and persuade at high levels.
• Proven significant financial management experience.
• Working experience with relevant donors (e.g. UNHCR, ECHO, OFDA, WFP, DFID or BPRM guidelines
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills.

General Regulations

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality, and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
• Employees should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization.
• Employees should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period.
• Employees should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization.
• Employees shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request.

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The overall purpose of the role:  

Ensure that DRC is compliant with country grant management guidelines, lead on donor obligated reporting, and liaise with Support Services team on donor requested information.

Duties and Responsibilities

Grants management and compliance

• Lead in coordinating, scheduling, facilitating, and follow up of monthly grant meetings. Draft, finalize, and share agenda and relevant documents, ensuring action points from meetings are monitored.
• In coordination with Programme, Finance, HR, and Area Offices, support facilitation of grant start-up and close-out meetings, providing presentations on important contractual stipulations, donor compliance, and deadlines.
• Ensure timely and accurate maintenance of grant files on DRC’s SharePoint, Insite, along with accurate and timely maintenance of the Grants Management System (GMS) on Dynamics in line with country office compliance.
• Coordinate and facilitate technical and financial revisions to donors for ongoing projects, including budget realignments. If needed, provide review for grammar and consistency across submission documents.
• With the support of PDQM, develop tools and facilitate trainings to build the country office’s capacity to comply with DRC’s grant management guidelines and donor regulations.

Reporting

• Send monthly grant reminders to teams detailing upcoming deadlines, reporting requirements including templates, and internal review timelines.
• Review and edit reports for quality and consistency, ensuring compliance with donor reporting requirements. Ensure all donor submissions are documented.
• Assist Programme Quality Assurance unit in conceptualising and facilitating the implementation of programme quality tools, including reporting processes and responsibilities.
• In close collaboration with Programme and MEAL teams, support documentation of lessons learnt, best practices and proven innovations in programme design, implementation, monitoring and reporting to improve programme design and implementation strategy.

Partnership management:

• Support the management and facilitation of partner sub-awards including communication, report coordination, and monitoring of partner spending to ensure compliance within the financial stipulations of the sub-award.
• Facilitating partner assessment process and drafting, finalising and sharing minimum set of documents for successful partnership management.
• Assisting the Partnership Coordinator and/or the Programme Development and Quality Manager in drafting and finalising partnership agreements.
• Assisting the programme and support team in partner capacity strengthening with particular focus on grant management as well as donor regulations and relationships.

Other

• Liaise with Finance colleagues on budget follow-up and expenditure levels of active grants. Support Finance in the closing out of grants in a timely manner.
• Maintain up-to-date information on donor policies, regulations, and procedures. Ensure relevant stakeholders are informed of changes.
• Work with colleagues to identify and find solutions to compliance-related issues or findings.
• Identify areas and provide solutions to improve operational efficiencies in related areas.
• Inductions of new colleagues

       In addition to the above, the Grants Management Specialist may be asked to carry out other duties requested by the Programme Development and Quality Manager but always in the scope of this job description.

Qualifications

Required:

• Minimum 3 years of international grant management within development/humanitarian sector
• Knowledge of donor rules, regulations, and procedures of donors including but not limited to US and European donors, EU funding mechanisms, and UN agencies.
• Proven experience in successfully submitting reporting packages.
• Proven experience in capacity strengthening and training of staff and partners.
• Bachelor’s degree in a field related to humanitarian work, political science, international development, economics or other relevant fields.
• Full professional proficiency in English with the capacity to produce well-written products for formal reporting and communication.
• Strong organization and planning skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Broad understanding of donor rules and regulations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Able to meet deadlines while managing and prioritizing competing demands.
• Problem analysis and solutions-oriented way of working.
• Able to quickly research, learn and disseminate new knowledge and information.
• Able to communicate clearly and in a timely manner.
• Able to adapt quickly, with an openness to learn and ask questions.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with non-profit budgeting is preferable
• Hausa (fluent) desirable

Required Skills & Qualities

Core Comptencies of DRC:

• Striving for excellence
• Collaboration
• Taking the lead
• Communication
• Demonstrating Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment.
• Excellent writing, proof-reading, and communication skills
• Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills
• Strong ability to adapt, take initiative and work in a multicultural environment.
• Interest for humanitarian sector and donor’s environment
• Listening, analytical and synthesis skills
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness
• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace