Concern Universal,Deputy Country Director Malawi Jobs in Malawi

Location: Lilongwe, Malawi

Responsible
to: Country
Director, Malawi

Responsible
for:
Finance, Administration and Operations staff (35 staff total)

Please note: All candidates must submit
an application form- we do not accept CVs. Please see below for details

About
Concern Universal

Concern Universal’s
vision is a world where justice, dignity and respect prevail for all. Working
in partnership, Concern Universal challenges poverty and inequality by
supporting practical actions that enable people to improve their lives and
shape their own futures. Founded in 1976, Concern Universal currently works in
12 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. By working directly with
partners and communities to identify real opportunities for lasting and
positive change, we facilitate a variety of projects that promote food
security, access to safe water and improved sanitation and respect for rights.

Concern Universal is
committed to working alongside communities and our partner organisations to
support local initiatives that improve the lives of people living in some of
the world’s poorest countries. Strengthening the ability of local communities
to establish and sustain development initiatives is a central theme of our
work. Concern Universal works in partnership with organisations that share our
commitment to accountability and service within a community-based approach: in
all our work we aim to maintain a cost-effective, professional and practical
approach while also attaining best-practice standards. Concern Universal is
responsive to community needs. Distinctive country strategies, developed with
the participation of partners, communities, and other key stakeholders, emerge
from this.

Concern Universal
has operated in Malawi since the late 1980s creating opportunities for lasting
improvement in peoples’ lives. We work in partnership with District Councils
and communities to implement development interventions reaching over 1,000,000
rural people each year. As such Malawi is by far the largest of Concern
Universal’s country programmes. Over the past twenty years we have gained
significant experience across a range of sectors including agriculture; climate
change and Disaster Risk Management; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH);
microfinance; malaria prevention and control; community mobilisation and
capacity building at District, Sub-District and Community level; and
cross-cutting work on HIV/AIDS, Gender, Rights and Environment.

Concern Universal
Malawi’s three Objectives for the period 2011-2016 are:

With an annual
turnover of approximately £10m, Concern Universal currently works in 14
Districts across Central and Southern Malawi though with greatest focus in five
Districts where we have a particularly strong track-record and partnership with
District authorities – Dedza, Ntcheu, Balaka, Phalombe and Thyolo. In addition
to these Districts we will look to work in other areas of the country where
national indicators and Government of Malawi priorities suggest that we can
have a significant, positive and sustainable impact on people’s lives in line
with our three strategic objectives.

CUMO Microfinance
Limited, a subsidiary of Concern Universal, is one of the largest rural
financial service providers in Malawi serving more than 60,000 clients in 14
districts with a variety of cash loan, savings, farm input, and micro-insurance
products.

Job
Purpose

The DCD – Finance
& Operations will provide strategic leadership and management in developing
the Concern Universal programme in Malawi. After a sustained period of growth
in scale of operations, s/he will spearhead a major review and renewal of
Concern Universal’s finance and administration systems and processes.
Particular attention will be paid to ensure full cost recovery, donor compliance
and effective linkages with programme team colleagues. S/he will be expected to
work closely and coordinate with the rest of the Senior Management Team.

Duties
and Responsibilities

Financial
Management

• Financial
  accounting, including ensuring:
• the completion
  and clearance of control account, balance sheet, bank and other
  reconciliations
• the
  management of staff floats by department and ageing
• Preparation
  of financial statements and trial balances
• Budgeting,
  management accounting and reporting:
• for Malawi
  senior management team
• for
  Head Office (core budget reforecasting, cashflow and co-financing)
• Management
  of relevant and appropriate accounting systems
• Review
  of donor financial reports (including project management reports) for
  completeness and accuracy, and assistance with proposal budgeting, other
  donor reporting and related issues.
• Banking,
  treasury and cash management services (including the set-up, management
  and staff training of data on online banking systems)
• Corporate
  governance and internal controls
• Risk
  analysis and mitigation
• Annual
  audit and tax compliance
• Manage
  the performance of staff in line with job descriptions and Concern
  Universal policies
• Perform
  periodic monitoring visits to field and partner offices.
• Support
  and advise the Country Director in all finance and administration
  decisions, and prepare timely and useful management information.
• Ensure
  compliance with donor contract requirements.

