Job description
Finance and Administration Manager
Place of work:
Freetown Sierra Leone
Salary band:
Reports to:
Team Leader
Manages:
The Finance and Administration Manager heads WaterAid
Sierra Leone Finance and Administration department; and
directly manages the Finance officer and Administration
Officer for Sierra Leone.
Key working
Finance and Admin Manager – Liberia; Country
Management Team, Management Accountant West &
Southern Africa, Financial Accountant West & Southern
Africa, Head of International Finance, Programme Funding,
People Lead for West Africa. The Key working relationship
will be maintained with the Finance and Administration
Manager of Liberia to ensure that
The Finance and Administration Manager will be based in
Freetown, Sierra Leone. The post involves frequent field
visits to Bonthe, Pujehun and Kenema Districts as well as
occasional travel to Liberia and other West Africa countries
relationships
Location:
Introduction
WaterAid’s Vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and
sanitation. Our mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water,
hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities, WaterAid works with
partners to maximize its impacts for policy change/influence.
Programme Overview:
WaterAid Transboundary works toward the sustainable provision of clean water &
sanitation and hygiene promotion targeting the poorest of the poor by working with
local partners in both urban and rural environments. We work through supporting
local organizations and government authorities to design low cost sustainable
projects using appropriate and affordable technologies that can be managed by the
community itself.
The programme also seeks to influence change in policies and practices through
government and other key international organizations to secure and protect the
rights of poor people to safe, affordable water and sanitation services.
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WaterAid started operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone in April 2009 with the aim to
work in the poorest local government areas in both countries. WaterAid currently
works in 3 districts in Sierra Leone (Pujehun, Kenema and Bonthe) and has a field
office in BO, and its operations in Liberia are located in Grand Cape Mount,
Maryland, Grand Kru and River Gee.
Purpose of the role
As member of the Senior Management Team, the Finance and Admin Manager will
provide strategic leadership of the Country Programme and help manage the finance
and administration functions of the CP as well as ensuring effective application of
WaterAid financial policies and procedures in collaboration with the other CP teams,
regional teams and UK teams.
The post holder will champion and support the delivery of good financial
management and stewardship within the CP office and partner organisations; and
will support WaterAid partner organisations and sub offices to operate all finance and
administrative activities.
The position holder will directly head the finance and administration department and
will have line responsibility for all finance and administrative staff in Sierra Leone.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Financial Planning and Budgetary Control:
Coordinate and steer the
development of financial plans for the implementation of the country strategy.
Coordinate the annual financial planning and rolling forecast processes ensuring
adequate guidance and support is provided to budget holders to develop their
annual plans in line with organisational policies and donor commitments.
2. Financial Accounting: Ensure all financial accounting processes are completed.
Ensure the Income and Expenditure accounts & balance sheet are reviewed and
reconciled as appropriate. Ensure monthly returns are submitted within corporate
deadline.
3. Projects and Management reporting: Lead on generating monthly
management accounts, project financial reports, financial performance and liaise
with appropriate budget holders to provide adequate explanations for deviations
from plans and proposing major actions required to address any major
deviations.
4. Management of Funding Position and Grants: Maintain a general overview of
the CP and more specifically, Sierra Leone programme funding position and
funding gaps. Support and review the development of financial plans for funding
proposals and monitor expenditure against grant agreements, working with the
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SMT to resolve issues as necessary. Ensure all processes for full cost coverage,
staff time and support cost coverage are implemented. Ensure timely provision of
accurate donor financial reporting, working closely with programme team.
5. Internal Controls: Review and update Country Programme office financial
policies and procedures on a regular basis to ensure effective and enabling
financial controls are in place and compliant with all WaterAid Global policies and
procedures and local legislation. Ensure WaterAid assets are adequately
safeguarded. Report any financial irregularities to the Team Leader and relevant
staff in UK when necessary.
6. Partner support and monitoring [Sierra Leone (and when necessary Liberia
Partners)]: Ensure regular review of partner reports are completed and funds
transferred for project activities are properly accounted for and utilised for
designated activities.
Ensure high quality partner monitoring visits with
programme staff are conducted on a regular basis and that financial assessment
reports are produced on a timely basis to support the development of partner
financial capacity and the effective risk management of partners.
Support the completion of new and potential partner capacity assessments,
making recommendations on whether to engage in a partnership arrangement
with such partners as well as identifying risk management plans, partner financial
management capacity needs and plans where required.
With the Programme Manager, lead on establishing and maintaing effective
relationships with partner organisations. Where capacity building needs are
identified lead on supporting the partners in the development of their financial
management systems.
7. Capacity building: Develop, design and conduct training for Finance &
Programme staff on internal control systems, budgeting and financial
management as well as performance management. Co-ordinate learning and
sharing of best practices for consistency in financial operations including risk
analysis and management. Promote knowledge sharing across the WaterAid
region and proactively network within the region.
