Consortium Finance Manager

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.  We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

This role will be responsible for the effective financial management and fulfilment of donor reporting requirements among others; supporting the Finance Officer/ Coordinators at in programme areas in technical matters, meeting compliance issues and reporting of grant related funds to management. The post holder ensures all financial aspects of the grant are implemented as per the donor grant agreement, ensuring sound internal controls systems and procedures are in place, while maintaining high standards of quality and integrity of financial data.

Dimensions of the Role

The role will ensure:

• Effective management of the grant resources by overseeing effective budgeting, planning and budget utilization.
• The support to the Consortium Team Leader to ensure that grant resources are utilized for their intended purposes and to ensure that financial reports are prepared on an accurate basis.
• All consortium partner financial reports are reviewed as accurate and consolidated in a timely manner in line with donor requirements.
• The disbursement of Plan International Ethiopia funds is done in line with Plan International procedures.
• Financial issues are dealt with as outlined in Plan procedures and controls, as well as international accounting standards, provisions and regulations.
• The support to the Consortium Team Leader on the overall operational aspects of the programme

Accountabilities

       Overall responsibilities:

• Provide oversight of financial management of Education in Fragile Environments Consortium
• Supervise all grant management and reporting on grant performance, as well as provide financial and technical management to ensure best use of resources through sound budgeting, monitoring of the consortium expenses, and timely preparation of donor financial reports
• Develop and implement quarterly consortium-wide financial review(s) and analyses, as well as provide timely and reliable financial information for decision-making
• Maintain strong internal policies, processes and controls systems in order to provide timely, consistent and accurate financial and budget management
• Preparation for project verification visits by external auditors, and being on hand during visits where needed
• To closely analyse, scrutinise and filter all financial reports before passing to Plan International UK colleagues for a secondary review
• Track and update the fixed asset register of the project
• Support the Project Managers in the financial management of the project

Financial Management

• Ability to analyse data and draw conclusions thereof- mainly for budget management and reporting to donor
• Regular review of control processes to minimise financial risk to the organisation
• Audit planning and audit action implementation skills to help improve financial controls around donor funds management
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision but to update seniors and peers regularly
• Ensures adherence to the country financial and accounting requirements and other organisational policies and procedures to support sound financial management within the organisation
• Coaching and training of consortium partners in technical areas and the implementation of financial practices
• Conduct financial monitoring visits to review financial records and ensure compliance
• The role requires the ability to analyse data, qualitative indicators and reported issues to determine key risks, adverse trends and the appropriate corrective measures.

Grants Management

• Grants financial reports are in accordance with Plan and donors grants management regulations and procedures
• All financial reports reach the donor and Plan International UK office as a final, quality draft after close analysis and full review
• Grants operational plan budget updated
• All related expenditures are attached to the Grant Agreement document
• Grant set up in the SAP system

Child Protection and Gender Equality Responsibilities

• Demonstrate commitment to Plan’s child protection policy through implementing the policy in its entirety, and report any actual or potential risk situations following the reporting procedures, being aware of abuse and risks to children, being vigilant, becoming familiar with the Child Protection Policy.
• Raise childrens rights/protection awareness and important of gender equality and respect to diversity within Plan and amongst partners and community members.
• Child protection and gender equality policies are understood by the staff and partners.
• Ensure equal participation and benefit of boys and girls and children with disabilities in all phases of programme/ project implementation.
• Ensure sufficient budget and resources are allocated for gender equality activity in their respective area annual plans and project activities.
• Support partners in understanding plans gender equality strategy and program criteria and capacity building activities on gender as part of the regular work at field level.
• Ensure the representation of Plan Ethiopia in their respective region from gender equality perspectives.

Technical Expertise:

• Master degree in Accounting, Finance or Financial Management, or professional qualification in accountancy.
• 5+ years of experience managing finances for DFID, EC or US Aid funded projects
• In-depth knowledge of EC financial management rules and regulations and/or other comparable major bilateral aid grant management.
• Experience managing grant programmes or sub-granting mechanisms involving local NGOs.

Skills and knowledge to achieve the following:

• Ability to adopt new software and financial management systems, e.g. SAP
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook
• Demonstrated decision making and risk management capabilities
• Project Financial Management
• Problem solving skills
• Good team player
• Good negotiating, facilitating and influencing skills
• Good communication skills both oral and written
• Good accounting, analytical and judgement skills
• Ability to deliver to tight deadlines
• Ability to facilitate participative processes
• Fluency in written and spoken English language

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.