Mercy Corps AGRIFIN Accelerate Finance & Compliance Director

Job Description

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. 

Driven by local needs, our programs provide communities in the world’s toughest places with the tools and support they need to turn the crises they confront into the opportunities they deserve. 

Mercy Corps is looking for committed and dynamic individuals to take up the following position.

AGRIFIN Accelerate Finance & Compliance Director – Nairobi
 

General Program Summary: The AgriFin Accelerate program will operate in three African countries (Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia) utilizing a market ecosystem approach, working with carefully selected partners to build sustainable models, where farm and crop management tools and financial services are “bundled” in affordable, unified platforms on mobile phone channels to promote mass uptake commercially. 

The program involves three interrelated components that seek to address low farmer productivity and capability, and improve institutional ability to deliver appropriate products and build ecosystems to drive scale. 

We work with farmers, banks, mobile network operators, MFIs, research institutes and other ecosystem players in well-defined partnerships to sustainably bundle services, leveraging the offer and outreach of all partners, while increasing the range of services, access points and value for farmers. 

The program works with partners to identify, prototype, test and scale successful mobile-enabled services for smallholders, with a key focus on expanding access to financial services, using a rapid iteration approach to product development and client-centric design techniques.
 

General Position Summary: The AgriFin Accelerate Finance & Compliance Director (FCD) is a member of the senior program management team and part of the Mercy Corps Finance Department, and as such is responsible for all aspects of financial management of the overall program, working collaboratively to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures as well as donor regulations. 

S/he works under the direction of the AgriFin Accelerate Program Director and is responsible for all financial functions based in Nairobi and covering program operations in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grant financial management and compliance. 

The FCD reports and provides timely assistance to the Program Director and the Program Team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Essential Job Functions:
 

Financial Management

Ensure effective, transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.

Maintain banking relations and plan and monitor country cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of the program.

Maintain appropriate local insurance coverage in coordination with the Admin. Department, to protect Mercy Corps.

Provide monthly standard accounting submissions to Mercy Corps Headquarters, including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenditures by cost center/project, required subgrantee reporting, as well as other financial information in a timely and accurate manner.

Lead development and production of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports in line with donor requirements.

Provide monthly management reports to the Program Manager, including expenditures by country and for the overall project, partner reporting and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.

Develop annual fiscal year budgets with the Program Director and develop and implement grant budgeting and forecasting systems with Country Managers.

Personal Leadership

Consistently demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.

Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.

Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

Representation

Interface with donor representatives to convey information about programs as appropriate.

Communicate with our partners as well as private sector partners, to verify their systems and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.

Participate in sharing best practices with NGOs and governmental agencies.

Team Management

Create a sustainable work environment of mutual respect that attracts motivated, skilled and effective team members and enables them individually and collectively to strive to achieve excellence.

Supervise and lead a diverse team of direct and indirect reports in field offices.

Contribute to country team-building efforts; build constructive internal relationships; help team members identify problem solving options and ensure integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Accountability: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
 

Organizational Learning: As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve – we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Supervisory Responsibility: Direct supervision of Agri-Fin finance staff in Kenya; dotted-line supervisory responsibility for finance staff in other Agri-Fin offices.
 

Accountability:
 

Reports Directly To: Agri-Fin Accelerate Program Director
 

Works Directly With: HQ Regional Finance Officer (with authority for technical financial matters); Deputy Agri-Fin Director; members of Operations, Country Managers, TSU team members, and others.

Knowledge and Experience:

A BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance required; advanced degree preferred.

At least 5 + years of progressive financial management experience, including supervisory experience required.

At least 4 years’ experience in grants management as well as an understanding of donor regulations required.

At least 3 years’ international experience required; international NGO/PVO field office experience is preferred.

Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting preparation and presentation and the proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports.

Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.

Prior management experience and strong organizational skills, including managing staff in remote locations.

Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.

Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.

Excellent oral and written English skills required.

Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

Previous experience in insecure environments.

Success Factors: The successful candidate will have an ability to interact effectively across international and national program and finance teams successfully, both in a managerial as well as training capacity. 

S/he will be able to support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful financial information, have a demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. 

An impeccable professional standard of finance and procurement ethics and the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential. 

The Finance Manager must be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. 

The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the above required qualifications and experience should submit a cover letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing three professional references (including a recent supervisor) to hr@ke.mercycorps.org on or before Thursday 30th April by 4.00pm. 

The email subject line must clearly show the job title and location they are applying for. 

Applications without the right subject heading will be automatically disqualified.

Please do not attach any certificates.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

We will only get in touch with shortlisted candidates.

NB: Mercy Corps does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

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Company: Reputable Company

State: Nairobi

Location: Anywhere

Job type: Full-Time

Salary:

Job category: NGO Jobs in Kenya

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Job expires in: Endless