Finance and Administration Manager

JOB TITLE: Finance and Administration Manager

REPORTING:Deputy Chief of Party

RELATIONSHIPS AND CONTACT: University Staff, External Stakeholders

Program Description:

The USAID Strategic Partnership Program (USAID SPP) is a five-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded program being implemented by Strathmore University Business School. The program brings together different stakeholders to advocate for economic development and empowerment of people in various communities through enterprises, business associations and cooperatives in inclusive and deliberate advocacy and support efforts.

The program is structured around three distinct components: Kenya Small Business Development Centers (Kenya SBDC), The Transformational Resilience Programming (TRP) and the Agency Voice of the Private Sector (AVPS). Collectively, these three components form a dynamic consortium, working in concert to advance developmental change within the program’s scope. Each component brings unique expertise and strategies, synergizing efforts toward the program’s objectives.

Job Purpose:

The role of the Finance & Administration Manager within the USAID Strategic Partnership Program (USAID SPP) implemented by Strathmore University Business School is pivotal in ensuring the effective utilization of grant resources towards the program’s objectives. By leading and guiding the Financial Management and Accounting unit, the Finance & Administration Manager plays a key role in supporting the advocacy for economic development and empowerment facilitated by the program. They serve as the custodian of financial management policies and procedures, aligning them with the program’s mission to promote enterprise growth, business associations, and cooperatives for inclusive development. This ensures that grant funds are utilized efficiently and transparently, contributing to the overall success of the program in fostering developmental change and resilience within various communities

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Supervise the financial management of the award to ensure transparent and appropriate utilization of all United States Government (USG) funds.
2. Demonstrate experience operating in developing country environments, including project management, budgeting, and program work plans.
3. Prepare accurate and timely program-related quarterly financial reports and projections of expenditure rates.
4. Exhibit knowledge of applicable Kenyan laws and institutional policies regarding financial, procurement, and human resources procedures.
5. Provide leadership and management skills focusing on strategy, time management, and managing competing priorities with strict adherence to deadlines.
6. Implement effective strategic methodologies and risk management to safeguard compliance and assess risks associated with implementing USG-funded programs and stakeholders, including safeguarding people, the working environment, systems, and resources.
7. Manage daily operations and monitor grant financial transactions to ensure alignment with fund accounting policies.
8. Ensure all financial operations adhere to grant policies and local standards as required.
9. Analyze financial data monthly, track key indicators and timelines, and provide written or verbal analysis to stakeholders such as management and staff as necessary.
10. Ensure all required statutory reports are filed with respective authorities (e.g., corporate income tax, charity commission, annual report).
11. Analyze, verify, and review proposal budgets to ensure donor compliance and reasonableness.
12. Coordinate the proposal review process and ensure compliance with solicitations and donor regulations.
13. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of donor rules and regulations to ensure compliance.
14. Monitor expenditure of all grants and projects and prepare timely financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
15. Ensure all grant documentation meets donor standards and regulations.
16. Review payment requests to ensure compliance with allowable, allocable, and reasonable standards; manage grantee budgets to prevent exceeding allowable amounts.
17. Directly manage the development, documentation, implementation, and monitoring of internal control processes aligned with the grant and organizational finance policies.
18. Support internal and external audits, ensuring timely implementation of audit recommendations.
19. Oversee the procurement process to ensure all grant procurements meet standards of prudence, cost-effectiveness, accountability, and fairness.
20. Support the Chief of Party and Management Team on governance, strategy, and regulatory compliance matters.

Minimum Requirements:

The post holder will be required to have and to demonstrate evidence of the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (Masters preferred) in international affairs, business administration, finance or a related field is required.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in USG-funded Finance Management.
• Relevant work experience supporting donor-funded contracts is required.
• Supervisory experience, including administrative management of local subcontractors, grantees, or local staff, is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience administering and managing complex grant funding. Budget oversight and financial management of USAID programs is desirable.
• Ability to coach, mentor, delegate appropriately and provide developmental guidance to supervised staff.
• Possession of relevant professional certifications – excellent understanding of financial systems, controls, and procedures.
• Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel and excellent budgeting skills are required.

Skills and Experience:

• Experience cultivating relationships and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders including youth, government ministries and officials, NGOs and donors, evaluators, and community-based institutions, preferably in Kenya.
• Demonstrated experience with, understanding of, and commitment to positive youth development and gender equality approaches and strategies around livelihoods and well-being, particularly for adolescent girls and young women.
• Demonstrated experience with facilitative and partnership approaches, to include youth, higher education institutions, government, and the private sector.
• Technical experience in education development and research and a strong understanding of higher education institutions and community development.
• Demonstrated achievement in advancing innovation, scale, and sustainability.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaborating, learning, and adaptive management.
• Significant experience in designing and facilitating interactive meetings and workshops.

Are you qualified for this position and interested in working with us? We would like to hear from you. Kindly send us a copy of your updated resume and letter of application (ONLY) quoting “Finance and Administration Manager”on the subject lineto Careers SBS [email protected] by end of the day (5:30 PM EAT) Monday, 4th March 2024.

Due to the large number of applications we may receive, kindly note that only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please be advised that Strathmore University is an equal opportunity employer and does NOT ask for money from applicants under any circumstances during its recruitment process. Interested applicants are encouraged to exercise caution upon receiving any such interview opportunity that requires payment of any money.

The advert can be accessed here: https://strathmore.edu/vacancies