Save the Children Finance and Awards Director Job Vacancy in Rwanda

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Rwanda Country Programme, Kigali
Rwanda

BACKGROUND:

Save the Children is the world’s
leading independent organisation for children. We work in 120 countries. We
work together, with partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world
treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.
Save the Children works in fourteen districts in Rwanda with a current staff
complement of approximately 120 staff. SC is looking forward to implement a
USAID-funded school community partnerships education project, which aims to
support the Rwandan Education Board to create and roll-out a school-community
partnership model to complement improved reading and writing instruction
delivered in schools

SC Rwanda Country Office seeks to
hire qualified, committed and experienced nationals to fill the following
position: 

1.      
Finance and Awards Director  

Tentative start date:                    
Immediately

Contract length:                          
4 years

Dimensions:        
                         Over
the 4 year implementation period, project programming will scale

                                                       
Nationally with a budget of approximately $8.6 million.

PURPOSE OF POSITION: 

Save the Children is seeking a
Finance and Award Director for a USAID-funded school community partnerships
education project. The Finance and Award Director is responsible for the
management of financial processes and procedures and will lead on setting up
project accounting systems and procedures as per Save the Children and USAID
standards. The Director will work with country office finance and award
management team to provide financial data analysis to the SMT and meet Save the
Children and USAID reporting requirements. S/he will also provide audit support
and provide capacity building to partner finance staff as needed in terms of
financial management, systems and procedures. This position will also provide
dedicated USAID compliance support and proactive compliance monitoring for risk
assurance and capacity building (especially with regard to local sub grantees).

KEY AREAS OF
ACCOUNTABILITY: 

As a member of the SCOPE
Senior Leadership Team:

-Help establish, maintain, and
improve active and regular working relationships with: host government
authorities, partner agencies and donors. 

-Oversee the overall maintenance
of the project premises, facilities assets and equipment (i.e. IT equipment,
furnishings, etc.), maintaining inventories and controls to ensure that these
are secure, in working order and efficiently utilized over the life of the
project 

-Ensure the project complies with
all Save the Children Quality Framework Essential Standards and Standard
Operating Procedures. 

Planning and Budgeting

• Assist the Chief of Party (CoP) in the
  management/administration of project resources including (a) the
  formulation of project work and resource allocation, (b) providing
  effective support and guidance to the Senior Leadership Team and other key
  program staff during planning and allocation exercises; (c) monitoring
  implementation of donor agreements and resource utilization; (d)
  highlighting variances, provide analyses and recommend resolution or
  reallocation of resources.
• Identify and effectively manage all key risks,
  especially financial, related to delivering the SCOPE program, including
  developing mitigation plans at start-up stage.
• Support project and other SC staff in project office
  start-up activities, including establishment of office setup and
  operations, and supporting human resource colleagues with staff hiring and
  on boarding to establish equitable staff compensation policies and
  practices within the approved budget and donor requirements
• Review all contracts and leases to ensure compliance
  with donor requirements.
• Ensure adequate insurance cover in place and kept up to
  date with suitable cover for maximum loss of assets.

