Director Country Finance

Company Description

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. We are driven by a vision of a better world: A world where across every society all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably. To make this vision a reality, we need transformations in vital agri-food, energy, and water systems. SNV contributes by strengthening capacities and catalysing partnerships in these sectors. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

Building on 60 years of experience we support our partners with our technical and process expertise and methodological rigour. We do this in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia with a team of approximately 1,600 colleagues. By being adaptable and tailoring our approaches to these different contexts, we can contribute to impact at scale, resulting in more equitable lives for all.

To delve deeper into SNV’s initiatives, explore our website at www.snv.org.

Job Description

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Director Country Finance for Ethiopia. This pivotal role involves leading the country’s finance function to support SNV’s operations and development activities. You will ensure the execution, monitoring, and control of all finance-related activities in the country, ensuring compliance with SNV’s corporate financial guidelines, donor requirements, international and national auditing, accounting, and reporting regulations, and applicable national laws, including taxes. As a key member of the Country Management Team, the Director Country Finance plays a critical role in maintaining financial integrity and supporting the overall mission of SNV.

Key Responsibilities:

• Finance Strategy:
  • Translates the global finance strategy and policies and procedures into country context, considering national context and (development) plans of the SNV country operations/programme.
  • Implements finance strategy, after approval of Country Director and contributes to the development of mid-term country projections and to projects from a financial perspective. Identifies and analyses financial opportunities and threats and informs the Country Director and/or Global Unit.
• Finance Operations:
  • Supervises and organises the finance function in the country and manages the finance employees, activities, and all aspects within the finance team, in accordance with the approved plan, budget and relevant procedures, to realise the finance objectives of both the donors and SNV.
  • Acts as the country’s source of expertise on financial issues for management and Project Managers and steers for timely and proper financial project administration. Manages intercompany projects, to ensure a reconciliation of intercompany balances.
• Financial Planning and Control:
  • Supports all budget holders in being compliant to internal- and external procedures and regulations and SNV and donor guidelines regarding the financial administration of country operations and projects. Leads the development, consolidation, forecasting and periodical review (incl. (corporate compliance, audits) of the countries and project budgets and funds (grant management).
  • Contributes (challenges and advises) to efficiency improvement and implements measures to minimise the risk of irregularities.
• Financial Accounting and Administration:
  • Ensures all necessary financial accounting activities and checks are executed accurately, completely, and timely (incl. tax requirements, intercompany reconciliation) and the complete and correct allocation of costs and time. Make sure monthly and yearly closure are done as per set Global deadlines. Ensures all transactions comply with the relevant financial standards and regulations.
• (Sub) Grants Management:
  • Performs due diligence for new implementation partners, sets up systems and procedures to frame grant management, builds implementation partners capacity in grant management and ensures the monitoring of grant management by implementation partners.
• Business Planning and Control:
  • Ensures the business is facilitated with a financial project planning process and financial control. Monitors progress and challenges the project managers/directors to be in control (timely flags issues to follow up, depletion, cost overrun analyses and booking, etc.) and suggests actions and provides support to improve financial performance on the projects.
• Management Information:
  • Regularly provides financial reports and analysis to provide insights in the overall countries and projects financial status to both internal and external (e.g. donors) parties to safeguard financial performance, profitability and to estimate financial risks and take measures. All in line with donor and SNV financial guidelines.
• Business Development:
  • Develops, reviews, and refines budgets in proposals within the approved threshold, in line with and compliant to corporate guidelines and donor requirements. Assesses and advises whether funding opportunities (incl. due diligence, tax) are in line with (government) guidelines and Business Development policies and procedures.
• People Management:
  • Guides, develops, coaches, and motivates the in- and external finance staff, to realise department’s objectives. Acts as a source of expertise for (project) management. Ensure all staff have development plans in place.

Qualifications

• (Proficiency level equivalent to) master’s degree in finance, accounting, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in finance management.
• Financial professional, with strong knowledge in finance and full understanding of the core finance, business processes, accounting and controlling for projects and at corporate country level.
• Ability to control the progress of financial processes, tasks, and activities, demonstrating strong oversight and management skills.
• Conceptual thinking skills: Gaining insight into situations, problems, and processes. Deconstructing problems and systematically investigating components to achieve a complete picture.
• Ability to form sound judgments by balancing facts and potential approaches with appropriate criteria.
• Leadership skills to provide direction and guidance to a finance team, fostering cooperation to achieve objectives.
• Commitment to integrity, adhering to the standards, values, and rules of conduct expected for the position and the organizational culture.
• High-level business communication skills in English to effectively communicate financial information.
• Result-oriented approach, taking direct action to achieve or exceed financial objectives.
• Commitment to SNV’s mission and values, with a passion for international development.

Additional Information

• Contract duration: 2 years with the possibility of extension
• Duty station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Full-time (40 hours per week)
• Expected start date: As soon as possible.
• Position is open to both national and foreign candidates

Working at SNV
SNV offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a stimulating work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our team members benefit from, and contribute to, an internal global network of experts.

At SNV, inclusivity is at the heart of our ethos. We celebrate the diversity of our workforce and uphold a policy of non-discrimination based on factors such as disability status, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, and more.

How to Apply
If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and a letter of motivation on or before 8th of July 2024. Please submit your application only via Smart Recruiters. All information will be processed in the strictest confidence.

If we see that your experience and skills match the requirements of the position, we will contact you to advise you of the next steps in the recruitment process. Should we wish to proceed with your application, two interviews with a Selection Committee will take place.

Reference & vetting check
We will require that you provide us with the full details of two people who are willing to act as a reference. We will not contact these referees without your explicit permission.

SNV carries out rigorous background and reference checks concerning possible safeguarding incidents for all candidates applying for International determined positions. As SNV participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, all reference checks include a request to past employers to fill in a questionnaire regarding Misconduct (sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment), the “Statement of Conduct“. This Statement of Conduct adopts the definitions used in the Scheme.

*We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement.