FINANCE MANAGER

  • Contract

Company Description

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian and development organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. CARE commenced its humanitarian programme in Kenya in 1968. Since then we have built a substantial development and humanitarian program including refugee operations, emergency response, livelihoods, food security, climate change adaption, sexual reproductive and maternal health, women and girls’ economic empowerment, and youth employability.  

CARE is committed to meeting international standards of quality and accountability when responding to emergencies. Responding to humanitarian crises means that CARE staff may potentially exercise significant power over stakeholders, particularly affected communities. To ensure that CARE earns the trust and respect of those we are serving, we need to be sure that we are being accountable to them. By improving accountability, we also improve the quality and performance of our response in meeting essential needs and to achieve greater impact.  .

 

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY & PURPOSE:

 

The Finance Manager (FM) is responsible for all aspects of accounting and financial reporting, cash management, controllership and the budgeting functions of the Country Office. The FM provides training and coaching to Country Office finance staff as they assume more responsibilities. The FM ensures that projects and programs receive quality financial services required in a timely manner. The FM ensures that financial systems are in place and that senior managers enforce compliance with these systems and that financial risks are mitigated.

 The FM is overall responsible and accountable for the day to day financial operations, implementation, monitoring and developing financial policies at CARE International in Kenya. The FM is responsible for the finance department planning, staff management and supervision. The FM is responsible for the Country Office budget compilation and monitoring, auditing and is the CARE Canada/CARE International liaison on financial matters. The FM provides technical assistance, standardization and quality control to sub-offices and direct support to Sector and Project Managers for national projects.

 

Tasks and Responsibilities.

R 1:

Task

Responsible for the overall Country Office financial policy development, monitoring and evaluation.

  1. Develop and implement CARE International in Kenya financial policies and procedures in compliance with donor rules and regulation, accounting principles and in liaison with CARE Canada and CARE International standards.
  2.  Monitor the implementation of financial policies in CARE International in Kenya, evaluate and review CARE International in Kenya financial policies and procedures
  3. Ensures Country Office compliance with CARE’s accounting policy vis-à-vis fund accounting in line with CARE’s financial manual and generally accepted accounting principles.

 

R 2:

Task

Overall responsible for the preparation and monitoring of mission budgets and financial reporting. Oversee and accountable for donor reporting schedules ensuring that they are met in an accurate and timely manner. Monitor and advice project unit managers regarding the expenditure status of their budgets.

  1. Prepare and monitor mission budgets
  2. Supervises the preparation and submission of the Mission budgets by line managers and finance staff, to ensure that budgets reflect Mission needs and CARE Canada (CC) budgetary requirements
  3. Supervise the preparation to include auditing/reviewing of the monthly financial report and coordination of all financial reports to be submitted to HQ (CARE Canada).
  4. Supervise donor reports preparation and ensure submission in a timely manner.
  5. Supervise monthly expenditure statement preparation and ensure submission to the program team in a timely manner
  6. Analyze and track Shared Project Cost spending and ensure full allocation for cost coverage.

 

R3:

Task

Overall liaison for financial matters.

  1. Provides liaison with other departments, sub-offices, CARE Canada and other CARE International missions to provide information, guidance, address issues, and to ensure adherence to CARE International Country Office financial requirements, standards and procedures.
  2. Respond on all financial correspondence from CARE Canada and CARE International members and other CARE missions.
  3.  Oversee the Country Office’s bank liaisons.
  4. Financial liaison with Government of Kenya and negotiate on financial compliance requirements.

 

R4:

Task

Responsible for the Treasury management.

1.     Monitor cash flow and ensure adequate cash flow to meet the Country Office’s financial obligations.

2.     Monitoring and mitigate impact of exchange rate fluctuations.

3.     Review Bank Reconciliations and resolve unreconciled transactions.

4.     Ensure compliance to Taxation requirements in line with the Kenyan Tax laws.

5.     Review advances requests and subsequent liquidation accounting including sub grants to Implementing Partners.

6.     Maintaining a updated Authorized Signatory Forms (ASF)

 

R5:

Task

Responsible for advising the Country Office on financial matters.

1.     Interpretation of the Kenyan Financial Laws. Keep track of the development and change of Kenyan Financial laws.

2.     Provide financial advice and information to the Country Office and project management.

3.      Ensure contract compliance to legal statutory compliance requirements.

4.     Finance Staff: Coordination in the application of CARE reporting standards with accounting systems; assistance in solving day-to-day problems

5.     Provide Management reports and present to the Senior Management Team and to the Head Quarters.

R6:

Task

Responsible for Finance department planning, staffing, organization and development:

 

  1. Provides overall management of the Finance staff to ensure that projects are provided with timely financial services to enable their optimum and most efficient utilization.
     
  2. Supervise the Dadaab Sub Office Finance & Administration Manager, Budgets & Grants Coordinator, Finance Officers at the Head Office and the Sub Offices.
  3. Provide direction in the process of planning (including budgets) and prioritization of activities for the finance department.
  4. Conduct Annual and mid-year appraisals for Finance Department Staff identifying competent performers in order to build up their capacities to take on higher positions for their career growth.
  5. Provide leadership, guidance, mentoring and identify training opportunities for personal and professional development to the Finance Staff.
  6. Maintain a positive participatory work environment where information is shared, inputs are considered and a healthy team spirit thrives. Initiate and encourage inter-sectoral mission wide information sharing and corporation.

 

R7:

Task

Review or approve as appropriate Mission statements, staff payroll, financial reports, adjusting journal entries and cash receipts within the authorized limits.

 

R8:

Task

Facilitate internal and external financial audits and ensure implementation of resulting audit recommendation.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

 

1.       Education: Education:    Certified Public Accountant (K), Bachelor Commerce degree, (Finance), Masters in Business Admin (Finance) and a member of an accounting body (ICPAK).          

2.       Experience:          At least 5 years work experience in a similar position       

3.       Competencies:    Leadership, management, communication, interpersonal and analytical skills.

 

Additional Information

AUTHORITY:

 

1.       Spending Authority: Spending Authority: KES 350,000 or USD Equivalent          

2.       Supervision: Dadaab Sub Office Finance Manager, Budgets & Grants Coordinator, Finance Officers (at the Head office and Sub/Field Offices): Technical backstopping to Program Grants Accountants.           

3.       Decision Making: Important financial decisions under general policies and procedures which have a broad impact on the normal operations of CARE.

 

CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS (internal & external):

1.       Internal and External Audit teams

2.       Sector and Project Managers

3.       Senior Management Team

4.       Head Quarter (CARE Canada) Finance Staff

5.       Donors & CARE International Members

 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Based in Nairobi, with 30% travel to Sub/Field offices.