South Sudan: Director of Finance and Administration, South Sudan

Director of Finance and Administration, South Sudan

Requisition Number 15-0163

City Juba

Description Pact Overview

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. The promise of a healthy life. Of a decent livelihood. Of sustainable natural resources that benefit communities. Now more than ever in its 42-year history, Pact is helping millions of people who are poor and marginalized discover and build their own solutions and take ownership over their future.

Pact enables systemic solutions that allow those who are poor and marginalized to earn a dignified living, be healthy, and take part in the benefits that nature provides. Pact accomplishes this by strengthening local capacity, forging effective governance systems, and transforming markets into a force for development.

Department Overview

Pact exists to help create a world where those who are poor and marginalized exercise their voice, build their own solutions, and take ownership of their future. The Finance department, contributes to realizing this purpose by:

• Forging smart partnerships and treating all people with dignity and respect;

• Applying organizational policies and regulatory compliance appropriately and consistently;

• Facilitating team spirit among colleagues and promoting the organization through communications;

• Influencing decision makers through focused, relevant communications;

• Continually striving to learn and share knowledge and find small ways to make the workplace more enjoyable for all;

• Cultivating and harvesting innovation;

• Contributing to the organization’s ability to think and act strategically at all times;

Inspiring and spreading our desired organizational culture across the global enterprise.

Position Purpose

Reporting to the Country Manager, the Finance and Administration Director is overseeing the financial and accounting management and compliance of the country office and/or projects, as well as issues related to administration and human resources. The DFA is responsible for all internal controls and for following all Pact policy and procedures related to accounting and cash management. The DFA may be assigned other responsibilities as needed.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management and Accounting

• Design and/or update and implement systems and procedures following Pact and US Government standards to ensure operational effectiveness and internal control.

• Manage the ongoing work of the finance staff. Specifically:

o Hold regular meetings with Finance staff

o Oversee the timely payments to suppliers (petty cash, checks, and electronic payments) and check accuracy of the transactions. Review monthly the cashbooks, bank reconciliation and transactions compiled / entered by the accountant.

o Oversee the preparation of journals for the grantees and petty cash expenses / adjustments and present it for approval.

o Oversee the preparation of financial data in Serenic

o Compile a monthly financial report for approval by the Country Manager and submission to Head Office.

o Reconcile financial records with specified financial reports provided by Head Office and submit findings on discrepancies.

o Oversee the cash management function. Monitors the cash levels in the bank accounts and requests funds on a monthly or as need basis from Head Office.

• Liaise with the Senior Finance Specialist based at Head Office to ensure that financial reports are in compliance with Pact policies and desired standards.

• Liaise with the Deputy Director of Global Finance, Africa Region, to resolve financial management issues that require additional input of a technical nature or regarding which the Finance Manager requires a judgement regarding the application of USG rules or regulations, including HQ audit documents.

• Review monthly Project Status Reports (PSRs) received from headquarters, and provide the Country Manager with up-to date financial status information and pipeline projections to ensure that project spending is in line with the budget and work plan and trigger actions for additional funding requirements.

• Ensure that the Finance Unit prepares and maintains accurate and updated grantee cash flow reports for each partner as well as the sub grant matrix summary report indicating total amounts advanced and settled as well as corresponding dates and additional calculated information needed to monitor all aspects of the sub-grantees’ financial status.

• Prepare analyses requested by Country Manager for internal monitoring;

• Ensure that the Finance unit compiles accurate and complete VAT reimbursement submissions;

• When necessary interact with government officials, auditors and other finance professionals..

Compliance

• Ensure that all financial procedures, files, accounting practices and procurement of goods and services are in compliance with company and US Government regulations.

• Ensure compliance with South Sudan laws for payment of statutory employee benefits, registration fees, tax submissions, etc and keep abreast with changes in the Labour / related Acts for the same purpose.

• Update the inventory register with all required financial data and ensure that an inventory of assets is recorded with this data.

• Assist grantees to meet special award conditions and conduct on-going reviews of grantees financial systems to identify and address issues relating to (non-) compliance.

