Head Of Finance And Administration Zambia Open Community Schools

HEAD OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Main Purpose of the Position

The Head of Finance and Administration is responsible for overall financial management, compliance, grants administration and human resources oversight. The HFA is responsible for ensuring that ZOCS requirements for budget planning, monitoring, and reporting are fully met in a timely manner, and the establishment and management of financial, administrative and human resource systems that support the project. HFA is also responsible for donor compliance mainly for finance and administration. HFA will ultimately be responsible for running the smooth, compliant, efficient, effective and sustainable finance and administrative functions of ZOCS.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Management and Leadership Functions

1. To ensure application of documented policies and procedures for finance and all core operations functions to ensure ongoing efficient, effective support and compliance across the project.

2. To develop, coordinate and implement plans for the control, monitoring and reporting of financial operations to include controllership, treasury and budgets (work plan budgets, operating budgets and overall project budget.

3. To ensure that all financial information is consolidated on time and provided to the ED as appropriate for analysis and dissemination.

4. To provide guidance to and overall supervision of the project finance, grants, human resources, administration, operations (transport, ICT, inventory, safety and security, stores/warehousing) and sub-award teams.

5. To provide regular training and coaching to staff on donor regulations, grant management systems, financial management and HR and administrative procedures.

6. To advise and support the efforts of Managers to ensure that financial implications of programme proposals are fully considered by management and provides a rational approach to reconciling the competing demands of programs for limited resources and to pursue efficient and effective management policies.

7. To take part in the development of ZOCS’ objectives and plans.

8. To review, approve and closely monitor the work plans and objectives of managers who report to him or her; in doing so, assign priorities, delegate authority, provide general guidance on operational issues and on the repercussions of proposed guidelines; follow up on problems and suggest other solutions; review and complete annual performance evaluations of managers and review those of employees under their direct responsibility, while effectively and fairly resolving performance related issues.

Finance Functions

1. To provide the Executive Director with monthly financial reports including overall project budget status (budget tracker), work plan budgets status and ensuring potential issues are identified and addressed.

2. To oversee the timely review, approval and submission of all internal financial reporting requirements, such monthly reports audit report, etc.

3. To review the finance policies and procedures to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

4. To direct the timely and accurate preparation and approval of all donor financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements.

5. To establish and maintain professional banking relations, plan and monitor cash needs ensuring cash flow requirements of the project are met for smooth implementation of project activities.

6. To work closely with Head of Programme to develop and monitor annual work plan budgets, operating budgets and budget updates.

7. To perform final financial reviews of budgets prior to approval and submission to partners and Board of Governors.

Financial Information Systems Support Functions

1. To supervise and direct the development and operations of the key financial systems, such as Microsoft’s MS Dynamics platform, include several tailored interfaces with banks for funds transfers, electronic funds transfers and downloading of transactions for payment and grant administration.

2. To ensure that ZOCS has a corporate financial information strategy.

3. To see that resources are made available for periodic patching, upgrades and maintenance of ZOCS’ financial information systems as a well-maintained financial system is key to the smooth functioning of ZOCS.

4. To ensure that the department has the capabilities of clearly bridging the functional finance and administration operations and the information technology operations.

5. To ensure that the ZOCS users of the financial information systems get the necessary support, including basic training, access (taking into account internal control imperatives), trouble-shooting and advanced training.

6. To ddirect the development, maintenance of financial, and management reports essential to Management and decision-making.

7. To oversee system administration duties such as keeping up-to-date all user access to financial applications, optimising internal controls with a view to minimizing security breaches, cconfiguration of applications according to needs and trouble-shooting reported problems.

8. To review priorities and financial resources required to implement new applications and maintain existing systems (software and reports).

Minimum Qualifications / Professional Experience

Education

• Full Grade 12 Certificate or equivalent.
• Full ACCA, ZICA or CIMA accreditation.
• Degree in Finance, Accounting will be an added advantage

Experience

• Minimum ten (10) years of relevant work experience in a similar role with a reputable organisation, with at least five (5) years of work experience at an NGO.
• Significant experience in financial monitoring, budget systems, and internal controls.
• Experience of donor liaison and production of donor reports.
• Demonstrated experience analysing and interpreting financial data
• Experience managing and monitoring sub-awards, including international and local partners.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated strong analytical, interpersonal and multi-tasking skills.
• Excellent leadership skills and demonstrated ability to manage and work effectively in team situations.
• Proven ability to prepare budgets, contract and sub-contracts and donor financial reports.
• Demonstrated capacity and prior experience in supervising others as a coach and mentor to train staff and develop financial skills of colleagues.
• Strong and prior management and supervisory skills with demonstrated experience in the supervision of finance, human resource and administrative staff.
• Demonstrated experience working independently with minimal supervision, reliably establishing priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Experience in Project Management essential.
• Proven experience and knowledge of accounting principles, techniques experience with accounting software packages, such as Pastel, QuickBooks.
• Advanced proficiency in Word and PowerPoint to develop presentations and Excel to develop moderately complex spreadsheets
• Active Membership with professional body (ACCA, ZICA, CIMA).

Core Values

1. Commitment to values, mission and vision of the organisation

2. Integrity in all actions

3. Diversity and Inclusion