Save the Children is seeking a Finance Director for an anticipated 3-5 year USDA-funded program in Sri Lanka. The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole) feeds schoolchildren, reduces hunger, enhances food security, and improves literacy (especially for girls) in low-income, food-deficit countries around the world. By providing school meals, teacher training, and related education and nutrition support, McGovern-Dole helps boost school enrollment, attendance, and literacy results. McGovern-Dole also provides support to maternal and child nutrition (MCN).
The Finance Director oversees all financial management, internal controls and financial compliance aspects of the program, in accordance with USDA guidance and regulations. S/he provides financial and operational management to ensure the best use of resources by preparing sound budgets, monitoring project expenses, and providing accurate and timely financial reports for donors.
- Ensure SCI Global, Country Office accounting policies & procedures and donor complicance are applied in the implementation of the USDA project;
- Lead the donor financial management of USDA and provide accurate and timely donor financial information for decision making purposes;
- Ensure project cash flow is maintained on a regular basis for uninterrupted program implementation;
- Prepare and monitor USDA budget to ascertain that spending occurs as planned and that variances are anticipated, noted, and corrected; ensure that key program personnel are aware of budgetary resources and are able to monitor their budgets respectively;
- Prepare quarterly reports, consolidated annual fiscal report, cumulative life of project report, and any other required donor submissions;
- Verify that appropriate segregation of duties exists to ensure effective support of field operations and to protect the integrity of the country office finance and administrative operations;
- Perform financial review of purchase requests, purchase orders, and payment requests to ensure compliance with Save the Children’s policies and procedures and donors grants and contracts requirements;
- Oversee sub grant monitoring and compliance including organizational assessments, review of financial reports/ advance requests, and financial tracking; develop sub grant monitoring plans; perform and document compliance visits;
- Ensure Agresso system is updated, monthly financial records of the USDA project are completed/submitted on time;
- Contribute to TIM inventory system with regard to project inventories;
- Supervise the finance and operations staff including performance evaluation and revising job descriptions as necessary. Develop the capacity of the team and facilitate their professional growth;
- Strengthen the USDA finance and non-finance staff including partners on financial procedures and systems;
- Ensure smooth financial operations in the USDA Project based locations;
- Approve all project vouchers with supporting documents per finance manual and project guidelines;
- Visit the field periodically to ensure that adequate systems are in place to meet the Donor/GOSL compliance/requirements;
- Encourage a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
- Minimum seven years’ experience managing finance for USAID or USDA-funded projects; in-depth knowledge of US Government financial management rules and regulations;
- Proven ability to prepare budgets and donor financial reports;
- Strong analytical, leadership and interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations;
- Skilled with computerized accounting systems including databases;
- Experience as a coach/mentor to train staff and develop financial skills of colleagues;
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; fluency in Sinhala or Tamil languages is a plus.
- Teamwork, effective time management and leadership skills
- Ability to be flexible in demanding situations, while handling multiple priorities and working at all levels with broad range of people'
- Ability and willingness to travel to all parts of the country
- Familiarity with the political, social, and cultural context of (country) is preferred.
- Knowledge of Agresso financial system is a plus