JOB TITLE: Senior Finance Manager
REPORTS TO: Country Director
DIRECT REPORTS: Finance and Procurement Officer, Finance and Grant Specialist, Security and Logistics Specialist and Project Finance Officer.
START DATE: April 2025
LOCATION: Nairobi, Kenya
JOB LEVEL: Grade 8
DEPARTMENT: Finance
JOB STATUS: Full time Contract
Position Summary
The position is responsible and accountable for overall financial management in the country office. The holder will ensure compliance with internal policies, accounting standards, compliance to donor regulations and adherence to all relevant government laws. The position will be responsible for budgeting, cashflow management, financial reporting, partners management and will coordinate all MEDA Kenya audits. The Senior Finance Manager will also supervise and build the capacity of a team of finance professionals.
Key Responsibilities:
Financial Management and reporting – 35%
- Review financial transactions for accuracy, timeliness and completeness. Maintain accounting documentation which adhere to internal policies, accounting standards, donor regulations and relevant government laws.
- Cashflow management; ensure that the country office is adequately funded, and payments are made on a timely basis. Supervise the banking function of the country office.
- Prepare accurate and timely monthly financial reports and related schedules and as per agreed MEDA timeliness. Prepare donor reports as set forth in the donor agreements.
- Provide regular financial analysis on MEDA Kenya’s financial performance and pro-actively update the Country Director on arising financial issues with a potential impact on the country office management and made recommendations thereof.
- Maintain MEDA Kenya’s asset register and inventory, in line with internal policies and donor requirements, as applicable.
- Ensure compliance with in-country financial requirements including filing of annual returns, monthly tax filing and other returns.
Planning and Budgeting -20%
- In collaboration with the programs team, prepare accurate and realistic budgets within set MEDA and donor timeliness and guidelines.
- Monitor budget performance, analyze variances, and provide reports with recommendations for corrective actions.
- Support the Partnership and New Business Development team in development of proposal budgets.
Partners management-20%
- Supervise the financial assessment of partners and capacity building interventions.
- Enforce partner delivery of timely, complete and quality finance reports in line with MEDA’s and donor requirements while providing timely feedback to partners.
- Provide support to project management and finance staff, and partners in the form of training and regular follow-up/review to ensure that Financial and Legal procedures are being implemented and are readily understood by all staff.
Risk management and internal controls-15%
- Conduct internal compliance and control assessments, identify and address risk areas and implement measures to minimize the risk.
- Ensure that appropriate financial systems and controls are in place to minimize risk and safeguard organizational assets.
- Coordinate all audits including internal audits, statutory audits and donor specific audits.
- Ensure that management responses to audits performed and are sent on time to the Audit Department, and that audit recommendations are implemented.
People management, capacity building and collaboration-10%
- Promote learning and development amongst finance staff through on-job training, coaching and generally motivate staff to improve performance.
- Provide overall supervision to the finance staff including goal setting and staff appraisal.
- Ensure roll out of finance initiatives at country level.
- Provide training and guidance to staff members on financial procedures, controls, and compliance matters.
- Maintain close and collaborative working relationships with finance/administrative staff, program staff and project partners.
- Participate in the national leadership team and support in ensuring the success of MEDA in Kenya through motivation, direction, review and feedback of assigned tasks.
Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned
Job Requirements for All Staff
Organizational Policies and Procedures
- Ensure and adhere to all MEDA management, professional, finance, audit, legal, human capital, security, corporate and other policies as required
- Prepare quarterly and other required internal reports and planning documents
- Complete and participate in all training as required
Organizational Culture
- Appreciation, understanding and commitment to MEDA’s mission, creating business solutions to poverty
- Demonstrate MEDA’s Core Performance Values: Collaboration, Respect, Entrepreneurship and Accountability
Image and Engagement
- Adherence and demonstration of MEDA image according to MEDA values
- Comply with board approved brand strategy
- Promote MEDA thorough speaking engagements, media appearances and convention as required
Staff Management
- Performance of staff management and leadership function as applicable according to MEDA policies, procedures and values
- Contribute to a healthy culture and work environment for staff team.
Position Qualifications
- Essential: Bachelor of Commerce, in Accounting or Business Management with minimum of 5+ years in managerial position with experience in international standards of project accounting, financial management including budgeting, grants and contracts.
- Certified Public Accountant with valid membership
- Desired: Master of Business Administration, Grant Management Certification, and senior experience as a Chief Financial Officer.
- Strong experience with international audit requirements
- Working knowledge of major donor funded operations, finance services and practices
- Excellent computer skills in Excel &Net Suite software or other accounting software.
- Experience in managing International Donor financial reports and relationships, especially desirable is experience with Canadian donors, USAID and BMGF.
- Work experience in an international development organization is desirable
- Excellent oral and written communication in English and Swahili
- Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders and lead and facilitate collaborative processes.
- Direct private sector experience is desirable
- Demonstrate strong business acumen skills, strong understanding of agrifood market systems competitive market environments, SMEs business development, marketing and facilitation of market systems approaches is highly desirable.
- Sector experience in agriculture/agribusiness is desirable.
- Ability to work in a cross-cultural environment with multiple stakeholders.
- Prior work experience in Kenya
Additional Qualifications
- Appreciation and support of MEDA’s mission, vision, and values
- Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty