TITLE: FINANCE AND CONTRACTS ADVISOR, NIGERIA
DEPARTMENT: WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA
DATE: JULY 2008
Population Services International (PSI) is the world’s leading non-profit social marketing organization, operating in more than 60 developing countries. PSI creates demand for essential health products and services by using private sector marketing techniques and innovative communications campaigns to motivate positive changes in health behavior. On the supply side, PSI works with the commercial sector to increase the availability of these products and services at prices which are affordable to at-risk populations. With a bottom-line orientation that is rare among non-profits, PSI social markets products and services for family planning, maternal and child health, and the prevention of AIDS, malaria and other diseases. For more information, please visit: www.psi.org.
PSI seeks entrepreneurial, dynamic candidates for the position of Finance and Contracts Advisor to the Society for Family Health (SFH), PSI’s partner agency in Nigeria. This management team-level position is based in Abuja and will report to the SFH Managing Director in Nigeria and to the PSI Regional Director, West & Central Africa in Washington, DC.
SFH is the largest social marketing organization and local non-profit organization in Nigeria, with sixteen regional offices across the country and over 250 staff members. SFH implements diverse public health interventions in HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and maternal and child health. SFH activities range from product sales and distribution to behavior change communication, advocacy, research, and community mobilization. SFH’s donor platform includes DFID, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, USAID, and numerous other donors.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The Finance and Contracts Advisor will be responsible for building the capacity of personnel and systems within SFH Nigeria and mentoring senior national staff members on finance and contracts as relates to the Enhancing the National Response to HIV/AIDS (ENR) program. Specific duties include, but are not limited to:
Finance-Build SFH capacity in accounting, financial controls, budgeting and project financial management and assist SFH in:
- Strengthening finance/and accounting systems to ensure contractual compliance with SFH, PSI and donor regulations;
- Upgrading the SFH accounting system to enhance system functionality;
- Strengthening internal control systems and audit preparation;
- Creating and managing annual budgets and divisional budgets;
- Reviewing and analyzing monthly status reports;
- Ensuring that internal and external financial reports are of high quality;
- Reviewing, analyzing and approving donor bills;
- Financial management of donor-funded projects, including monthly analysis and forecasting;
- Internal and external budgeting as needed, including project budgets, donor crosswalks, budget realignments and project pipelines, salary charging guides, etc.;
- Managing re-classification and correcting entries as needed;
- Managing financial and compliance aspects of sub awards and subcontracts;
- Building capacity organization-wide in financial monitoring and budget tracking;
- Liaising with PSI/Washington accounting department;
- Fulfilling other programmatic and administrative functions as required; and
- Other duties as assigned.
Contracts-Build SFH capacity in contracts management and compliance and assist SFH in:
- Developing cost-effective, streamlined procedures and systems to achieve more efficient and effective grant and contract management as well as better support to program staff in SFH HQ and regional offices;
- Developing the strategic direction of the SFH contracts unit to meet SFH and donor goals and objectives;
- Legal and contractual matters;
- Establishing, monitoring, and reinforcing SFH’s policies and procedures to minimize risk to the organization, particularly relating to contract and subcontract administration;
- Promoting staff development and growth opportunities through professional training programs, seminars, performance management and mentorship;
- Participating as needed in the negotiation and documentation of selected highly complex commercial and government contracts and in the resolution of government audits;
- Providing input at the management level to identify/resolve issues/concerns, to reduce organizational risk, and maximize revenue;
- Providing advice to senior management on contractual matters; and
- Managing subcontracts to include: establishing subcontract deliverables; disseminating subcontract information and providing subcontract and regulation interpretation; providing advice and guidance during initial donor negotiations, project startup and implementation; monitoring subcontract performance; performing subcontract actions such as amendments, terminations, and resolution of discrepancies in subcontract performance; developing and administering lower-tier subcontracts and consultant contracts; contract closeouts; and assisting field staff with monitoring reports and ensure timely submission of reports by the sub-recipients.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Excellent accounting, audit, contracts and finance background;
- Proven management skills;
- Minimum five years developing country work experience;
- Experience with accounting software and spreadsheets;
- Excellent organizational and multitasking capabilities;
- Fluency in English required;
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills and ability to present contract issues and matters;
- Demonstrated ability to produce results;
- Familiarity with international donors;
- Proven experience and ability to motivate and manage finance and contract administration personnel in a dynamic and growing work environment;
- Initiative, creativity, and flexibility to originate, articulate and adapt contract management policies to serve evolving priorities; and
- Master’s degree in relevant field preferred.
The successful candidate will exhibit creative, innovative, and strategic thinking ability; excellent oral and written communication, analytical, organizational interpersonal and cross-cultural skills; strong attention to detail; ability to work efficiently and quickly under pressure; and a strong interest in private sector approaches to development; and a proven ability to produce results and meet objectives under difficult circumstances.
* Please be advised that this position is tentative pending grant approval.
APPLY ONLINE at http://www.psi.org. No calls or emails please.
PSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.