Human
Resource Management

• Recruit
  and select all new staff, in conjunction with the Country Director.
• Ensure
  compliance with all national laws including Malawi’s Labour & Tax
  Laws.
• Ensure
  existence of a valid contract and up-to-date job descriptions for all
  staff.
• Ensure
  annual appraisals are performed and objectives agreed with all staff.
• Maintain
  all HR records, including those relating to staff contracts, annual leave,
  performance appraisals, and emergency contacts
• Manage
  the process of updating National Staff Terms and Conditions and ensure
  compliance with terms contained therein.
• Build
  capacity of direct reports and local partner finance staff.

Logistics,
IT & Procurement

• Ensure
  all vehicles are roadworthy and are adequately insured and maintained.
• Manage
  all property leases and maintenance of buildings and grounds.
• Manage
  all travel arrangements, including allocation of road worthy vehicles to
  journeys for programme implementation and availability of drivers for the
  journeys.
• Responsible
  for ensuring implementation and adherence to Concern Universal’s (and
  donor) Procurement policy.
• Ensure
  efficient use of resources and value for money procurements; managing
  banking and vendor relationships and accounts.
• Ensure
  the integrity and confidentiality of data entry and reporting, with
  accurate documentation filing and management.
• Oversee
  the purchasing, cataloging and maintenance of the organization’s assets;
  and that these are effectively maintained.
• Develop
  and manage the office’s information management system, integrating both
  paper and electronic data.
• Supervise
  day-to-day IT systems by engaging maintenance and service contractors.
• Oversee
  all filing and archiving of records, both electronically and hard copies.
• Monitor
  security situation and report to senior management as necessary.
• Any
  other duties that may be assigned by the Country Director.

Person
Specification

Qualifications

• Professional
  qualification in Accounting (CPA/ACCA/CIMA) or Finance Management

Experience

• At
  least 7 – 10 years’ experience in a Financial Management position
• At
  least 7 – 10 years’ of progressively responsible staff and office
  supervisory experience, including direct supervision of a staff team and
  evaluation of performance and deliverables.
• At
  least 5 years’ experience supervising an organisation’s administrative
  systems and processes (HR, procurement, contracts management, logistics
  and IT).
• Demonstrable
  experience of improving administrative systems and processes
• Experience
  or familiarity with the NGO sector, especially with major donor financial
  reporting and auditing requirements.
• Experience
  of working in a developing country.

Professional
skills

• Strong
  computer skills and working knowledge of IT systems and processes.
• Proven
  knowledge of computerised accounting systems software packages.
• Experience
  of training and transferring skills to other staff members (workshop and
  one-to-one coaching).
• Proven
  ability both to solve complex accounting problems and communicate
  effectively on these with non-specialist staff.
• Excellent
  organizational and leadership skills and strong track record of meeting
  deliverables and deadlines.
• Strong
  leadership skills and demonstrated ability to hold staff accountable.

Personal
skills and attributes

• Fluent
  in written and spoken English.
• Strong
  communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work well in a diverse
  team.
• Ability
  to work independently and prioritise effectively to achieve results and
  solve problems.
• Keen
  attention to detail.
• Driven
  and self-motivated with a positive outlook and a flexible and adaptable
  disposition.
• Ability
  to interact respectfully and professionally across cultures and a
  commitment to humanitarian values.

Terms
and Conditions

Highly competitive
salary and benefits

Location: Lilongwe,
with occasional travel across Malawi

To apply for this
position, candidates must submit a completed Application Form to applications@concern-universal.org
by 6 September
2016.

Please visit www.concern-universal.org to
download the Application Form. If you have difficulty accessing it, then
contact us at the above e-mail address.

Shortlisted
candidates will be invited to initial telephone interviews. Please note that
only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Malawian
nationals are strongly encouraged to apply