8. Staff Management: Lead the Finance and Administration Team in Sierra Leone,
ensuring an effective utilisation of their capacity toward the achievement of the
country aims and organisational vision and mission and team objectives. Provide
the environment for learning within the team to ensure continuing development of
skills. Line manage the Finance and Admin Officer
9. Risk Management: lead the development of a risk management strategy and
process for Sierra Leone programme and when necessary support overall risk
management in Transboundary, ensuring regular review and update of the risk
register by the SMT as part of championing and embedding risk management in
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the country programme. Support the development and implementation of the risk
management strategy for the wider transboundary programme
10. Statutory Compliance: Ensure that WaterAid operations in Sierra Leone is in
compliance with local and national legislation that may be applicable including
those relating taxation, custom duties and rates and that effective mechanisms
are in place to monitor the external environment for changes in financial/tax
legislation.
11. Audit: Coordinate internal and external audits together with the Financial and
Administration Manager based in Liberia for the Transboundary programme and
to coordinate the development and implementation of any action plans to address
external and internal audit recommendations. The role will also monitor and
report progress on the implementation of the audit and management letter
recommendations. The Finance and Admin Manager will also support the UK
external audit process ensuring prompt response to requests from the global
external auditors.
12. Treasury Management:
Develop systems to manage cash flow in the
country programme; ensuring adequate funds are available for Sierra Leone
programme and partner activities within minimum and maximum limits. The
Finance and Admin Manager shall also implement systems that will ensure the
cash held in bank accounts are secure and only utilised for agreed WaterAid
activities. The jobholder will also lead on banking relationships and ensure bank
mandates are always up-to-date and within global and local authorisation limits.
13. Finance Systems: Develop, implement and/or improve financial management
systems within the Country Programme office. Ensure strong financial accounting
and reporting systems are in place to provide accurate and complete financial
information to budget holders and management to support effective decision
making. Ensure the chart of accounts is both well understood and correctly
applied in the coding of financial transactions by WaterAid staff and support
partners to implement changes in financial management or accounting practices
recommended by WaterAid UK to meet the UK regulatory and donor
requirements as well as local and international accounting and reporting
standards.
14. Value for Money: Promote value for money as part of the organisational culture.
Develop and implement tools and procedures for assessing value for money that
WaterAid obtains in all its activities in regional office, with special regard to
economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity.
15. Relationship management: Establish and maintain good working relationships
within the CP and beyond, in West Africa Regional office and with external
stakeholders such as banker(s), donors, partners, suppliers and auditors.
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16. Other duties: Support the Country Programme Teams as might be required
within area of expertise and abilities on any CP level initiatives and/or projects
including but not limited to covering short term staffing gap in the CP.
Skills / Abilities / Personal Qualities
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Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing strategic goals
and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of self, other individuals, or
organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Making Decisions and active problem solving— analysing information and
evaluating results to choose the best options to solve problems.
Leading, motivating and developing high performing teams.
Critical Thinking — using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and
weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and
benefits of potential actions to choose the most cost effective option.
Information Processing — compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating,
tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Active Listening — giving full attention to what other people are saying,
taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as
appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for
both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — developing
constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and
maintaining them over time.
Initiative — willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Commitment to equality and diversity and WaterAid’s core values.
Willingness to travel nationally and internationally.
Education
Essential
 University Degree in Accountancy
 Professionally Qualified Accountant and a
member of an internationally recognised
accounting body i.e. ACCA, CIMA, ACA, CPA or
equivalent.
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Desirable
 Membership of other
relevant professional
body e.g. the
Chartered Institute of
Taxation or Auditors
Work Experience / Specific Knowledge
Essential
 Minimum of five post qualification experience,
of which at least three must be in senior
management.
 Minimum of two years people management
experience.
 Strong knowledge of fund accounting
regulations for non-profit organisations.
 Experience of monitoring budgets and systems
development.
 Experience of using an accounting package
preferably Sun Accounting.
 Experience of cash flow management
 Basic Knowledge of IT systems & packages.
 Experience of training finance and non-finance
staff.
Desirable
 Knowledge of local
finance and tax
legislation
 Experience of
developing
monitoring and
reporting systems
 5 years’ International
development
organisation
experience.
Leadership Behaviours
Essential
 Delivery focused: focused on outcome and
impact; removes barriers and constraints to
ensure plans are achieved; acts in the best
interest of WA.
 Creates Trust: encourages openness and
transparency; is reliable; acts with integrity
and is seen as truthful.
 Demonstrates Courage: make appropriate
decisions when they are due; confront
difficult situations and seeks resolution.
 Develop self and others: seek feedback and
give constructive feedback to others; use
learning to improve work.
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Desirable
 Communicates
Strategic
Purpose and
Vision: ability to
communicate
clearly, simply
and persuasively;
leads others
through change;
strategic Analysis
skills
 Empowering
Others: ability to
coach others for
appropriate
decisions.