Website Practical Action
Finance Manager
ABOUT US
We are an international development organisation putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world. We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.
We’re a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.
OUR AIMS
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:
- Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living
- Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.
- Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.
- Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards – reducing the risk of hazards and minimising their impact on lives and livelihoods.
HOW WE WORK
We work on holistic solutions that change systems and have a framework to help us achieve our aims:
- Analyse the root causes of a poverty and vulnerability
- Define the change at scale we need to make
- Develop activities along three complementary paths: Demonstrate, Learn and Inspire.
– Demonstrate that our solutions are sustainable in the real world
– Learn by capturing evidence and adapting our approach
– Inspire wider support to multiply our impact.
OUR ORGANISATION
Practical Action is an unconventional, multi-disciplinary changemaking organisation
- A highly innovative community development charity operating in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Practical Action community projects use ingenious ideas to design, test, refine and prove new ways to overcome poverty and disadvantage and then ‘open-source’ knowledge of what works so that it can be implemented at a greater scale by others.
- A world-class consulting operation that helps socially responsible business, government policy makers and other development organisations. This draws on learnings from our own development work as well as the combined brainpower of a roster of over 2,000 expert consultants. Practical Action Consulting helps to extend the reach of our influence by providing the best advice to others, whose work can make a bigger difference.
- A well respected specialist development publisher. Practical Action Publishing brings together development practitioners, researchers and thought leaders to create publications that stimulate discussion, strengthen peoples’ capabilities and inspire sustainable change.
Title: Finance Manager
Directorate: Country Directorate- Sudan
Reporting to: Country Director- Sudan
Direct reports: Finance Team at Country office and matrix to fields Accountants
Groups: Change Ambition Hubs, markets & system thinking, and gender global groups.
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Duration: One year (renewable)
Grade: Grade 7
Travel: Occasional international travel may be required
Accountabilities:
The Finance Manager will be accountable to deliver the following tasks in contribution to the country office senior management main objectives.
Strategic Management
- Contribute to the development and implementation of Practical Action Sudan Strategic Plan and annual operating plans.
- Liaise with all departments in the development of financial plans and in financial management.
- Disseminate accounting guidelines and information provided by relevant accounting bodies to ensure adherence to professional ethics and standards of accounting.
- Participate in SMT meetings and provide strategic input and advice in monitoring and evaluating financial operations across the Country office.
- Develop and maintain financial systems for the Sudan Office in consultation with the UK finance.
- Provide sound and timely advice to the Country Director on all matters with financial implications to the Country Office to enable effective decision making and manage risk.
Financial Management:
- Provide controllership function to ensure finances are managed according to policies & procedures and to Accepted Accounting Standards.
- Manages the preparation and maintenance of a variety of financial records and reports including those related to the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, donor claims, payroll, inventories, budgets, and fixed assets, ensures the purchasing of materials, supplies and equipment are conducted in accordance with Practical Action policies and procedures.
- Prepare financial projections and budgets for the Country Office and for approval by Country Director and the UK Finance Office.
- Control costs and enforce adherence to financial plan and projections.
- Monitor the overall liquidity and cash flow position of the Country Office.
- Provide sound and timely advice to the Country Director on all matters with financial implications to the Country Office to enable effective decision making.
- Monitor and control all cash and bank accounts operated by the Country Office to ensure prudent operations. This will include ensuring that all monies transferred from UK Office or any other place to the Country Office are properly received, recorded, and safeguarded.
- Manage annual audits and project specific audits; liaise with external auditors, internal auditors, tax consultants and Government Revenue Authorities.
- Responsible for implementation of audit recommendations on external audits, internal audits and project level audits
- Ensure that all statutory and non-statutory deductions are made properly, promptly and are remitted to the respective authority as required by law.
- Responsible for setting up and maintaining budgets at the levels of Project, Programme, and Country Office
- Maintain monthly management accounts and distribute information to appropriate managers, budget holders and UK Office for the monitoring, management control and forecasting of all projects and programmes within the Country Office.
- Manage the payment process for goods and services required and received for the benefit of the organisation and that such payments are properly analysed and recorded in the relevant books of accounts and that the best terms are received.
- Ensure the completeness, accuracy and recording of all cash receipts by the Organisation.
- Responsible for the management, upgrading and security of the Sun Accounting Systems according to the Practical Action accounting requirements. This includes verification of the accounting entries, updating the information in various currencies and ensuring reconciliation and backups.
- Programme Development, Fundraising and Partner/Field office Support.
- Provide advice and feedback to Team Leaders on key project/team financial management issues.
- Conducts Financial Reviews of Practical Action field operations and activities and report findings and recommendations to the Country Director and Management Team.
- Responsible for the financial assessment of partners, incorporate capacity building activities in project budgets and deliver capacity building programmes to address the gaps.
- Actively participate in donor liaison functions (regular meetings, expositions, events, outreach, etc.)
- Ensure the Project Database is properly updated and ensure compliance financial contractual commitments.
Financial Reporting:
- Responsible for the preparation of monthly, quarterly, annual and ad-hoc financial reports and accounts.
