Finance Officer

BACKGROUND

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan has over 80 years’ experience and works in more than 75 countries across the world. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.

Plan International has been working in Tanzania since 1991. Our work supports marginalised children and youth, especially adolescent girls, to grow up physically and mentally healthy and ready to shape their future. We create an enabling environment and empower girls to be active drivers of change in realising their rights. We prioritise working with partners, and ensuring all of our work is evidence based

Vijana na Ubora, Malengo na Afya (VUMA) project is a 7-years Global Affairs Canada (GAC) funded project, aiming at increasing realisation of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for Adolescents Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in all their diversity in Katavi region. The project will increase AGYW’s individual and collective agency by building Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, Sexual Gender Based Violence, Mental Health, infection prevention and control (IPC) and nutrition by empowering them via increased social capital; and by helping them to acquire skills, capacities and increased financial capital. The project will also strengthen the provision of gender and adolescent-responsive and inclusive (GAR&I), integrated and innovative SRHR and protection services and support for AGYW by building community, school, health facility and governmental capacity, infrastructure, planning and management.

In addition, the project will work with local Women Rights Organizations (WROs), Youth Led Organizations (YLOs), adolescent groups and stakeholders to ensure that gender equality (GE), SRHR and protection frameworks, policies and services are gender-responsive and evidence-based.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Finance Officer will coordinate VUMA project payable and receivables in Katavi. She/he will be responsible for overseeing, organizing and maintaining the financial documentation and records, systems and processes of the project, including accounting, bookkeeping, payroll and benefits, record keeping, banking, insurance and all related financial and office administration. She/he will handle and resolve inquiries regarding suppliers’ payments and keep spreadsheet for reconciliation purposes. Thisposition report to VUMA Finance Manager.

Dimensions of the Role

• Review and post transactions in the system, ensuring correct coding and accuracy.
• Prepare monthly financial reports to be shared with the Finance Manager for review, and when needed. Reconcile project expenditures in the system with the financial report.
• Provide support to the project finance manager on the financial month-end closure processes.
• Monitor all financial transactions and recommend ways to increase the effectiveness of the internal control weakness observed Maintain all financial required records to ensure smooth transactions for all financial processes
• Assist program staff in budget preparation and ensure completeness and accuracy and validate the unit cost
• Ensuring spending is in line with the approved budget and project workplan
• Providing technical support to the project implementing partners, and review of staff Liquidation reports for accurate submission of financial reports and exercise of fiduciary responsibilities.

• Reviewing requisitions and payments before approval
• Supporting the Procurement department in proper project asset management.
• Proper filling and maintaining of the supporting financial documents to be used during an audit.
• Reconciliation and filling of bank statements on a monthly basis with appropriate approval.
• Support to ensure procurement processes are well followed
• Maintain and update the asset register on regular basis
• Identify and handling project bills problems and disputes, with support from Project Manager and Project Finance Manager and ensuring accurate billing of suppliers
• Maintaining confidentiality of information and documents
• Undertake other reasonable tasks as directed by the Finance Manager and Project Manager.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Administration

• Collaborate with Project Manager and other departments to provide administrative support to the project team

Fiscal Oversight

• Oversee the project accounting processes to ensure internal controls and financial procedures are well considered
• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance regarding all financial functions.
• Oversee cash flow, asset management, and banking relationships.

Planning

• Coordinate the project development and monitoring of budgets, including analysis of revenue and expenses as well as forecasts.
• Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of project financial and management reporting

Cash and budget management

• Prepare monthly project cash forecasts aligining with project workplan and another project fund requirement
• Review Cash Disbursement vouchers
• Monitor proper use of petty cash fund
• Review purchase requisitions and orders, ensure proper charging codes.
• Review payment packages for budget availability and correct coding. 
• Monitor budget versus expenditure.
• Ensure timely processing and disbursement of payments to legitimate suppliers.

Financial reporting

• Manage general ledger accounting system
• Ensure Accountability in Preparation, review, consolidation and submission of correct and complete project reports on time
• Coordinate the availability of any audit document needed.
• Participate in year-end process and prepare year end reports

Internal Financial Controls enhancement

• Ensure adherence to financial controls, processes and procedures.
• Follow up finance-related audit actions
• Participate in Quarterly physical asset and inventory verifications

Field Support Visit

• Training and support to partners’ finance staff.
• Periodic verification of direct benefits distribution to communities

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of Safeguarding policies.

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Ensure compliance to COVID-19 and other outbreaks safety measures

Compliance to Global Polices

Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEIP) 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 Plan and Partner’s 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

Communications and Working Relationships:

Internal:

• This position works closely with the Project Manager at Katavi Office (high)
• This position works closely with the VUMA Finance Manager (high)

External:

This position works closely with the finance team of implementing partner organizations (high)

Key relationships

• Programme Unit & Country Office
• Head of finance and grants Manager
• Functional networks within Plan including counterpart at Plan International Canada

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Required experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce or related field, CPA as an added advantage
• Minimum of 3 years proven skills in finance management in reputable and comparable organizations.
• Experience of non- profit sector including management of grants
• Experience of managing grants within contractual conditionalities
• Proficiency with accounting software and excellent Excel skills.
• Knowledge of financial reporting
• Strong understanding and knowledge of Cash Flows, Budgetary Controls and government compliance
• Proven ability to make complex and time-sensitive decisions in the best interests of the organization.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to training and orient finance and non- finance staff on budget and finance management

Essential

Knowledge

• In-depth understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

• Knowledge of gender transformative approach in budgeting
• Demonstrated knowledge in developing of grant budget
• Knowledge in supervising multiple partners with complex relationships

Skills

• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proficient computer skills in Microsoft applications and accounting packages
• Ability to work under multidisciplinary and multicultural environment
• Meticulous attention to detail with high level organizational skills
• Excellent communication skills, with demonstrated ability to write financial reports
• Excellent communication skills.
• Fluent spoken and written English and Kiswahili

Behaviours

• Hardworking with capacity to work independently with minimum supervision
• Honest, integrity, open and transparent personality.
• Working towards achieving a team goal
• Be able to respect all groups of people in the community and culturally sensitive
• Persuasive and able to work with different cultural settings
• Motivated, energetic and strives to develop and support other
• Result oriented and able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Working for the best interest of the organisation and children
• Appreciate of child rights and gender equality

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience with Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC’s) project management
• Solid proficiency in Accouting Softwares
• Experience managing and knowledge of project that support girls’ education
• Strong presentation, team-building and interpersonal skills
• Analytical thinker with strong conceptual and problem-solving skills.
• Commitment to girls’ development and a values-driven work environment.
• Operate in a high-pressure deadline-driven environment with professionalism

• Managing project with strict reporting deadlines
• Working with the project team and ensure project results are achieved timely without compromising quality
• Good command over conflict resolution while maintaining important relationships: Capability to resolve conflicts
• Plan and schedule own work and selecting appropriate methods/tools for delivery.
• Understanding of data privacy standards

Physical Environment

• Working environment will include both typical office environment and field environment
• The position requires field travels, at least 20 % of the work

Level of contact with children

Low contact: No interaction or low frequency of interaction with children

values

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.