Director of Finance and Administration

TITLE:  Director of Finance and Administration (DFA)

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA) program

LOCATION: Freetown, Sierra Leone  working for USAID SIHSA project in Sierra Leone CO

GRADE: Executive 

CONTRACT LENGTH: 

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3:  the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE: Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA) program is an anticipated five-year USAID-funded project to be inplumented in Sierra Leone. The program will focus on improving the quality of family planning and maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and malaria services; promote adoption of crucial health behaviors; and strengthen the stewardship and governance of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, both at central and district levels

The DFA oversees all financial management, internal controls, and financial compliance aspects of the program in accordance with USAID guidance and regulations. S/he provides financial and operational management to ensure the best use of resources by preparing sound budgets, monitoring project expenses, and providing accurate and timely financial reports for donors.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: (Finance Director Sierra Leone Country Office)

Staff reporting to this post: N/A

Direct:N/A

Indirect :Y

Budget Responsibilities: £xxxx per year

Role Dimensions: (e.g. complexity, relationships, communication with stakeholders)

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

• Review and consolidate monthly financial reports to ensure accuracy and to provide regular feedback to senior management.
• Ensure all financial plans, invoices, reports, and other financial documents and transactions are accurate, timely, and consistent with Save the Children and USAID guidelines and regulations.
• Prepare and monitor budgets to ascertain that spending occurs as planned and that variances are anticipated, noted, and corrected; ensure that key program personnel are aware of budgetary resources and are able to monitor their respective budgets.
• Prepare quarterly reports, consolidated annual fiscal reports, cumulative life of project report, and any other required donor submissions.
• Verify that appropriate segregation of duties exists to ensure effective support of field operations and to protect the integrity of the country office finance and administrative operations.
• Perform financial review of purchase requests, purchase orders, and payment requests to ensure compliance with Save the Children’s policies and procedures and USAID grants and contracts requirements.
• Oversee subgrant monitoring and compliance including organizational assessments, review of financial reports/advance requests, and financial tracking; develop subgrant monitoring plans; and perform and document compliance visits.
• Supervise the finance and operations staff, conducting performance evaluations and revising job descriptions as necessary. Develop the capacity of the team and facilitate their professional growth.
• Provide capacity building in financial and operations management to local partners and government stakeholders. 
• Prepare and revise finance and operation guidelines to ensure adherence to SC and USAID requirements;
• Encourage a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, or other relevant field; professional qualification/certification in Accounting and graduate work desired.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Minimum of seven years of experience managing finance for USAID-funded projects; in-depth knowledge of USAID financial management rules and regulations.
• Proven ability to prepare budgets and donor financial reports.
• Strong analytical, leadership and interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations.
• Experience as a coach/mentor to train staff and develop financial skills of colleagues.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of local language preferred.
• Excellent experience of computerized accounts packages, Excel, PowerPoint and Word;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Experience of general administration work;
• Understanding of Save the Children's vision and mission and a commitment to its objectives and values;

Desireable

• Excellent understanding of business and financial planning including strategic modelling
• Familiarity with the political, social, and cultural context of Sierra Leone is preferred.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience

Equal Opportunities 

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.