With a population of over 150 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Political unrest, poor governance and corruption have led to decades of water shortages, while the population has increased rapidly. Though there is surface and ground water, rapid population growth, particularly in urban areas, has not been supported with additional resources. Only 11% of people have access to safe sanitation and 42% live without access to clean water. Funding for water, sanitation and hygiene is low and there is little coordination within the government. The poorest and most marginalised people live in unofficial slum settlements using expensive private services. –
Place of work: Abuja,Nigeria
Duration: 2 years (renewable)
Reports to: Head of Finance and Information Technology
Manages: Finance Officer and Finance Assistant / Intern
Travel: At least 20% travel to support WaterAid state offices staff and Partners
Ways of Working
The ideal candidate will need to be inclusive and embrace our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation.
Team description
WaterAid is an international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping the poor and marginalised people break free from poverty and disease, and change their lives for good through improved access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. Since 1995, WaterAid has dedicatedly worked with the governments and people of Nigeria to support the implementation of sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions and programmes. WaterAid has continued to advocate for the primacy of achieving WASH goals as central to delivering the SDG targets.
As a leader in the WASH sector in Nigeria, we are consistently required to design and implement all our programmes in a manner that demonstrates learning and innovation in order to maximize our effectiveness and impact. The FIT team is tasked to maintain highest standards of stewardships and accountability by developing tools, processes and systems for recording, tracking and reporting financial transactions in a transparent and systematic manner; supporting financial capacity building for WaterAid staff and partners and potentially to wider WASH sector actors to achieve sector strengthening goals and for ensuring availability of finances required to deliver our work.
The Finance & IT team will also be responsible for ensuring WANG optimizes informational technology solutions to achieve other organizational goals in programme monitoring, evaluation and reporting; people and logistics management, fundraising and communications etc.
Job purpose
- Reporting to the Head of Finance & IT, the Finance Manager will provide strategic financial advice to the Country Director and the Senior Management Team (SMT) of WaterAid Nigeria ensuring effective application of financial policies and procedures. The incumbent will support the delivery of good financial management both within the CP and partner organisations.
- The role leads the implementation of effective and efficient financial management controls, ensuring safeguarding of financial and other assets of WaterAid-Nigeria.
- The incumbent provides regular updates and overviews of spending and cash-flow, for the entire programme as well as units/departments, Projects and partner organisations.
- The post holder will be expected to develop good working relations with WaterAid Nigeria’s partners, in-country funding organisations, sector players, WaterAid UK’s Finance and Internal Audit Departments.
- The role is accountable for the day to day management of WaterAid´s finance related activities. The role supports the Head of Finance and Information Technology to implement effective and efficient financial management controls within the context of the country strategy as well as the global finance team objectives.
Accountabilities
Financial Management, Policy and Procedures
- Ensure that WaterAid’s finance strategies, policies, procedures, guidelines and other related policies are implemented and regularly updated based on WaterAid’s international procedures, and in compliance with Nigeria laws;
- Ensure and maintain reliable and accurate accounting records for the organization and produce management accounts to facilitate an effective decision making;
- Supervise and check all financial activities for accuracy and information quality. Analyse financial information and reports, identify problem areas, take action where necessary and make recommendations to the Head of Finance and Information Technology, Senior Management Team and other staff as appropriate. Conduct analyses of records of current and past operations to determine trends and monitor the financial health of the organization;
- Prepare specific notes for the final set of financial statements. Complete WaterAid’s year-end pack;
- Prepare and present analysis of the financial impact of strategic decisions. Contribute to the identification of the organization’s funding position, future funding requirements, reserves policy and costs and sources of funds;
- Analyse and identify weaknesses, advise others and implement changes to improve process efficiency or strengthen control within the finance function;
- Support programme/ project teams in planning and implementation of financial components;
- Prepare and interpret non-routine information and give clear recommendations to management. Prepare briefing papers and perform verbal presentations.
