Regional Finance Coordinator – East & Southern Africa

Nature and Scope:
The Regional Finance Coordinator is a position of project financial management and project  accounting specialist for East and Southern Africa Countries that requires the incumbent to both directly manage their assigned projects/programs and supervise financial staff assigned to a given portfolio of projects. The Regional Finance Coordinator is expected to strengthen the performance and outputs of the East and Southern Africa country finance teams in each ountry of operation resulting in better efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy, financial control and compliance of all finance and accounting activities associated with FRI programs.

Key Responsibilities:

Field Personnel and Office Administration

• Support the Field Finance Manager and Director of Compliance in administrative matters relating to above key areas
• Ensuring country staff time allocation table as well office running cost table are updated on monthly basis by country finance officers, filed in the appropriate share drive and available any time
• Ensure each country has enough project budget to support financial commitments related to a new agreement or a new partnership through a monthly status report shared with Senior Manager, Program Development, and Ottawa Finance.
• Ensure country offices maintain personnel files including administration of timesheet, leave records and payment schedules of salaries and benefits
• Ensure countries compliance with local laws including legal registrations, tax administration, statutory remittances and reporting and liaison with local authorities

Financial Accounting

• Support East and Southern Africa countries in preparation and submission of monthly, quarterly and year-end financial statement of the project activities to FRI Ottawa within agreed time-lines. This includes period-end closings, bank reconciliation, monthly
  sub-ledger balancing, review and verifications of all payments, inter-funds, inter-company reconciliations, preparing month-end journal entries, posting general ledger and maintaining the chart of accounts.
• Support Regional & Ottawa finance team to implement a new accounting system in the field offices.

Audits

• Assist East and Southern Africa countries organizing annual local external audits. This will involve preparation of detailed working papers, financial statements and documents relating to policies and procedures.
• Ensure updating and compliance of all field manuals (procurement, finance and HR)
• Support audits commissioned by donor agency, Regional and FRI Ottawa
• Participate in internal audits of projects commissioned by the Field Finance Manager and the Director of Compliance

Systems

• Assist the Field Finance Manager, the Director of finances and the Director of compliance in the implementation of administrative procedures and technology that enhances efficiency.
• Implement the accounting systems and ensure that it meets the key requirements relating to reporting to key stakeholders including segregation of donor funds and reporting to the Donner.

Internal Control

• Assist the Field Finance Manager and East and Southern Africa countries in updating their accounting and finance manuals. Ensure the implementation of all accounting and financial procedures, financial control mechanisms for all Project activities, and update the accounting manual as required throughout the project.
• Ensure sub-grantees’ financial accounting/reporting comply with donor requirements. Ensure implementation of necessary financial controls and due diligence (review of periodical reports, frequent monitoring visit and internal audits etc). Financial Management & Budgeting Process
• Provide regular variance analysis of project implantation at Regional level and other offer recommendations for possible improved courses of action to ensure efficient use of project funds.
• Facilitate smooth implementation of contracts of procurement of goods and services as required by Project activities, plan and budget.
• Participate in strategic planning and design, and support the program team to build and develop accurate annual budget and financial expenditure plans each year and monitor progress.
• Monitor and ensure the efficiency of FRI’s Spending Monitoring System (timely reporting, countries burn rates tracking, spending plan revision process, follow up on action items, etc.)
• Assist countries and Ottawa finance throughout PD budgeting process.

Other duties as required.

Qualifications:

• A University degree in accounting and finance or business management;
• A minimum of ten (10) years in financial management and project accounting;
• Proficiency in computer skills, accounting packages and Advance skills in MS Excel spread sheets;
• Strong analytical, communication and problem solving skills.
• Staff training and supervision experience
• Experience working with international development partners, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and donors in general (in particular Global Affairs Canada, Gates Foundation and USAID experience is an asset);

• Strong knowledge of GAAP and International Accounting Standards;
• Familiarity with International Financial Reporting Standards;
• Superior organizational skills are essential;
• Complete fluency in English. French is optional.

Background:

Farm Radio International is a unique international non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to serving African farming families and rural communities through the innovative use of radio and mobile phones.

We always work through existing local radio stations. Our network currently includes more than 1,000 radio partners across 41 sub-Saharan African countries. Building the capacity of these stations and their local stakeholders is central to our approach to building viable communication platforms for long-term sustainable development.

We have seven offices in sub-Saharan Africa and run major projects in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda. And we have worked with funders and partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CABI, Global Affairs Canada, the International Development Research Centre, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Irish Aid, USAID, and the World Food Programme.

Together with our broadcasting and project partners, we reach tens of millions of smallscale armers with life-changing information and enable them to have a stronger voice in their own development.

Applications:
FRI is an equal opportunity employer. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the
selection process.