Finance Lead

Role Purpose:

To continue the implementation of its projects, IPPFAR wishes to strengthen its talented, dynamic and diverse team with broad experience in implementing gender-transformative SRHR programmes, with demonstrated financial and technical management skills, project management experience and the ability to deliver quality activities based on needs and in line with donor requirements.

The
Lead Finance will be responsible for leading and managing all financial aspects of the two programmes, including but not limited to: preparing financial statements, ensuring compliance with donor requirements/contracts, maintaining cash controls, oversight of the sub-granting, preparing the payroll, maintaining accounts payable and receivables, ensuring timely statutory deductions and remittances.

Context of the Role:

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a leading global provider of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and a strong advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. It operates through a network of more than 120 Member Associations worldwide.

In Africa, IPPF works in partnership with civil society organizations, governments, the African Union (AU), regional economic communities (RECs), and the United Nations to strengthen political and financial commitments to SRHR. The IPPF Africa Region (IPPFAR) is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with a sub-office in Cotonou, Benin. It supports Member Associations in over 40 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, addressing the region's most pressing SRH challenges through a robust network of Member Associations, strategic partners, and volunteers.

IPPF Africa Region (IPPFAR), in collaboration with CREA, EmpowHer, the International Federation on Human Rights, and Médecins du Monde France (MdM-FR), lead the delivery of a new project called Feminist Opportunities Now (FON). Funded by the Agence Francaise de Développement (AFD), FON's overarching goal is to strengthen the capacity of feminist movements to address gender-based violence (GBV) through sub-grants to feminist organizations, with a focus on reaching small, often unregistered, feminist organizations. The project is implemented across ten countries in three regions: Mexico and Colombia (led by MdM), Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (led by CREA), and Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Niger (led by IPPFAR).

IPPFAR, in consortium with Center For Reproductive Rights (headquartered in USA) and Association des femmes juristes de la Cote d'Ivoire (headquartered in Abidjan), is also leading the delivery of a new 4-year project entitled Justice for Survivors (J4S), to build the capacity of feminist movements, like the FON Project here above, in 4 countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire.

Deliverables:

• Lead the development of implementing and overseeing effective systems of financial accountability and control in line with IPPFAR operations procedures and donor financial requirements, leading on all FON and J4S projects general ledger and financial matters and regular audits as per the contractual requirements.
• Lead the preparation of end of month and annual FON and J4S project financial reports including cashflow statements and reconciliation of income and expenditure and liaise with the donor/French Government on all matters of financial compliance.
• Lead the design and maintenance of a system to monitor and forecast cash requirements to meet administrative and FON and J4S project expenditures including: establishing monthly cash requirements for the FON and J4S Projects, approval of petty cash payments, travel refunds, and transactions as assigned to ensure compliance with operations procedures and donor requirements.
• Supervise and manage the 2 Finance Officers, in tasks such as: preparing monthly general ledger and drafting FON project donor reports, ensuring project transactions are properly and promptly accounted for, reviewed and entered into the systems. This will also include ensuring new project staff members have a solid induction and training on finance matters and encourage all staff under his/her supervision to have updated skills, capacities and well conversant with the ERP in use in managing the accounting.
• Review banking arrangements continually to ensure timely transfer of funds and minimize exchange loses and bank charges and recommend changes for consideration.
• To ensure the 100 feminist organizations of the 2 projects are properly supported and strengthened during the project duration, including the provision of technical support in the finance and administrative sector. To ensure they receive their funding in a timely manner as well as in compliance with the donor's and IPPF's procedures.
• To conduct a close follow-up of the CSOs' financial reporting and to provide them with timely feedback.
• Supervise the 10 external audits (5 per programme) and support the 6 consortium partners during the auditing periods.
• Work diligently and effectively with ARO & other stakeholders to align internal processes including the preparation of monthly payroll, ensuring statutory requirements, including timely calculation and remittance of payroll deductions and withholding taxes compliance with local regulatory laws and rules for financial and tax reporting.
• Undertake any other duties that might be assigned by supervisor.

Reporting/Management Responsibility:

• Supervises two (2) finance officers

Expertise:

• EDUCATION: A master's degree in accounting, Finance, Commerce or Business Administration; a professional qualification in Accounting/Finance (ACCA, CPA, or equivalent) and proficiency with accounting software, word processing and spreadsheets.
• WORK EXPERIENCE: Seven to nine years' experience in Accounting/Finance Management and/or Business Administration, preferably in an international humanitarian and/or development organization. Experience working in project management accounting and experience of working with multimillion-pound budgets; experience of working with restricted/statutory funded projects; experience of working internationally, ideally in a non-profit & often challenging environment; and experience in audit and financial control systems. A track-record in SRHR programming is an advantage.
• LANGUAGES: English and French are the working languages of the IPPFARO. For this post fluency in English and French (both oral and written) is required.

Skills:

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to summarise and simplify complex information.
• Good understanding of development issues and fundraising;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to influence and negotiate.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management skills able to meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent IT skills.
• Ability to interact with diverse groups

Your Ethos:

• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.
• Demonstrates ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti-racist and respectful of others.
• An intersectional (pro) feminist passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights + justice, including safe abortion.
• Supportive of people's rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity/expression and supportive of workers' rights and access to health care in sex work.

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF's Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy.