Finance and Administration Director

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

The USAID Let’s Read Project is a 5-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the Education Development Center (EDC).  USAID Let’s Read Project works to improve reading outcomes for children attending pre-primary (kindergarten) through to Grades 3 and provide professional development for teachers to support reading interventions in Zambian public and community schools.

Position Description

The Finance and Administration Director (FD) is responsible for compliance with USAID and EDC policy and the overall financial administration of the project, including: administration of project operations, forecasting and tracking field office expenditures, and overseeing daily financial management.  Additionally, the FD will oversee administrative and procurement staff.

Essential functions include (but not limited to):

• Directs and supports the Finance, Administration and Operations staff to manage all financial and operational issues of the project, to improve procedures, increase efficiency and provide the means to accomplish project goals;


• Provide oversight for the day to day operations and logistics for the office;


• Monitors project spending, including quarterly analysis to identify over or under spending, bring any issues to the attention of the Chief of Party for action;


• Monitors advances to employees and ensures timely liquidation bringing any issues to the attention of the Chief of Party for action;


• Ensures any tax liabilities are paid timely;


• Responsible for ensuring that all employees and vendors are vetted according to EDC policies;


• Serves as a liaison with EDC Home Office Accounting to facilitate financial management processes including: contributing to preparation of cost to complete projections, providing guidance and oversight on project financial management, and participating as appropriate, in resolution of financial issues;


• Models standards of accuracy, timeliness and adherence to policies and guidelines that enables others to perform with due diligence;


• Ensures compliance and adherence to donor regulations and procedures including maintenance of internal controls, accountability of EDC resources for all financial and operational issues;


• Manages with support from EDC’s Director of Corporate Compliance any external financial audits and ensures that management responses to internal financial reviews are implemented timely;


• Mentors local personnel to develop capacity of staff, including provision of regular feedback and training;


• Oversees work of project accountants to ensure timely and accurate submission of monthly field transaction reporting to the home office;


• Manages a team of approximately 12 project staff including finance, logistics, and procurement staff in Lusaka and field offices;


• Ensures that finance and operations staff work smoothly with technical teams to accomplish project goals in a manner consistent with policies and procedures; models collaboration with technical leaders;


• Forms a part of the senior management team along with the Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party for Programs; and


• Other duties, as assigned.

Reporting and Organizational Relationships:

The Finance and Reading Director reports to the Chief of Party.

The candidate for the position of Finance and Administration Director shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Master’s degree (or Bachelor’s degree with professional certification) in business, accounting, finance, international development or other related field.

Skills and Experience:

• At least eight years of experience with increasing responsibility in accounting and/or financial management, including the management and oversight of multimillion-dollar, USAID-funded project budgets and financial reporting;


• Extensive knowledge of and financial management experience with USAID funded-programs (experience with USAID contracts preferred);


• Demonstrated and detailed understanding of financial management and accounting principles; and


• Proven ability to manage a team and corresponding workflow.

Language:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of (and proficiency in) Chinyanja, Chitonga, Silozi, Lunda, Luvale, Kiikaonde and Icibemba languages highly preferred.