• Interact with grantees in ensuring compliance with Pact’s financial regulations.

• Oversee proper and routine filing of financial documents, electronically and paper copies.

Grant Management, Sub-grant Monitoring and Capacity Building

• In coordination with those responsible for grants and contracts and the program team, manage the financial aspects of the grants cycle.

• Review monthly financial reports, supporting documents and cash advance requests by selected grantees and approve requests reviewed by other members of the finance department.

• As requested by the programs team, assist in reviewing and compiling budgets for sub agreements or obligations.

• Oversee grantee financial close outs by reviewing financial books and reports, checking compliance with own policies, and calculating and booking final exchange gain/loss on awards.

Administration, Human Resources and Staff Management

• In coordination with the Country Manager, develop and amend job descriptions as needed for finance staff and program teams.

• Ensure all internal controls are sound and in place, amend job descriptions and/or access rights to accommodate internal controls, especially when staff numbers in finance change.

• Oversee the preparation of payroll, payslips and all personnel reports on a monthly basis and present these to the Country Manager for final approval.

• Provide regular support and supervision to staff under direct line management. This includes (but not limited) the formulation of individual work plans (with agreed indicators of achievement) based on project work plans and/or job descriptions. It also includes regularly scheduled supervision and performance management meetings to assess progress against agreed outputs.

• Participate in staff recruitment, induction planning and formulation of staff personal development plans.

Supervision and mentoring

• Supervise and manage the daily operations of the Accountant and Finance Assistant positions and, in so doing assume responsibility for matters pertaining to discipline, development, performance management and appraisals.

• Supervise, mentor and strengthen the professional capacity development of the finance staff.

• Conduct staff appraisals for finance and administration staff.

• Actively engage with the Country Manager and the Deputy Director of Global Finance, Africa Region, to strengthen the Finance Manager’s own skill set and remain completely up-to-date on developments in Pact and USG financial policies, rules and regulations.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field; Advanced degree preferred.

• 10- 14 years of directly relevant experience in financial management and or accounting with proven management experience.

• Ability to live and work in challenging political and security environment. Prior experience in Africa, and conflict or post conflict settings preferred.

• Sound knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) including demonstrated ability to exercise financial oversight of sub-grant programs.

• Experience managing finances of and compliance for USAID and other donor programs

• Experience in managing staff

• Proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint and accounting systems.

• Training in the following areas would be a distinct advantage: grants management, office management, budget, financial and grants regulations.

• Knowledge of Serenic highly desirable

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Competency requirements

• Provides team with a clear sense of direction; organizes resources and steers others towards successful task accomplishment.

• Delegates responsibilities to appropriate Supervisees; gives others the latitude to exercise their own initiative, and invests them with the power and authority to accomplish tasks effectively.

• Actively seeks to improve others’ skills and talents by providing constructive feedback, coaching, training opportunities and assignments, which challenge their abilities and encourage development.

• Cooperates and work well with others in the pursuit of team goals; shares information and supports others.

• Able to establish and maintain relationships with people at all levels; puts others at ease; promotes harmony and consensus through diplomatic handling of disagreements and potential conflict.

• Adaptable; receptive to new ideas; willing and able to adjust to changing demands and circumstances.

• Remains calm, objective and in control in stressful situations; maintain a stable performance under pressure; accepts criticism without becoming over-defensive.

• Able to communicate with, relate to, and see issues from the perspective of people of different cultures.

• Maintains high ethical standards both professionally and personally; shows integrity and fairness in dealings with others; is reliable and trustworthy.

• Seeks all possible relevant information for problem solving and decision making; consults widely; probes the facts, analyses issues from different perspectives.

• Produces written communications which are clear, fluent, concise and readily understood by the intended recipient(s).

• Enthusiastic and committed; demonstrates capacity for sustained effort and hard work over long time periods.

• Committed to the achievement and maintenance of quality; sets high standards of performance for self and others.

• Computer literacy with advance skills in Microsoft Office

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional experience in the region or knowledge/experience of similar settings

To apply for this position, please visit our website at www.pactworld.org