Senior Finance Manager

The Senior Finance Manager is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the country office’s accounting system, internal controls, and budget planning and monitoring activities. They review financial transactions for completeness, accuracy and ensure consistent compliance and prepare financial analysis and management reports. They also facilitate internal and external audits ensure compliance with external donor requirement and internal policies and procedures.

The Senior Finance Manager is required to comply with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

This position is based in Lusaka and will require occasional travel to Zambia field offices as well as international travel to Orbis offices, including New York. and Cape Town.

REPORTING & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The Senior Finance Manager reports to the Orbis Zambia Country Director and supervisors the Zambia finance and account staff. They work closely with local colleagues and the Headquarters-based Senior Regional Finance Manager and the Director of Financial Analysis & Program Finance. They will also liaise with Orbis colleagues around the world as needed.

SUPERVISORY ROLE(S)

The Senior Finance Manager directs and provides direct supervision to the finance and accounting staff in Lusaka, Ndola, and Solwezi offices.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

ACCOUNTING:

Oversee and ensure the effectiveness and implementation of the accounting systems and control procedures for the Orbis Zambia country program:

• Initiate and recommend accounting policies and plans.
• Strengthen and maintain an effective custody system over cash, bills, documents, supplies, and inventories.
• Initiate effective costing system to link with programmes establishing a comprehensive and efficient process for budgeting, financial reporting and donor reporting.
• Ensure payments committed to by Orbis are timely and accurately processed.
• Review monthly bank and cash reconciliation as required.
• Close the monthly accounts and communicate results with all pertinent units and personnel.
• Ensure timely submission of accurate and complete monthly financial reports along with supporting schedules and reconciliations to HQ Finance
• Ensure timely submission of monthly justification of project variances to HQ Finance.
• Ensure disbursements are made as per Orbis disbursement policies and guidelines. This includes the timely transfers and project advances to partners, project offices/areas and appropriate reporting of such as per standard procedures and format.
• Monitor Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivables (including staff advances) and ensure that all payables and receivables are settled on time, with special attention to those, which are due to government authorities, and with special emphasis on all tax payables.
• Sign payments and cheques, approves vouchers when and as per authority limits given.
• Any other relevant duties.

FINANCE:

• Initiate and recommend plans and policies for costing and reporting financial activities. Improve the office’s financial reporting methods to be more conventional, timely, accurate, complete, and transparent.
• Monitor cash and ensures optimal liquidity at all times; and advise management on cash requirements and financial rules and regulations.
• Ensure that budgetary and fiscal control policies and procedures are in place and strictly adhered to and initiate actions to prevent the occurrence of non-conformities and ensure timeliness of corrective actions.
• Manage the office’s relationship with banks, tax authorities, financial and other institutions in a positive and constructive manner.
• Ensure the annual financial reports to the Zambian regulatory are completed and shared in timely manner.
• Ensure restricted grant financial reports are compliant with specific grant agreements and are reported timely.
• Monitor, interpret and provide financial information, flows and predict/forecast budget trends
• Keep abreast of changes in financial regulations and legislation.
• Any other relevant duties.

BUDGET:

• Lead the office’s budget process and collaborate closely with  programmes and operations colleagues to prepare, compile and consolidate annual budgets.
• Ensure that all payments are against budget and are executed as per the standard procedure and established rules and regulations of the organisation.

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL AUDIT:

• Ensure that the Orbis Zambia books are ready for auditing at all times by availing financial documents/information regarding disbursement and fund receipts and any other relevant documents.
• Facilitate & coordinate the office audits and collaborate closely with internal and external auditors.
• Facilitate and coordinate the partner audits.
• Prepare and implement audit corrective actions in partnership with the Country Director.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

• Recruit, retain and develop strong finance and accounting staff.
• Identify skill gaps and create recruitment and/or  development plans as appropriate.
• Provide coaching, mentorship and training to the staff;
• Foster a professional work environment and provide regular  and meaningful performance feedback.

QUALIFICATIONS & KNOWLEDGE

The ideal candidate will offer:

• Bachelor’s /university degree in Accounting from a recognized university.
• Minimum 5 years of accounting experience working for an NGO.
• Previous experience working in donor proposal and donor reporting
• 3 or more years of experience as a manager and supervisor.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Computer literacy: – Word, Spreadsheet, Access, PowerPoint, at least one accounting program. Experience with one Fund Accounting software is preferred.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written in English.
• Excellent accounting, financial management and budgeting skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team-driven and collaborative environment with a strong emphasis on accountability.
• Supports a customer-centered approach to colleagues and partners
• Successful track record as a manager: able to motivate, guide and develop team members
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize effectively

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