 Financial Accounting, Reporting, and
Control

• Manage the project financial systems, review and
  consolidate monthly financial reports to ensure accuracy and to provide
  regular feedback to program managers and senior management, and provide
  the CoP and project leadership a monthly update on the budget variance
  analysis;
• Ensure with the CoP that systems are in place for the
  control of all assets, funds, equipment, property, and facilities; submit
  timely financial reports to SC US, Regional Office and donors as required
• Ensure that effective systems are put in place, and regularly
  reviewed, to allow adequate financial management and control including:
• Annual accounts and tax statement
  preparation;
• Accounting and management
  information systems;
• Cash and cash flow management and
  control in particular gain/losses on currency exchange;
• Expenditure procedures, especially
  around procurement;
• Documentation of all controls and
  procedures;
• Finance training for staff in the
  field and partners as necessary;
• Monitor accurate and timely submission of financial
  reports and attachments to members, donors and government regulatory
  agencies
• Prepare any budget revisions and projections and respond
  to any external questions from USAID and/or internal questions from within
  Save the Children’s management structure; confirm availability of funds for
  all requests for payment or charges to grants;
• Ensure quarterly effort reporting, projections, and any
  other required donor submissions are prepared with major variances
  discussed with SC US and the Regional Office as required
• Prepare a consolidated annual fiscal report, including a
  cumulative life of project report
• Contribute to the development of reports for the donor,
  the host country and/or Save the Children
• Ensure that an appropriate segregation of duties exists
  to ensure effective support of field operations and to protect the
  integrity of the project finance and administrative operations
• Coordinate and assist with submission of control or
  audit reports, respond to findings and recommend resolutions or action
  plans
• Prepare and revise project finance and operations
  guidelines (including for sub-award grantees) so that they adhere to SC
  and USAID requirements; oversee implementation of changes/improvements in
  procedures;
• Ensure program compliance with all USG regulations and
  advise the COP to help ensure efficient and effective program
  implementation.
• Review the reclassifications proposed by program staff
  for eligibility in line with donor regulations and in line with SCI
  Financial policies.
• Review of Funds summary along with budgets and
  creation/revision of DEAs for the project.

 Award Management

• Monitor budgets to ensure 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;
• Provide guidance to finance and non-finance staff and
  coordinate efforts to ensure compliance with donor requirements
• Assist in building the capacity of local sub-grantees to
  manage USAID funds and comply with donor rules and regulations, including
  regular visits to monitor and support partners.
• Work with project staff and leadership to estimate funds
  request on a timely basis to ensure resources are in place for carrying
  project activities
• Ensure timely and accurate information is provided
  through Award Management systems
• Ensure that donor financial reports and additive reports
  align
• Perform other duties, as assigned by Chief of Party. 

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS
(our 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

–         
Creates a managerial environment to lead, enable and maintain our culture
of child safeguarding

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 personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates
others

–         
Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

–         
Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective
relationships with colleagues, members and external partners and supporters

–         
Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work
cross-culturally.

Creativity:

–         
Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

–         
Cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach

Integrity:

–         
Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence

–         
Displays consistent excellent judgement

–         
Acts in the best interests of children

 QUALIFICATIONS AND
EXPERIENCE 

• Minimum of 5 years management experience in a corporate
  or an NGO environment within the finance department; knowledge of USAID
  financial management rules and regulations strongly preferred;
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in finance, business or
  management, or related degree in relevant field required, CPA or
  equivalent degree (CA, ACMA, ACCA) strongly recommended;
• Excellent understanding of business and financial
  planning including strategic modelling
• Excellent analytical skills – the ability to analyse
  complex financial data and design and produce effective management
  information
• Excellent experience of budgeting and budget management
• Excellent understanding of financial systems and
  procedures
• Strong business acumen and the ability to contribute to
  strategic decisions

• Proven ability to prepare budgets and donor financial
  reports

• Excellent experience of computerized accounts packages
  (experience in Agresso accounting package desirable), Excel, PowerPoint
  and Word and of general administration work
• Ability to manage a complex and diverse workload and to
  work to tight deadlines
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a
  full appreciation of the value of co-operation, both internationally and
  within a team environment
• Ability to motivate staff and work collaboratively with
  colleagues, providing support and advice as necessary
• Written and verbal fluency in English and in Kinyarwanda
• Understanding of Save the Children’s vision and mission
  and a commitment to its objectives and values

Interested candidates should send
an application letter plus an updated Curriculum Vitae in English, including 3
names of professional referees to  HR-Rwanda@savethechildren.org.
Specifying the position title heading in the subject. line The deadline for
receiving applications is 3rd
January 2015.

*Note that only
shortlisted candidates will be contacted.