Finance Coordinator at Christian Aid (CA)

Christian Aid (CA) is a UK-based international NGO, partnering with others to end poverty in Africa. At the heart of this vision is the transformation of the lives of people who live in poverty, empowering them to have a brighter future. Christian Aid works in more than 30 countries and has been operating in Nigeria since 2003. The Nigeria Country programme focuses on Community Health and HIV, Accountable Governance including humanitarian response and Gender.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Position: Finance Coordinator
Job Location: Kaduna
Type of contract: Fixed Term
Contracted hours: 35
Contract length: 1 year

Role purpose

• To lead in the financial management and reporting for Christian Aid’s projects in Kaduna, Plateau and Benue States.
• The role will ensure that all financial transactions incurred on the project are in line with CA and donor requirements.
• The role is responsible for reviewing all costs incurred at the field offices and posting all transactions into CA Accounting software.
• The role will also ensure that donor reports are prepared and shared with all stakeholders within the organisation in line with the Finance Team Reporting timetable.
• This role will directly line manage 3 finance associates and will ensure that financial procedures and controls at field office are adhered to and that grant conditions of donors relating to the projects are complied with.

Role Context

• Based in Abuja, this role is part of the wider CA Nigeria Team.
• It is responsible for the financial management within CA Sub-Offices in the 3 states which will include financial records, financial reports, budgets, donor reporting, internal and external audits and providing financial support to Christian Aid partner staff as may be required. This role reports to the Finance Manager.

Key Outcomes:

• Timely preparation, review and posting of all transactions related to the projects and ensuring that monthly expenditure reports, variance reports and financial updates are provided to internal stakeholders on a timely basis.
• Reviewing grant conditions and ensuring that all procurements and expenses incurred on the project are eligible and where there are variations, identifies and addresses them without being prompted.
• Ensure that all field office expenditure reports are submitted on a timely basis, reconciled and entered into CA Accounting system monthly.
• Conduct support visit to field offices to review source documents and ensure adherence to CA and donor standards.
• A strong portfolio of partners is built to be able to respond and support Christian Aid’s Humanitarian response in the region
• Any other responsibilities as may be given by line manager.

Role requirements
Relationships:

• External:
  • Relationships with partners and Institutional donors. Represents Christian Aid and the programme externally with partners, other NGOs, donors and other agencies. Appraise, monitor and review programme in line with CA and donor requirements.
• Internal:
  • The position is line managed by the Finance Manager and will in turn line manage the Finance Associates at the field offices. The role links up strongly with the Programme lead working on the project, the Governance Manager and the Grants and Compliance Coordinator.
  • This role will have contact with other members of the field offices, the Abuja finance staff, auditors (internal and external) as well as the international finance team based in London. Decision making
  • This role is expected to work in close collaboration with the Finance Manager to deliver financial information to Christian Aid and donors. The role is required to make significant decisions the financial management processes within Christian Aid field offices.

Analytical Skills:

• Ability to review financial information alongside programme objectives and outputs to ensure that CA delivers strongly on all identified targets. Ability to coordinate and lead the direct reports to ensure that donor requirements and Christian Aid procedures are adhered to is critical for this role.
• A strong understanding of ECHO financial management and financial reporting is essential.

Developing self and others:

• The role has responsibilities of line managing finance associates on best practices as it relates to financial and grant management. As the most senior finance staff on the project, the role will also be responsible for identifying knowledge gaps within the team and developing and/or proposing training needs to the finance manager for consideration.

Personal specification
Essential

• The role holder will be hold an Accounting Degree (or equivalent) and a qualified member of a recognised accounting body (ICAN, ACCA)
• Strong knowledge of grant management for institutional donors, particularly ECHO.
• Good experience working with an accounting software, preferably SUN.
• 5-6 years’ experience working in a similar role.

IT competency required
LEVEL 2: You are expected to be able to:

Build partnerships:

• Take on different work when necessary to achieve a team or organisational goal.
• Actively consult with others to ensure you understand their needs or goals.
• Listen to and take on board fresh perspectives and views even if you initially disagree with them.
• Maintain on-going relationships with individuals and contacts through networks, based on mutual rapport and respect.

Communicate effectively:

• Make complex things simple for the benefit of others.
• Actively listen and question to check your understanding and draw out others when they are not expressing themselves clearly or seem to be holding back.
• Be sensitive to what others may be feeling, based on what they say, how they say it and their non-verbal behaviour, adapting your style and approach to fit.
• Address difficult issues when they arise, being honest and open.

Steward resources:

• Implement ways to reduce the inefficient use of resources or pass the ideas on to someone who can make them happen.
• Estimate the resources needed to achieve your own work plans or objectives and to deliver them in the most efficient and cost-effectiveA way.
• Set and communicate realistic timelines for achieving tasks, working out how best to adapt as priorities change or unforeseen circumstances arise.

Deliver results:

• Prioritise, plan and monitor own work to meet own and team deliverables to agreed performance or quality standards.
• Acknowledge others’ priorities whilst being prepared to say “no” if there are genuine reasons why their needs cannot be met.
• Use logical processes and relevant tools and techniques to report on information or analyse options.
• Make timely and considered recommendations or decisions based on analysis of available data, information and evidence.

Realise potential:

• Evaluate your own work and actively address gaps in knowledge and skills, without prompting.
• Recognise how you react to feedback and manage reactions positively, acting on specific feedback from others.
• Share your knowledge where it will help others to be more effective.
• Provide instruction, constructive feedback and guidance to others to help them learn.

Strive for improvement:

• Constructively challenge existing practice.
• Seek better ways of doing things, taking into account the possible implications.
• Make positive suggestions on a way forward when faced with challenges even if these falls outside own scope of work.
• Look inside and outside Christian Aid for new ideas and evaluate them for own work.

Salary
N7,500,000

Click here to download Role Profile (pdf)