Project Finance Manager at Northern Rangelands Trust

Job Description

The Northern Rangelands Trust is a non-profit umbrella organization supporting 33 community conservancies across northern Kenya. Its mission is to develop resilient community conservancies, which transform lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources.

Key roles/Responsibilities

Oversees all aspects of project financial management and operations, including financial and accounting systems implementation; forecasting; budgeting; procurement; payroll expenditure tracking; and financial reporting as well as overall project oversight. Prepares periodic financial reports to headquarters finance and ensures timely submission to USAID per award requirements. S/he will be in charge of onboarding, training, monitoring sub-awardees under the grant to ensure compliance from them within the grant. Report to the Chief of Party on matters including, but not limited, to: operational field accounts, bank reconciliation/statements, office advance requests, and other day-to-day project administration issues.

Financial:

Supervise the recording, classifying, and summarizing of the financial transactions of the project activity ensuring the financial management system provides both internal and external users with reports that are compliant with donor regulations as well as legal, tax and other statutory compliance requirements. S/he will be in charge of forecasting, as well as leading on and guiding on instances of budget realignments. Review and provide guidance and coaching to project finance staff ensuring accuracy, correctness and completeness of transactions recorded. Ensure timeliness of required financial reports to project managers, NRT leadership, donors, government partners and Board Members are met as well as ensuring that all reported costs comply with the cost principles of reasonability, allowability and allocability. Maintain and develop tools for monitoring project cash, working capital and providing liquidity forecasts. Support the project activity team in developing and implementing work plan budgets specific to identified project goals and objectives. Supervise the various audits undertaken at project level i.e., statutory, internal and donor audits. Monitor project burn rates to ensure activities are implemented within required timelines and funds are available as and when required.

Contractual:

Draft, review, and negotiate contracts (including service agreements, purchase orders, etc.), ensuring all required contractual terms and conditions are included while obtaining the best value to the project. Responsible for managing the entire pre and post award USAID sub grant process including activities such as: choice of appropriate subaward mechanisms and monitoring sub-recipients performance to ensure sound financial management, operations, and compliance; contributing to capacity building of local partners in administration and financial management. Monitor fund advances to subgrantees and/or community conservancies to ensure activities undertaken are in compliance with the terms and conditions of the subgrants agreements. Oversee training and technical support to project team and subgrantees for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control to ensure compliance with USAID rules & regulations.

Academic, Professional, Technical & Behavioural Competencies: 

Post graduate degree in Finance/Accounting. CPA/ACCA finalist and member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) membership with good standing. 8+ years of progressive experience in an NGO with program management, and finance/budget management and financial reporting and compliance with USAID funded projects in Kenya. Knowledge of local regulatory reporting requirements including taxation laws. Familiarity with USG FARs and USG contracting rules is a plus. Knowledge of local law in taxation and local regulatory reporting requirements. Demonstrated ability to work with financial management systems and software. Knowledge of Sage Accounting Software is a plus. Demonstrated skills and experience in financial management, grant management and accounting, USAID Compliance, HR management, local labour law and contracts management. Excellent track record of good interpersonal supervision, leadership, and managerial skills. Excellent organizational and analytical skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Thorough knowledge of GAAP and accrual basis accounting and experience month end and year end closing procedures. Attention to detail, desire for structure and organization, assertiveness, and pride in high quality work. Experience reviewing financials and documentation for accuracy and improvement. Work independently to complete assignments, while knowing limits of knowledge and when to seek help. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations. Very strong leadership capacities to guide dialogue activities in mixed groups. Organizational and presentation skills. Builds effective teams. Ability to follow established policies and procedures consistently and accurately. Willingness to work at the NRT HeadQuarters based in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.