Sr. Finance Specialist

Job Description
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT – Sr. Finance Specialist, Malawi

Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd. (Cardno) intends to engage the services of a seasoned candidate for the  position of a Sr. Finance Specialist. The position is part of our Fiscal Agent Team assigned to the Global Fund &  Gavi portfolios under the Ministry of Health and Population (MOH) in Malawi. The Team works directly with the  Programme Implementation Unit (PIU) in the areas of financial management and institutional capacity building,  including internal controls, procurement, accounting, cash management, financial reporting and compliance, etc. The  core objective of the Fiscal Agent is to ensure the proper, efficient, effective and transparent use of the funds under  Global Fund and GAVI funded grant programmes with MOH. The team also supports the Grant Recipients in  complying with the grant budgeting and financial reporting requirements, and works to strengthen Grant Recipient's  capacities and contribute to the overall effective and efficient financial management of the grant portfolio.

Roles and responsibilities

Work with the FA team to ensure that all requests to commit funds and /or to make payments as part of grant  implementation are complete and accurate in terms of supporting documentation, are justified in terms of  approved budget and work plans, have been appropriately authorized and are eligible expenses.
Keep up to date with donor regulations and requirements, and ensure that these are properly applied and  adhered to by the PIU.
Assess risks and capacity gaps, identify suitable mitigating measures, including capacity building of MoH, and  PIU staff.
Undertake risk-based spot checks to confirm implementation of program activities, and compliance with  established controls.
Collaborate with FA Procurement Expert to ensure that all payment tied to procurements have been reviewed  and agreed to, and comply with established contractual terms and conditions.
Support FA Team Leader in the preparation and review of financial reports to the donor. • Assist in FA team track all transaction reviewed and maintain and reconcile budget trackers with bank records  and the accounting records of the PIU.
Perform capacity building of counterpart staff, on a one-to-one basis and through formal trainings. • Conduct regular financial oversight missions for sub-recipient and decentralized entities • Support and mentor junior FA staff in performing their tasks.
Any other duties as assigned by the Country Team Leader and Project Director, from time to time.

Qualification/Experience and Skills required:
Minimum a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or similarly relevant field. Professional accounting qualifications or  a Master’s Degree in relevant fields
Have a minimum of 10 years’ work experience in a similar position, in a renowned and reputable financial  organization, international NGO or an Audit Firm/Department.
Strong understanding of accounting standards and best practices in accounting operations, and knowledge of  standardized accounting systems, etc.
Have excellent English communication and writing skills.
Result and detail oriented, self-motivated with excellent time management skills.
Integrity at the highest level is an essential quality requirement.
Possess troubleshooting, problem solving, and creative/innovative thought processing skills.
Must be proactive  and eager to identify and propose mechanisms for improving systems and processes, both within the FA and at  the counterpart levels.
Understand office formats, procedures, and ability to adapt and navigate through new and volatile working environment.
Prior work exposure with the Global Fund programming would be desired

Application channels.

Interested candidates should submit their applications with up-to-date Curriculum Vitae and names of three traceable  referees through:

Email: [email protected]

The submission window closes on October 15, 2021.

Selection Process

Cardno promotes and attaches high value to competition in all its recruitment processes. Candidates must therefore  be prepared to compete with peers in both oral interviews and written technical capacity tests. The candidate with the  highest cumulative marks from this process will be declared the most successful and considered for the position.

Service availability

The services outlined in this advert are needed within the shortest turnaround time possible, so selected candidate  must make her/himself available as immediately as possible.