Head of Management and Donor Accounting

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is seeking a Head of Management and Donor Accounting to lead GAIN’s financial management function. This will be on permanent basis, subject to availability of funding. This position is open to GAIN’s country offices in Nairobi and London.

About GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with both governments and businesses, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people. In particular, we aim to make healthier food choices more desirable, more available, and more affordable. GAIN’s mission is to advance nutrition outcomes by improving consumption of nutritious and safe food for all people, especially the most vulnerable to malnutrition.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will support the CFO in the provision of strategic planning and oversight of effective, high quality financial management services to the organisation and work in partnership with the CFO to improve, establish and promote a culture of financial accountability amongst managers and high professional standards amongst finance staff in all of GAIN’s offices and programmes.

The Head of Management and Donor Accounting will lead GAIN’s financial management of non-US donor relationships, including compliance with contract terms, reporting to donors and managing donor audits. You will also lead, develop and motivate the International Finance Team to provide a high performing management accounting and donor reporting function.

Key Responsibilities include;

• Supporting the CFO in ensuring that the Board, senior management and other managers across GAIN’s offices receive regular, timely and accurate information to manage and review the financial performance of the organisation, providing expert professional analysis and advice. This includes preparing Board and Committee papers and making presentations and making recommendations where necessary
• Leading the budget-setting and financial forecasting processes across the organisation, providing and presenting high-quality summaries with effective commentary to senior managers and Board Committees
• Supporting the CFO in establishing and updating organisation-wide policies and procedures to maintain, monitor and improve the quality of financial management and the efficient use of resources.
• Leading, establishing and updating processes for preparing high-quality bid and proposal budgets for inclusion in applications to donors, ensuring that this capture all required costs and recoveries
• Establishing robust monitoring and reporting systems to monitor financial performance against donor contracts and ensure the full recovery of costs consistent with contract terms
• Overseeing and ensuring that high-quality financial reports are provided for donors in line with their requirements and consistent with agreed deadlines
• Build and managing the International Finance team, overseeing the performance of team members and creating and promoting a culture of inclusive, professional leadership
• Developing, promoting and facilitating proposals for continual improvements in financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, financial procedures and financial education and training.

About You

The ideal candidate should have demonstrable strategic experience in a senior level financial management position in an international NGO or multi-cultural setting. Also, you should have substantial experience in donor budgeting, compliance, and reporting in the context of complex multi donor programmes.

In addition to this, you should have extensive experience of producing and presenting financial reports at various levels, including to Board members and have ability to collaborate and influence diverse stakeholders.

The ideal candidate should have sophisticated management and leadership skills with the ability to prioritise and to delegate responsibilities as required and a successful track record in effectively managing finance teams, ideally including remote management.

The postholder should be Qualified Accountant (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with full membership and evidence of up-to-date continuing professional development. Candidates with experience of computerised accounting software and an aptitude for system improvements and developments and knowledge of NAV will be an advantage.

About our Offer

The starting salary for each office is as follows, depending on experience:

1. United Kingdom: From GBP 66,065 – GBP 70,773 per annum
2. Kenya: From KES 6,863,820 – KES 7,853,556 per annum

GAIN has a fair and competitive salary structure that allows for annual progression subject to good performance. In addition, GAIN offers a total of 37 days holiday per year (including annual leave, public holidays and additional office closure days), an attractive pension scheme and competitive insurance cover including health, travel and life assurance.

We are committed to the health of our staff, especially in these challenging times, and have developed a programme of wellbeing that includes flexible working, additional leave allowances, wellbeing days, mindfulness coaching and access to independent and confidential counselling.

GAIN also has a strong commitment to professional development. We will support you to grow in your career through both formal and informal training, and are committed to providing opportunities through internal recruitment, secondments and promotion. All of this is delivered in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Our Working Culture and Environment

We provide a flexible working environment that includes a combination of home and office working opportunities through our global hybrid working policy. This encourages our staff to have a healthy work-life balance and increases staff motivation, enriches employee wellbeing, and improves performance and productivity.

All of our positions are based in one or more of GAIN’s designated offices as stated on our job advertisements. Successful candidates will be based in one of GAIN’s country offices and must have the existing right to live and work within a reasonably commutable distance of the relevant city / cities in which the role is advertised. Please note, that GAIN does not sponsor working visas and relocations.

GAIN reserves the right to withdraw an offer of employment for candidates who are considered to ineligible under the above conditions during or after the recruitment process.

This advert closes on 16th November 2022. Early applications are encouraged. GAIN reserves the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable candidates ahead of the closing date.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is committed to equality of opportunity and creating an inclusive environment where diversity is valued. We are keen to reflect the diversity of our society at every level within our organisation and therefore welcome applications from talented and committed people from all backgrounds, representing the diverse societies we operate in.