Nigeria Job Openings

Search for Common Ground

Director of Finance and Administration

Abuja

FULL TIME

November 14, 2024

About Search for Common Ground

Location : Abuja, Nigeria

Search for Common Ground (Search) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the peaceful transformation of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC, and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict—moving away from destructive approaches and towards cooperative solutions. With more than 700 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in more than 30 African countries, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and North America.

Summary of Position

The Director of Finance will be a strategic thought-partner, and report to the Country Director (CD). The successful candidate will be a hands-on and participative manager and will lead and develop an internal team to support the following areas: finance, business planning and budgeting.

The Director of finance will take the lead in assuring the quality management of externally funded grants/contracts from inception to closure. In addition to an oversight role, the DFA will ensure that both programming and operations staff improve their understanding of different finance mechanisms and build their capacity to adhere to donor regulations related to reporting, invoicing, and asset management and purchasing

The Director of Finance will play a critical role in partnering with the senior leadership team in strategic decision making and operations as Search Nigeria continues to enhance its quality programming and build capacity. This is a tremendous opportunity for a finance and operations leader to maximize and strengthen the internal capacity of a well-respected, high-impact organization.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in financial and grant management in an INGO, nonprofit sector, financial statement preparation and analysis, design and workflows. She/he will work closely with the Heads of Offices, Project Managers and the Project Finance Coordinators in the field offices and collaborate with the Regional Controller and Finance Manager in addition to other Global Finance and operations team members in Washington and Brussels.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

- Grants Management and Compliance
- Support timely agreement/contract development, review, and/or approval, both with donors and partners, ensuring adherence to both internal Search’s and donor requirements.
- Ensure that all Financial Reports are done on appropriate donor templates at or before the agreed upon due date
- Analyze and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate monthly and annual financial statements; collate financial reporting materials for all donor segments, and oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting.
- Oversee and lead annual budgeting and planning process in conjunction with the Country Director; administer and review all financial plans and budgets; monitor progress and changes; and keep senior leadership team abreast of the organization’s financial status.
- Manage organizational cash flow and forecasting.
- Implement a robust contracts management and financial management/ reporting system; ensure that the contract billing and collection schedule is adhered to and that financial data and cash flow are steady and support operational requirements.
- Effectively communicate and present the critical financial matters to the Country Leadership Management Team.
- Supervise the Finance Manager to ensure effective financial reporting indicators are met for the organization and field Finance activities run efficiently.

Internal Control

- Ensure adherence to segregation of duties and record keeping as per donor and Search’s internal requirements;
- Guide the team in keeping to Search’s auditing protocol and Coordinate the annual country, HQ and/or project specific audit processes, liaise with external auditors and the finance committee of the board of directors; assess any changes necessary.
- Supports Grants & Compliance Manager in verification of audit report accuracy;
- Ensure timely closure of finance audit recommendations related to donor compliance; participate in preparation, implementation and monitoring of corrective action plans;
- Provide guidance and support to Subgrants team for the timely assessment of staff and partner financial management capacity and ability to adhere to any specific donor requirements.
- Support to develop related action plan with program and finance staff to address any capacity/system gaps by to ensuring a risk assessment matrix is prepared and updated with mitigation plans for the country office
- Update and implement all necessary business policies and accounting practices; improve the finance department’s overall policy and procedure manual.
- Work with Heads of Offices and other relevant staff to ensure adequate finance management support in each sub-office; and.

Cross cutting support:

- Support the Director of Operations/Procurement and Admin lead to manage daily office operations to negotiate contracts, manage vendor relationships, liaise with Search’s landlords (and subtenants), develops and oversees office standard operating procedures.
- Review the procurement processes and policies to ensure that they meet the organizations and donor standards.
- Coordinates long-term organizational planning: coordinates the implementation and operation of Search’s strategic plan.
- Technology: support to ensure the proper functioning of network administration, phone system and information systems.
- With the Country Director, updates and implements Search’s development strategy, oversees individual solicitation leads and processes, as agreed with the Country Director.
- Serve as a member of the leadership management team.
- Serves as a member and Co-Chair of the Operations and Security Team.
- Work with the People & Culture Manager to oversee the organization’s human resources requirements; including employee on-boarding.
- Other responsibilities, as agreed with the Country Director.
- The position holder will conduct him/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to SFCG and to not jeopardize its mission and objectives;

Required Qualifications and Experience

- A Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Studies, or Social Science.
- Experience in working with Financial Regulations of US Government, EU, FCDO and other Donor funded projects
- At least eight years of experience working in project and/or grants management and proposal/business development/design.
- Experience in developing and interpreting donor budgets.
- Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities and implications to the community.
- Proven ability to develop and write grant proposals and concepts and track record in winning proposals.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Good communicator with strong organizational, time management and analytical skills.
- Excellent inter-personal, cultural and diplomatic skills.
- Strong writing and editing skills with close attention to detail.
- Ability to juggle competing priorities, meet demanding deadlines and work under pressure in unstable security environments.
- Experience in using Office applications especially excel will be a great advantage
- Travel to Programme Units and field offices when necessary to support Reviews and Capacity development process

To apply:

Interested candidates should send the following to our Career Portal

Current resume

Cover Letter (which includes expectations of compensation and projected start date)

Posting closes November 29, 2024

Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Please see our website: www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.

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