Senior Finance Officer (Norad Project) at Tearfund Nigeria

Tearfund is a Christian organisation partnering with the local church wherever possible to see change in the lives of those in greatest economic need. We believe poverty is caused by broken relationships with God, others, the environment and ourselves, and working to see those relationships restored is key to how we work. We want to see change that is economic, material, environmental and spiritual.

Tearfund in Nigeria is looking to recruit qualified and motivated person into the position advertised to implement its project, especially on its innovation project area of waste management funded by Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Finance Officer (Norad Project)

Location: Yola, Adamawa. Seconded to Yola Renewal Foundation (YRF)
Employment Type: Full Time
Start Date: Immediate Resumption
Group: International
Team: West Africa

Main Purpose of the Job

• The Project Senior Finance officer will be responsible for the provision of practical support and advice to Tearfund partner implementing a project funded by Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) on the following: setting up financial and internal control processes and systems suitable for a social enterprise, strengthening financial management capacity, improving financial budgeting and reporting
• Responsible for ensuring donor compliance for all financial management issues. Provides accounting functions and financial management input to Tearfund Nigeria.

Position in Organisation:

• Responsible for the Finance Manager, Nigeria.
• Dotted reporting to the Support Services Manager
• Grade: Croner 4 Level
• Works directly with Tearfund’s partners especially the finance staff of partners.
• Works closely with the Support Services Manager, and other in-country Tearfund staff

Tearfund’s Christian Culture
We believe that prayer and discernment is fundamental to Tearfund achieving its mission of restoring relationships, ending extreme poverty and transforming lives. As a Tearfund staff member you are expected to:

• Engage with Tearfund Prays and the Prayer hub
• Lead or participate in spiritual sessions of prayer and biblical reflection within your group
• Be committed to Tearfund’s Mission, Values and Beliefs statement and to be actively working and living in accordance with Tearfund’s Christian beliefs and theology of mission
• Maintain your own spiritual development, discover your gifts/callings and grow in discipleship

Organisational Requirements:

• The post holder will be expected to live out Tearfund’s values as they represent Tearfund externally
• S/he will be expected to fulfil their personal objectives set by their line manager, contribute to their team’s overall objectives, take responsibility for reviewing their ongoing personal development and maintain an awareness of Tearfund's strategy.
• S/he will be expected, along with all Tearfund staff, to share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

The post-holder will be required to actively participate in the spiritual life of Tearfund in the following ways:

• To model godly leadership in all aspects of character and conduct.
• To lead or contribute in Christian worship, prayer, teaching and biblical reflections during collective staff prayer times and encourage staff to attend as is appropriate.
• To be committed to and share in the outworking of Tearfund’s Mission, Purpose, Values and Statement of Faith.
• To actively work and live in accordance with Tearfund’s Statement of Faith and Tearfund’s Christian ethos.
• To pursue and maintain a Christian faith through ongoing personal spiritual development and a relationship with God.
• To provide support and spiritual encouragement to staff and colleagues, in line with biblical principles.
• The post-holder will be expected to behave in accordance with Tearfund’s ‘Code of Conduct’ as referred to in the Personal Conduct Policy.

Duties & Key Responsibilities
Responsibilities to Partner:

• Carry out financial management reviews/assessment of YRF by identifying critical gaps and capacity development needs.
• Provides direct support to partner on:
• Strengthening internal controls, improving organisational and project level budgeting and reporting
• Appropriate tools for senior management and board to ensure adequate monitoring and decision making on financial management.
• Quality of financial and administrative documentation.
• Computerised financial packages
• Develop specific financial management capacity building plans for partners.
• Facilitating training on financial management for non –financial managers at partner level.
• Develop a work plan that prioritises key areas of support to partners.