- Ensure that financial reports are timely and accurate and are in accordance with the International Accounting Standards and the NGO and donor requirements.
- Ensure that management and statutory reports are prepared, shared with the Country Director/management team and submitted in a timely manner.
- Ensures that donor financial reports are prepared on a timely basis in accordance with the funding terms and conditions and audited where necessary.
Monitor and provide information and guidance to the Country Director and relevant programme staff on project expenditure and Donor reporting according to signed contractual obligations.
Risk Management:
- Prevent financial loss due to fraud or error by ensuring that assets are safeguarded and closely monitored and maintained through adequate internal control systems.
- Ensure adequate insurance of all Country Office premises, furniture, machinery, equipment, and any other quantifiable assets.
- Ensure that the Country Office complies with all legal, regulatory, and audit requirements, including submitting accurate and timely relevant reports to relevant bodies as stipulated by law or agreements.
- Ensure safekeeping of all sensitive documents e.g. used chequebooks/leaves, log books, LPO book etc.
- Responsible for maintenance of the financial records of the Country Office in cooperation with the International Finance Manager at UK Office.
- Responsible for the prudent management of all credit control and financial management of personal loans, working float loans and advances to staff as well as informing the staff and their line managers on any balances outstanding.
- Provide details of the financial performance monthly and draw the attention of the management to any critical matters that may require attention.
Liaison:
- Liaise with UK and Global Team on all financial matters and ensure that the Country Office is kept abreast and informed of financial developments within the Group.
- Liaise with field offices and staff on all financial and administrative matters.
- Maintain a professional image for the Country Office when dealing with donors, suppliers, NGOs, Government of Sudan and any other external agencies or organizations.
- Carry out additional tasks as may be requested by the Country Director.
- While maintaining responsibility to the Country Director, ensure that close liaison is maintained with the International Finance Manager and International Director who are responsible to the Chief Executive for devising, maintaining and enforcing Group Financial Procedures.
Internal and External Relationships:
The post-holder will report directly to the Country Director. There will also be close collaboration with the rest of the Country Office teams (and all other departments and field offices). She/he will also work with UK and Global team and finance groups. Liaison will be required with the different stakeholders at national levels. Including banks authorities, audits agencies, UN agencies and sectors leads, sister INGOs, implementing partners, current and potential donors, and others.
Organizational Policies, Safeguarding and Code of Conduct
- Ensure that all involved acting on the organisation’s behalf is well aware on Safeguarding Policy, Diversity and Dignity in the Workplace Policy, Code of Conduct, Fraud policy and Whistleblowing policy.
- Ensure beneficiaries whom we work with are aware of the safeguarding policy including the reporting lines when appropriate.
- Be responsible that anyone acting on our behalf has signed up to the Safeguarding and Code of Conduct policies
- Ensure our ethics and values, as set out in our Code of Conduct and related policies, including safeguarding, are embedded in team culture and well modelled by others. Ensure that reporting structure is well promoted and respond to all concerns appropriately.
- Responsible for gender responsive behaviour in all actions and decisions. Ensure non-discriminative behavior based on gender, age, sex, race, ethnic background, culture, disability, nationality, religion and marital status. Is sensitive and adaptable to gender and social inclusion
DIVERSITY & DIGNITY AT WORK
The Company is committed to Diversity and Dignity at work and has a written policy. You have a personal responsibility for the practical application of the policy. A copy of the relevant policy is available on netconsent or from the People & Culture team.
SAFEGUARDING
The Company is committed to safeguarding those who come into contact with our work and has a written policy. You have a personal responsibility for the practical application of the policy. A copy of the relevant policy is available on netconsent or from the People & Culture team. You will be required to attend a mandatory safeguarding training course and complete the global induction programme modules, which are funded by the organisation and will be arranged as part of your induction process.
CODE OF CONDUCT
We expect anyone acting on our behalf to uphold good standards of behaviour that embody our organisational values. A copy of the relevant policy is available on netconsent or from the People & Culture team.
Person Profile:
To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:
Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience:
- Strong academic background in Finance Management studies or any relevant academic field (a bachelor’s degree is acceptable, while master’s degree will be an advantage).
- Minimum of seven years of experience with INGOs in finance management within sustainable development.
- Experience in leading and managing teams, (face to face and distance teams), including the related financial management.
- Excellent knowledge of accounting systems and procedures.
- Relevant experience in preparation of restricted donor reports.
- Good/Excellent Computer skills in Excel, WP and Windows etc
Skills, Abilities and Competencies:
- Proven senior management and line management skills.
- Trends and developments within thematic area of work.
- Outstanding communication and reporting skills, across the organization and with donors and stakeholders at the highest level.
- Partner and stakeholder engagement and relationship management
Additional Requirements for the Role:
- Proactive with a high team spirit and ability to work with colleagues at different levels and different locations.
- Expertise with financial management and monitoring expenditures.
- Outcome focused.
- Gender & culture sensitive.
Submit a cover letter along with the duly filled standard application form to walla.nimir@practicalactionsd.org
Listing details
Closing Date: 21 November 2023
Location: Nepal
Supporting documents