Financial Reporting
- Ensure timely submission of high quality financial reports, for internal and external audiences. Proactively identify any problem areas and initiate solutions in consultation with Head of Finance and Information Services and other staff as appropriate;
- Review WaterAid´s financial reporting processes and improve their efficiency and effectiveness;
- Ensure timely monthly closing of accounts and send the relevant reports to the Head of Finance and Information Technology;
- Produce and interpret regular management reporting for multiple stakeholders and work with budget holders to explain major variances.
Budgeting and Cash Flow
- Produce regular analyses of income and expenditure to assist the Head of Finance and Information Technology and Senior Management Team in the budget monitoring process;
- Prepare budget guidelines and support the annual budget preparation;
- Develop annual cash flow forecasts and monitor to ensure sufficient local funds are available to meet the organisation’s requirements;
- Support Programme Managers with timely, high-quality financial information and analysis;
- Manage debt collection, inventory and cash balances. Forecast and monitor cash flow.
Liaison and Communications
- Liaise and regularly communicate financial information and analysis as appropriate;
- Attend meetings with partners and stakeholders on WaterAid´s finance related matters.
- Support to Fundraising and Grants Managements
- Actively support proposal development and budget planning for concept notes, the donor report preparation and funding matrix updates;
- Assist in the implementation of the new WaterAid’s full cost allocation policy;
- Use investment appraisal techniques for the evaluation of capital expenditure, long term contracts, fundraising ventures and other projects.Audit
- Facilitate the external audit process and the preparation of financial accounts for the audit. Lead the development of action plans based on audit recommendations and monitor progress on achievements;
- Respond to, interpret, analyse and explain more complex audit requests involving data compilation and extraction across multiple business units.
Value for Money/ Financial Efficiency
- Promote value for money as part of the organizational culture. Support the development of procedures for assessing the value for money that WaterAid obtains in all its activities in Programmes, identifying cost saving mechanisms and ensuring financial efficiency in the workplace;
- Develop and implement appropriate cost allocation procedures to provide for full cost recovery.
People Management
- Perform line management function for the financial team members and functional supervision and support to Finance Officers and Finance Assistant.
- Support the recruitment of competent staff and effectively manage the team to deliver high performance.
- Work closely with Partner Finance Officer to support State finance staff to comply with WANG finance performance requirements
- Develop team members to maximize their contribution to the team and organization.
Documentation and Archive
Ensure all financial documentation is complete and archived, according to WaterAid and specific donors requirements (systems and files).
Specific Context
The position may require traveling in country for WaterAid´s Offices and programme/ project financial control and assistance, WaterAid and Partners locations. Also requires traveling at regional and international level, whenever necessary;
Person Specification
Experience and Technical Skills
- A bachelor’s degree in accounting or Finance with full professional certification/qualification in ACA/ ACCA/CIMA or equivalent. An MBA in Finance/Accounting is an advantage.
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in an accounting function in a development organisation.
- Good knowledge of financial modeling and design of customized reporting tools.
- Ability to plan own work, setting priorities and completing it under pressure or when faced with competing demands.
- The numerical ability to understand budgets and to monitor costs.
- Ability to provide financial analysis and interpretation to SMT for decision making.
- •Ability to communicate clearly both when speaking and writing at all levels
- Ability to work as part of a team; sensitive to others, including cross-cultural and cross-gender awareness
- Good command of English language
- •A sound knowledge of financial control procedures
- Knowledge of government policies and regulations on financial management and taxation
Essential criteria
- Senior level finance management skills
- Knowledge of budget and cash flow monitoring and developing financial monitoring and reporting systems
- Experience of financial modeling developing customized financial reporting tools, working with database applications
- Risk analysis and risk management experience
- Good knowledge of standard software packages including Microsoft Excel and Word.
- Strong organisational skills, versatility, ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
- Personal integrity, flexible attitude and high sense of transparency
- Discretion in handling of confidential information
- Commitment to WaterAid’s values and a working style that reflects these.
- Good leadership qualities, team building spirit and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to supervise and manage team effectively
- Strong analytical skills
Desirable criteria
- Desired experience in using SUN systems and Vision Excel
- Ability to work as a team member with leadership skills for coaching and developing employees.
- Mature and good communicator with adequate negotiating skills
Method of Application
Interested and qualified? Go to WaterAid on forms.gle to apply