Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, democratic institutions and stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 25 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Finance Manager
Location: Abuja (FCT)
Employment Type: Full-time
Project Summary
- The USAID-funded West Africa Trade and Investment Hub Project (hereinafter referred to as the Trade Hub) is a five-year, $140 million trade and investment facilitation activity that seeks to improve private sector competitiveness in West Africa through a market-based approach.
- By working in partnership with the private sector and fostering co-investments, the project will generate new private-sector capital investment into key sectors to create jobs and increase trade between the U.S. and West Africa, including through increased utilization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The project comprises of three main components:
- Design and administration of a Co-Investment fund for private sector partnerships, including a portion for partnerships in Research and Development (R&D) towards innovating and modernizing practices in Nigeria across five targeted value chains;
- Technical assistance (TA) that directly supports, coordinates, and engages with qualifying recipients (i.e., partners and grantees) to achieve USAID’s trade and food security objectives;
- Urgently respond to the secondary economic impacts of COVID-19, notably to increase the access of working capital with financial actors, prevent job loss, and respond to supply shortages by scaling up local response.
- Through this Co-Investment fund and technical assistance, the Trade Hub will improve companies’ abilities to expand business operations, increase productivity, and create jobs that build on the talents and aspirations of West Africa’s growing population.
- The Trade Hub will collaborate on specific commercial opportunities with firms, service providers, research organizations, as well as other business network actors to access private capital that will contribute to large-scale jobs, exports and investment, particularly with strong demonstrated or potential links to the U.S. companies and investors.
Position Summary
- The Finance Manager will assist the Lead Finance Manager in developing and managing the project’s financial systems.
- He will work under the supervision of the Lead Finance Manager and will support her in all matters related to financial management, financial reporting, subcontracting.
- He will also assist Lead Finance manager in ensuring sufficient funds are available for effective and efficient implementation of project activities and support programs.
- Specific areas of responsibility include financial report preparation, review and submission to headquarters and cash flow management.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
- Preparing accurate and timely financial reports in line with USAID and Creative’s financial regulations
- Providing and interpreting financial information from Microsoft Dynamics SL and other project source documents
- Developing external relationships with appropriate contacts, e.g. bankers and statutory organizations such as the Inland Revenue, NSITF, NHF and pension officials.
- Supervising Finance Officers, mentoring and coaching colleagues on policies, procedures, financial regulations etc.
- Keeping abreast of changes in financial regulations and legislations and communicating implications to management as needed
- Review Grantee budget upon request from the POC and provide feedback.
- Maintaining collaborative professional relationships with managerial staff and colleagues in other departments (particularly Grants and Procurement) to support activity clearance, implementation and overall program delivery
- Ensuring appropriate accounting control and procedures in all financial operations
- Monitoring of cash advances and prepare advance account reconciliations
- Monitoring cash balances on dynamics and bank, ensuring that drawdowns from USD to Naira account are done timely as soon as a confirmed exchange rate is received from the bank
- Reviewing local expense reports to ensure accuracy and compliance with USAID and Creative’s financial practice before reimbursement
- Coordinating with program and administrative staff to ensure that transactions are properly planned, recorded and coded
- Prepare payroll, send pay slips and make all statutory deductions to the relevant authorities for Nigeria and work closely with the regional payroll firms and ensure that salary advance and liquidation are processed on time.
- Coordinate with the bank for information regarding exchange rate, bank balances, wire transfer etc.
- Ensure staff have good understanding of policies and procedures and that knowledge is reflected in the day-to-day financial transactions – avail staff with all relevant policies and procedures, provide on job trainings, as necessary provide feedbacks on irregularities, etc.…
- Ensure that the project meets all USAID contractual requirements and ensure compliance with USAID policies and regulations.
- Manage financial systems, files, and maintain Creative’s online accounting system
- Process check requests and wire transfer requests for payments to vendors in compliance with contract requirements.
- Review and process invoices and in-field fee payments in accordance with Creative accounting procedures and contract policies.
- Track the transfer of funds between headquarters and the field office and manage accounting and finance records of in-country expenses, including developing tracking and monitoring all financial project activities, and maintaining current project expense data.
- Facilitate the monthly field expense reports and report monthly expenses to HQ Offices.
- Review and approve the financial close-out of program activities, and verify documentation and information is complete.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Management, Financial Analysis or Accounting desirable; Master’s degree preferred.
- Must have 6 +years of general work experience and 4+ years of specific experience with sub-grants management, preferably in West Africa working in international development. If supervising staff, must have 3+ years of supervisory experience with groups or teams of staff).
- Experience with computerized accounting essential.
- Familiar with all MS Office applications.
- English in reading, writing and speaking
- U. S government (USAID preferred) administrative compliance experience
- Exposure working with international operations
- Ability to work with and achieve results with a diverse group of personnel located in many countries
- Strong organizational and managerial skills.
Application Closing Date
4th February, 2024.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV either in PDF or word format as one document to: recruit@westafricatih.com using the Job Title as the subject of the email.
Note
- This position is only for Five (5) Months with posibility of extension.
- Local candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls, please.