Finance Officer Regional SRHR Fund

Hivos is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Finance Officer

The Finance Officer will oversee the day-to-day financial transactions of the program and implement financial monitoring and compliance systems in line with Hivos financial policies and procedures and donor requirement. Working under the supervision of the Program Manager, with dotted lines to the Regional Finance and Administration Manager, the Finance Office will also carry out risk management and produce compliance reports.

About the Regional SRHR Fund

Hivos Southern Africa and Ford Foundation set up the Regional SRHR Fund in 2010. It is a regional grant-making mechanism that strengthens sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) interventions in Southern Africa. It was established to fill the critical need for a strategic regional response to SRHR issues in Southern Africa, particularly those faced by young people and adolescents. It also provides a mechanism for donors to coordinate their support to SRHR interventions in the region.

Your responsibilities

Financial Management and Accounting (35% LOE)

• Performs All Solutions (Information & Financial Management System) related functions, which include accounting for the Program Management Unit (PMU) and financial assessments of partners
• Leads and coordinates with the Finance Assistant (FA) Officer who will assist in ensuring effective financial management at the partner level.
• Assists the FA Officer to function as internal controller for quarterly grantee financial monitoring purposes;
• Together with the FA Officer Develops and implements an effective internal audit system in the Program for both the SRHR Fund and grantee levels and monitor any recommended follow-up actions;
• With the Program Manager and the FA, ensures the proper implementation of external audits of the SRHR Fund’s and all grantees’ financial statements, in accordance with the agreed audit plan;
• Monitors progress against the audit plan and sets up a process for reviewing and following up audit recommendations at both the SRHR Fund and grantee levels;

Grant Management and Compliance (30 % LOE)

• With the FA, ensure budget tracking, sound financial management, including programmatic budgeting, quarterly spending projections, monthly spending reviews, and monitoring of payments;
• Ensure all financial transactions are in accordance with the relevant grant agreement and are properly processed and correctly recorded.
• Liaise with the relevant program officers to ensure cohesion between the financial transactions and project activities.
• Prepare donor financial reports on time, and in accordance with the terms of the grant agreement.
• Ensure electronic and hard copies of supporting documentation are complete and compliant with donor requirements.
• Work closely with the donor Finance and Compliance Team to ensure that finance reports are in order;
• Provide Hivos Southern Africa Hub the required monthly financial reports for Regional Office Reporting purposes
• With M&E and Program Officers and in coordination with the FA, monitors the achievement of indicators, including program achievement and budget expenditure, and ensures that variance analysis is conducted, and prepares the Program Unit Report

Programme Operations and Compliance (20 % LOE)

• Provide advice to Program Manager on budgetary and financial matters;
• Review, revise and develop the SRHR program’s fiscal and administrative policies and ensure that these policies are applied in daily practice;
• Liaise with consultants and training facilitators to identify and address technical assistance needs, including designing training, to strengthen the financial management capacity of finance staff and Program Officers at the SRHR Fund and Grantee levels;
• With the PM and Finance Manager develops and implement the financial processes for the program;
• With the FA, ensures that adequate internal controls are in place that are compliant with Hivos and donor requirements;

Grant Making (10% LOE)

• Undertake due diligence and capacity assessments of partners
• Conducts regional visits to verify partner financial records, as needed;
• Leads in the review of the financial reports submitted by the partners and makes recommendations to the Program Manager (PM) for payments and further disbursements;
• Liaise with Program Manager in disbursing grants to programme implementers;

Resource Mobilisation and Fundraising (5% LOE)

• Contribute to design and development of project proposals
• Support the preparation of budgets for funding proposals submitted by the Fund

Your profile

• Relevant Advanced Degree in finance or Equivalent
• Relevant work experience: at least 5 years
• Work experience in an international environment
• Good analytical skills
• Work experience in budget design and control and project accounting
• Expert in budget development
• Experience in working with and sensitivity for young people and adolescents.
• Excellent organizational, writing, analytical and administrative skills
• Experience in financial management on similar sized donor-funded projects, with demonstrated experience in funds control, monitoring of fraud and abuse and demonstrated success in managing sub-contracts/sub-grants with both local and international organisations.
• Self-motivation and enthusiasm and ability to work under own initiative
• Creative and flexible approach to work, and ability to work well independently and within a team;
• Ability to work under pressure in a multi-cultural environment.

What we offer

Hivos offers a challenging position in an international environment.

The Regional office is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. This position will be based in Harare, Zimbabwe.  Hivos welcomes International & Regional applicants but can only offer a position to only those with a valid work permit for Zimbabwe. Hivos can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.