Programme Finance Manager - based in Sierra Leone
Street Child, United Kingdom
Job Description
Job Title: Programme Finance Manager - based in Sierra Leone
International applications: Strongly encouraged
Reporting to: West Africa Regional Finance Manager (Street Child UK) / Street Child of Sierra Leone Country Director
Hours: 37.5 Hours per week
Principal Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone, with frequent travel to regional office / project sites
Time Frame: 18 month contract envisaged (possibility of extension based on performance and funding)
Background:
Street Child believes that every child deserves the chance to go to school and learn. Our projects focus on a combination of education, child protection and livelihood support to address the social, economic and structural issues that underpin today’s education crisis. We partner with local organisations and communities to deliver our locally rooted programmes, using evidence to drive learning and the refinement and scale up of programmes to create maximum impact for the most children at the lowest cost. We pride ourselves on being willing to go to the world’s toughest places where others won’t, including remote, hard-to-reach areas and fragile, disaster-affected states across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Since 2008 we have helped over 900,000 children to go to school and learn.
Overview:
This unique and vital role has two key, linked, accountabilities.
Firstly, from a short-term and day-to-day perspective, this role will in effect be co-Financial Director of Street Child of Sierra Leone (SCoSL). Working alongside SCoSL's national FD, the holder of this role will be fully accountable to the Country Director of SCoSL, and relevant leaders within Street Child, for ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of all key functions of SCoSL's finance department.
Secondly, from a long-term development perspective, this position will take a lead in optimising all aspects of SCoSL's finance capability - with the goal of developing a robust 'best in class' department with optimal systems, processes and structures and personnel in place at all levels.
The absolute definition of success for this role-holder would be that whenever their time comes to move on, perhaps in 2025 or 2026, there is no need for this role to be replaced, with the SCoSL finance leadership and team well placed to effectively discharge all their key duties without the need for the type of assistance envisaged by this position.
The professional challenge inherent in this role, and the importance of its success is well appreciated by Street Child leadership and this role will be closely supported from multiple angles - in particular by Street Child's Senior Finance Manager for West Africa, Africa Finance Director, Global Finance Director and HQ Finance team - as well as the Freetown-based Head of Sierra Leone / Liberia Programmes and Global Programmes Co-ordinator.
Part 1: Role Purpose:
The purpose of this role is to lead improvements in the financial management of Street Child of Sierra Leone (SCoSL), a national education and child protection organisation with nationwide presence and annual budget of 1.5-2m. The role holder will also manage Street Child’s financial reporting and compliance requirements in delivering programmes in Sierra Leone.
The role will have dual reporting lines to Street Child’s West Africa Regional Finance Manager and Street Child of Sierra Leone’s Country Director, with oversight of Street Child of Sierra Leone’s finance team, and a close working relationship with SCoSL SMT and Street Child’s Head of Sierra Leone Programmes.
The role provides financial oversight of programmes in Sierra Leone, facilitating accurate and timely donor reporting, strong budget management and excellent record keeping. Key aspects of this role include: the development and implementation of robust financial management and reporting systems; strengthening the control environment and record keeping; empowering programmes and leadership teams to have strong financial management and grant management capabilities. The role also serves as a link between Street Child of Sierra Leone and Street Child UK, delivering monthly requisitions, annual budget information and other information as required.
Part 2: Key Responsibilities:
1) Development and implementation of robust financial management and reporting systems to facilitate accurate donor reporting, strong budget management and transparency for budgeting. (40%)
- Ensure that all staff are using the QuickBooks finance system in place at Street Child of Sierra Leone to provide accurate and timely recording of transactions providing training, review, support and direct input as needed.
- Ensure that all month end processes are carried out in a timely mann