Bantwana Initiative of World Education Inc.
The Bantwana Initiative of World Education Inc. (WEI/Bantwana) seeks a qualified Finance and Operations Manager for the USAID funded Ana Patsogolo Activity, a project aimed at preventing new HIV infections and reducing the vulnerability of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). WEI/Bantwana is a leader in OVC programming and organizational capacity development in high HIV prevalence countries in southern and eastern Africa.
Job Description
Job Title: Finance and Operations Manager
Reports to: Director of Finance & Administration (DFA)
Responsible for: Accountant, Procurement & Logistics Officer & Administrative & Logistics Assistant
Program/Project: Ana Patsogolo Activity (APA)
Location: Blantyre
Background
World Education, Inc. is a Boston-based non-profit agency engaged in small enterprise development, literacy, training and organizational development in Africa, Asia and the United States. Programs are implemented in collaboration with local non-governmental organizations (NGO) and aim to strengthen institutions working in a variety of sectors, primarily focusing on sustainable community development and income-generation programs.
Ana Patsogolo Activity (APA) sets out to change life trajectories for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and highly vulnerable adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Malawi’s Southern region, as the Government of Malawi faces as it approaches the UN 95:95:95 goals.
APA consortium includes NGOs and FBOs working at the intersection of OVC, Positive Youth Development, and HIV: The Catholic Diocese of Chikwawa, Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance of Malawi (GAIA/M), Global Hope Mobilization (GLOHOMO) and Malawi AIDS Counselling and Resource Organization (MACRO). These local partners are well-positioned to carry forward USAID’s OVC and DREAMS investments in Blantyre, Chikwawa, Machinga, Mangochi and Zomba and extend them to Mulanje, Phalombe and Thyolo. WEI/Bantwana will simultaneously build their organizational and technical capacity to implement age-appropriate evidence-based interventions; engage the private sector in economic empowerment efforts; and strengthen the national case management system to contribute to Malawi’s Journey to Self-Reliance.
Scope of Work
Responsible for leading the Finance and Operations unit and ensuring staff adherence to organizational policies and procedures in transactions and implementation of the project’s Finance, procurement, and operations activities. They serve as the primary reviewer of financial transactions for accuracy and compliance and ensure completeness and proper filing of financial supporting documentation. They manage the accurate recording of financial transactions in QB/FL, and timely production of financial reports. The FOM coordinates and ensures that admin, logistics/operations are well-planned and efficiently support project implementation, proactively troubleshooting any issues that emerge and affect services.They supervise and support the Accountant, Procurement & Logistics Officer and the Admin & logistics assistant.
1. Leadership
- Manage the finance, procurement, logistics and admin functions of the project
2. Compliance
- Ensures the implementation of the projects finance, procurement and operations in adherence to the WEI organizational policies and the Malawi national laws
- Monitor staff adherence to internal controls and provides recommendations to FOD for improvements
- Serve as the focal person for fraud investigations and provides recommendation to FOD, COP and HQ for improvements
3. Finance
- Participates in budget development, management and forecasting through variance analysis, expenditure, and accruals analysis
- Reviews payment requests, financial transactions and mobile money payments for accuracy and completeness, prior to approval by the FOD and COP
- Participates in preparation of financial reports for submission to the HQ (QB,replicon) and to the USAID Mission (SF-425, accruals and expenditure reports, VAT returns)
- Manage filing of financial documentation including scanning to AODocs, storage and shipping to HQ
- Reviews and ensures accurate recording of financial transactions in the financial system (QB) by the accountant, before approval by the FOD
- Serves as the focal person FieldLink uploads and responses to queries raised by the HQ program officer
4. Bank management
- Reviews monthly bank and mobile money reconciliations and provides guidance/support to the accountant
5. Audit
- Supports the FOD in preparing and managing external and internal audits ensuring that requests are responded to and recommendations are fully addressed on time
6. Operations
- Supervise and provide support to Finance and Operations staff to ensure well planned and efficiently run operations (fleet and logistics management, stores management, office operations)
- Reviews staff travel advances and manage month-end travel advance balances
- Coordinates with programs/technical teams for planned travel and procurements as per the workplan and procurement plans
- Manages project logistics and vehicle fleet management, actively troubleshooting to ensure efficient project implementation, including review of vehicle & driver allocations and fuel reconciliations
- Reviews office supplies requests and manages office operations
- Conducts periodic stores and fixed assets inventory checks
- Maintains up to date fixed assets registry and ensure that all fixed assets are insured, properly branded
- Participates in internal procurement committee meetings, providing finance checks and guidance to Procurement officer and the IPC
7. Sub-partner Management & Capacity Building
- Serve as the primary finance and operations technical assistance provider/trainer to implementing partners
- Participates in Finance and operations focused capacity assessments, and periodic desk reviews
8. Human Resources
- Review and ensures correct computation of staff payroll including statutory obligations such as TEVETA, PAYEE, Withholding tax..)
- Develops and implements staff development plans for staff in the unit
9. Supervision
- Conducts performance appraisal and support supervision of the:
i. Accountant
ii. Procurement & Logistics Officer,
iii. Administration & Logistics Assistant
Job Specifications
Minimum Qualifications
- A Masters’ degree in finance, business management, or a related field is required, or Bachelors’ degree with ACCA or CIMA qualification.
Experience
- Experience managing grants under a USAID program. Knowledge of practical accounting and financial reporting. Experience managing and building the capacity of a finance team. Effectively working with programmatic and M&E staff to coordinate support supervision and integrated capacity building approaches.
- A minimum of five years’ experience managing USAID-funded programs of at least $20million.
Specific Knowledge, Skills and abilities Required
a) Demonstrated leadership skills with experience in senior financial management position preferably with an International NGO.
b) In-depth knowledge of USAID financial management rules and regulations.
c) Conversant with QuickBooks accounting package.
d) Willingness to work as a team member, taking on additional tasks as needed to ensure the overall success of the project.
e) High level of attention to detail, ability to multi-task and work well under pressure.
f) Strong analytical and inter-personal skills.
g) Ability to work under pressure and in a culturally sensitive environment.
h) Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a tea
Method Of Application
Please submit a cover letter, CV, and three references to bantwana_recruitment@mw.worlded.org with the position title in the subject line. The deadline for applications is 26 August, 2022. Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.