Financial and Accounting Supervision:

• Ensure that all Tearfund's internal controls and other financial procedures are adhered to and fully implemented.
• Ensure that all YRF financial transactions (bank, cash, accruals) are properly recorded in accordance with Tearfund's policy
• Ensure that all government regulations concerning finances are respected (Taxes and other statutory Deductions)
• Maintain an inventory list of all office equipment and fixed assets.
• Ensure compliances with Tearfund finance policies, standards, procedures and government VAT & Tax requirements.
• Ensure that the requirements of the Donors are followed.
• Ensure that all accounting operations in Yola Region (Both Tearfund and Partner) are submitted to the FM in time for uploading in PSF. Close the cash and bank books on the second day of each month and send the details to the FM

Manage all payments made, including:

• Verification of the accuracy and appropriateness of invoices and other documents provided for payments.
• Ensure that all relevant supporting documents are in place and that all Tearfund policies and regulations have been followed.
• Ensure payments reach the beneficiaries
• Record all bank transactions made in the accounting system provided.
• Classification of all supporting documents according to the procedures defined by Tearfund.
• Work with the Support Services Manager to ensure that entitled persons appear on the payroll and that rates of pay are in line with Tearfund's local salary levels.
• Inform project managers and Partner Staff of specific donor regulations for procurement, distribution, and reporting.
• Ensure that Tearfund and Partner books and records, insofar as they relate to donor-funded projects, are kept in accordance with donor requirements.
• Produce accurate and up-to-date reports using required formats.
• Petty cash management
• Ensures that the cash count is made every end of every month (or as determined by the FM).
• Management of advances to staff (ensure that advances are accounted for over time and that no double advances are issued)
• Classification - Ensure that all financial documents are stamped "PAID" and classified in accordance with Tearfund's policies and practices.

Accounting and Financial Management:

• Verification of telephone billing and other monthly invoices from service providers such as medical bills, tax, and rent, ensuring that personal expenses are passed on to the respective employees.
• Track service contracts to ensure they are renewed on time and for those who expire, follow the correct process if they need to be terminated or renewed.
• Provide financial / accounting assistance to the country office in Jos to ensure that procedures and policies are not flouted.
• To be a leader in the prevention of fraud at the Base and to provide technical support for fraud investigations.
• Undertake any other task assigned by the FM and CD.

Person Specification
Qualifications:

• Degree in Finance / Accounts or equivalent experience
• ACA / MBA / CA, ICAN, ANAN or equivalent.
• Proven experience in relief and disaster response work

Experience:

• Minimum of five years experience in accounting
• Proven experience in book-keeping, accounting and financial management.
• Understanding of accounting issues in the manufacturing, banking, charity/NGO sectors, etc.
• Experience of working with Christian based partners.
• Experience in setting up systems and processes.

Skills / Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication English
• Planning, budgeting, monitoring and valuation skills
• Communication and presentation skills
• Self-motivation
• Computer literate in MS-Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc
• Team player, Initiative, Attention to detail
• Ability to Prioritise
• Good analytical skills;
• Training and mentoring skill
• Excellent verbal communication in Hausa.

Personal Qualities:

• Committed Christian with a personal relationship with God
• Committed to regular Christian fellowship.
• Christian motivation in relation to injustice and serving those in need.
• Logical thinker and problem solver
• Humanitarian & Christian motivation
• Emotionally and spiritually mature
• Commitment to accountability and transparency, showing dignity and respect,
• Demonstrating listening and understanding skills.
• Sensitivity to cross cultural issues.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing environments
• Calmness under pressure
• Influential, diplomatic and determined
• Willingness to travel and live in basic and potentially insecure conditions;
• An understanding of and a commitment to Tearfund’s Mission, Values and Beliefs Statement.    

Other Comments:

• This role require a DBS/Police check
• Tearfund is a member of the SCHR Misconduct Disclosure Scheme
• Personal identification information will be submitted against a Watchlist database to check against criminal convictions as a counter-terror measure.

Salary

• N7,530,984 - N8,843,052 Gross annually.

Application Closing Date
31st January, 2021.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Application and 2-page Summary CV to the "HR" via: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the email.