Strategic Finance Business Partner – YODA at Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian non-profit organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We believe in the power and potential of every child, but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Strategic Finance Business Partner – YODA

Location: Nigeria
Type of Role: 2 Year Fixed Term Contract
Functional Area: Global Hub (GH) Finance
Reports To: Head of Business Partnering and Strategic Finance
Grade: 4
Travel Required: Infrequent global travel may be required

The Opportunity
Programme Y.O.D.A (Your Organisation’s Data & Analytics) is an organisational transformation programme through which Plan International is introducing the new integrated ERP (Microsoft Dynamics 365), Data Warehouse and PMERL (Project Management and MERL) systems. These tools will help us accelerate the implementation of our refreshed Global Strategy ‘Girls Standing Strong’ by enabling us to measure, analyse and report on the impact and cost of our work. In this way, Programme Y.O.D.A will help us to become more data-driven & transparent and increase our efficiency, effectiveness and impact for girls.

Programme Y.O.D.A covers a significant number of our business processes from across the organisation: particularly those related to Finance, Grants, Supply Chain Management, Project & Programme Management and MERL. The programme will contribute to strengthening of these functions and therefore sits within our longer-term transformation journey. Strengthening these functions is a key component of our overall readiness for the Y.O.D.A systems and will involve significant change in our processes, ways of working and job roles.

Role Purpose

• This role will act as the strategic financial business partner for Programme Y.O.D.A. It will work with the Programme Y.O.D.A managers as well as the wider Plan International Finance Team to support financial reporting and forecasting for Programme Y.O.D.A.
• This role will ensure resources are maximised and to support Programme Management Office and Programme Sponsors in assessing financial implications of their activities to ensure financially sound business cases for their new initiatives, a commercial approach to their operational delivery and a strong understanding of their own budget and expenditure and the drivers and implications of variances to enable agile response and reprioritisation as appropriate. It will also support assessment and development of financial strategy to ensure financial sustainability.
• This role will enable the objectives of Plan International by ensuring resources are optimised to enable best value for money delivery of objectives and enhance our values-based approach to leadership through a customer service focused business partnering approach.

Dimensions of the Role:

• No line management but responsibility for informing and guiding decision makers at the highest level and in relation to all operational risks and opportunities.

Accountabilities

• The Strategic Finance Business Partner will be a customer focussed, trusted adviser to the Programme Y.O.D.A Sponsors, the Y.O.D.A Programme Director, pillar leads and the Programme Management Office.
• The Strategic Finance Business Partner will lead assessment and explanation of the financial position and associated business implications of Programme Y.O.D.A. They will analyse drivers of performance in comparison to budget and advise on resource allocations, and support reprioritisation as required.
• They will be proactive in identifying potential efficiencies, enabling new forecasts of outturn as required
• Work with the Programme Y.O.D.A Programme Director, Programme Management Office and Pillar Leads as well as the wider Global Hub Finance Department to ensure that all programme costs are accurately recorded, capitalised where appropriate, and reported on each month.
• Work with the Programme Y.O.D.A Programme Director, Programme Management Office and Pillar Leads to ensure that the programme forecasted expenditure is updated regularly as required by the Programme sponsors and the Director of Strategic Finance.
• Ensure that the financial management of Programme Y.O.D.A is well integrated with the rest of Plan International finances.
• Lead on estimating, projecting and developing measurement for the financial benefits of Programme Y.O.D.A
• Provide strategic, financial, commercial advice and analysis of Programme Y.O.D.A amendments to ensure are enabled in most financially value for money way, supporting development of financially robust business cases and project plans. Tracking progress against plan/budget and ensuring benefits are realised. Thereby enabling delivery of Programme Y.O.D.A objectives
• Provide technical financial advice to the Programme Y.O.D.A sponsors, Programme Director, Programme Management Office and Pillar Leaders supporting, co-ordinating with technical experts in GH finance as needed and solutions to colleagues in order to support the achievement of Programme Y.O.D.A.
• Partner with Financial Planning and Performance team to provide them with comprehensive analysis of business performance and related financial implications in value added commentary for management information.
• Provide support in terms of contract management for Y.O.D.A and proactively monitor agreements.
• Take lead in the Y.O.D.A capitalisation process in line with Accounting standards.
• Lead creation of annual budgets for Programme Y.O.D.A, in partnership with the Planning team to ensure aligns with Annual Plan and enables delivery of global priorities and with Financial Planning and Performance team as contribution to wider budget context.
• Horizon scanning to identify business and financial opportunities/efficiencies to maximise Programme Y.O.D.A and ensure Plan International Inc. (PII) at leading edge in relevant areas.
• Contribute to wider strategic financial planning for whole of PII in support of Head of team assessing corporate opportunities and due diligence as needed to ensure financial sustainability
• Champion change by role modelling the behaviour expected from all colleagues, develop and communicate plans to ensure change is successfully implemented within own department.
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Key Relationships

• Business Partner to YODA leadership, sponsors, programme management office and pillar leads
• Senior managers and managers in other teams
• External partners.

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge
Essential:

• Ideally educated to Degree level in Finance or Economics, related experience
• Strong commercial analytical skills
• Strong customer focussed, business partnering experience
• Experience of business case creation and project management
• Qualified Chartered Accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ICAEW or recognised equivalent).

Business, Management and Leadership Competencies:

• Organisational understanding – Purpose, priorities, values and approaches
• Business processes, policies, practices and standards
• Managing resources and finance
• Managing risk
• Managing technology and digital working
• Project management
• Excellent communications skills (written and verbal) and ability to communicate technical information to non-technical colleagues
• Formal people management
• Striving for lasting impact
• Being open and accountable
• Working well together
• Inclusive and empowering
• Imparting skills and knowledge.

Salary
We will be happy to disclose the salary and applicable benefits to applicants as part of this process, however, please kindly note that the salary and employment benefits will be set according to your location and therefore it is not possible to include full details here.

Application Closing Date
25th September, 2022.