Finance and Grants Manager at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) is an international economic development organization; whose mission is to create innovative business solutions to poverty. Founded in 1953 by a group of compassionate business professionals, we partner with the economically active poor to start or grow small and medium-sized businesses in developing regions of the world. Our expertise includes a full range of economic development tools: financial services, gender-responsive and environmentally sustainable technology, business training, access to market information, better access to markets and equity investment. Our work most often focuses on women, youth and the rural poor and agricultural development. We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to earn a livelihood and that unleashing entrepreneurship is a powerful way to alleviate poverty.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Finance and Grants Manager

Location: Bauchi
Employment Type: Full-time
Job Status: Expected Start Date is January 2022.
Supervisor: Country Project Manager

Job Details

The Nigeria WAY project, funded by Government of Canada and MEDA is assisting over 16,000 economically active poor women and youth to increase their income particularly those who are involved in agro-processing in the rice, soybean, and groundnut value chains.
In addition, the project is working with communities and families to improve the environment where girls grow up.
The project entitled Youth Entrepreneurship and Women’s Empowerment in Northern Nigeria project (Nigeria WAY) is being implemented in seven LGAs in Bauchi state until March 2024.

Position Summary

The Finance and Grants Manager is responsible for the operations of the finance and grants unit component of the Nigeria WAY project.
They provide leadership in implementation of MEDA financial policies and procedures for the country office, ensure that internal and external financial requirements are met accordingly, ensure the financial integrity of the operations regarding controls, systems, resources, grant management, and reporting are held to the highest national and international standards.
He/she is responsible to ensure adherence to Government of Nigeria’s laws.
The Finance and Grants Manager is overall, responsible for budgeting and cash flow management, managing all financial and grants documentation, effect payments, evaluation and reporting activities.
The Finance and Grants manager supervises and coordinates the finance and grants unit.
The objective of this position which is guided by the finance policy, the procurement policy, approved signatories and the grants manual and includes operating SAGE software for the finances and CRM for the grants management.
Overall, the finance and grants manage is responsible for the integrity of the finance and grants unit and ensuring transparency, accountability and responsibility of MEDA’s resources and their utilization.
This position is supervised by the Country Project Manager.
The Finance and Grants Manager supervises the Finance officers and assistants and the Grants Coordinator.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure financial/accounting activity is carried out in accordance with MEDA’s accounting policies.
Maintain detailed and accurate records for all financial transactions in an organized and professional manner and to be always audit-ready.
Ensure MEDA’s program adheres to Government of Nigeria’s laws, including financial reporting, tax, labour and proper registration with all relevant authorities as required. Identify areas for financial and administrative improvement and work with the Country Project Manager to implement those improvements. Keep Country Project Manager abreast of Nigerian legal requirements for MEDA’s operations
Work with senior management to develop and meet operating plans, cash forecasts, and budgets.
Form engagement guidelines for accessing finance and grants unit by programmatic staff including number of days for turn around of procurements, cash advances and the like;
Maintain close and cooperative working relationships with financial staff, administrative staff and programmatic staff;
Provide support to project management, staff, and partners in the form of training and regular follow-up/review to ensure that Financial and Legal procedures are being implemented and are readily understood by all staff.
Perform and/or supervise daily functions including recording all cash, cheque and bank transfer transactions, maintain cash and bank ledgers, monitor cash advances and field expense reports, reconcile cash on hand and monthly bank reconciliation
Ensure all cash is reconciled on a minimum weekly basis, reporting any over/under to the Country Project Manager and investigate any over/under situations
Administer all cash advances to employees and KFPs, reconciling all receipts and remaining cash at month’s end.
Review financial transactions for MEDA operations as appropriate (includes vouchers, Cash Advances, transfers, etc.). Ensure adequate cash flow for operations and safety of financial resources at all locations.
Provide required weekly & monthly financial reports by specified deadlines to the Country Project Manager and MEDA HQ.
Successfully manage all audit requirements of and coordinate with auditors from the Government of Nigeria, MEDA HQ and GAC.
Provides overall supervision to the finance staff and partner finance staff. Takes part in the national leadership team and assists in ensuring the success of MEDA in Nigeria through motivation, direction, review and feedback of assigned tasks
Ensure control, monitoring and execution of all financial and related activities within the country, like yearly budgeting being in line with all applicable guidelines, strategies, and Project agreements
Information Services: Provide financial data and analyses to relevant internal and external parties as input for further decision-making and handling as well as answer questions regarding financial administration and data, based on requests and (corporate or regional) procedures.
Collect, review, and analyse and interpret (trends in) financial and non-financial data, draft financial reports on country/portfolio/fund/donor financial and non-financial indicators, using the corporate and Project/ donor reporting formats and within guidelines of the HQ Financial controller.
Supervise Finance Officers and Grants Officers
Any other tasks as may be assigned by the line manager or management
Apply MEDA’s values in all activities – cultural sensitivity, transparency and integrity in all relationships.

Qualifications

University Degree in Accounting or Business Management with minimum of 8 years experience in international standards of project accounting, financial management including budgeting, grants and contracts.
Certified Public Accountant with valid membership, 3+ post qualification experience is desired.
Master of Accounting, Business Administration, Grant Management Certification, and senior experience as a financial manager is preferred.
Strong experience with international audit requirements.
Working knowledge of major donor-funded operations, financial services, and practices.
Excellent computer skills in Excel & SAGE software.
Experience in managing International Donor financial reports and relationships, especially desirable is experience with Canadian donors.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Proven experience in Team management, through delegation, clear assignment of responsibilities, provision of sufficient authority and budget, and performance assessment.
Proven and adaptable interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
Direct private sector experience is desirable.
Sector experience in agriculture/agribusiness is desirable.
Fluency in English is required, and Hausa is also preferred.
Prior work experience in a comparable role is required.
Appreciation and support of MEDA’s values, mission and purpose.