Senior Finance Officer at Norwegian Church Aid

Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is one of the largest aid organizations in the Nordic region. We respond to disasters and emergencies by providing water and critical assistance to those affected. Through our international network and partner organizations in the ACT Alliance, we reach millions of people each year, helping to make a positive difference around the world. Our mission is to eradicate injustice, and we work passionately on advocacy, long-term development in local communities, and emergency assistance.

As the number of people impacted by disasters continues to rise, we are committed to delivering more emergency relief and ensuring access to clean water. We believe that people in need must be helped, and we will not stop fighting for a just world. NCA has been operational in northeastern Nigeria, providing humanitarian relief with a strong presence in Monguno, Maiduguri, Pulka, and Dikwa.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Finance Officer

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full-time
Reporting to: Finance Manager
Time frame: 1 year – with possibility of extension

Job Summary

• We are now seeking the right candidate to join our team as a Senior Finance Officer to help us further our mission and contribute to ongoing efforts in the region.

General Description

• The Senior Finance Officer supports the Finance Manager in the effective financial management of the organization by maintaining accurate financial records, processing transactions, and ensuring compliance with NCA policies and donor requirements.
• This role focuses on executing day-to-day financial operations, contributing to financial reporting, and assisting in budgeting and auditing activities, thereby facilitating the organization’s overall financial integrity and operational efficiency.

Job Roles & Responsibilities
Bookkeeping & Accounting:

• Processing all day-to-day cash payment, invoices, payments, and receipts, including bank transfers, cheque payments, and ensuring proper documentation and authorization of all financial transactions, ensuring compliance to authorization matrix and procurement thresholds.
• Daily update cash and bankbook, daily cash and bank journals, cheque registers, and staff work advances.
• Follow up and settle staff work advance monthly.
• Review and payment processing of monthly payroll.
• Preparing cash and bank reconciliation every month following the NCA Operational Manual.
• Assist in monthly reconciliations on Intercompany Accounts (IA) with the NCA HO and assist in closing of open entries on IA together with the Finance Manager.
• Assist in working with Maconomy such creation of budget codes, creating new project codes, including vendors/customer accounts, and setting up project budget in Maconomy.
• Assist in completing the monthly checklist and all the required monthly closing of the accounts.
• Ensure timely monthly remittances of Pay As You Earn (PAYE)/ personal income tax, National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), National Housing Fund (NHF), Employee pensions, monthly/quarterly reporting of relevant tax reports, and ensure the timely submission or filing of annual tax
• Ensure archiving and scanning of documents are filed and complete.

Budgeting, Financial Planning, Reporting and Audit:

• Assist FM in reviewing and revising project budgets and master budgets.
• Prepare regular and timely management reports in cooperation with Finance Manager, for budget holders to monitor budgets.
• Assist the Finance Manager in in preparing donor financial reports, proposal budgets, and cost estimates of project activities.
• Assist the Finance Manager in monthly reconciliations of project accounts.
• Facilitate and prepare audit requirements for statutory or project audits.

Partner coordination and capacity building:

• Ensure financial reports are received on time and prepare monthly consolidation of partners reports
• Effective review of partners financial reports, documenting review observations and follow up of training for the needs identified.
• Participate in regular assessment / capacity building for the partners.
• Coordinate budget revisions for the partners in lieu of the available allocated funds in the third quarter of every year.
• Execute timely payment for the bilateral partners in Maconomy.

Additional Job Responsibilities:

• The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the Post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Qualifications & Experience
Essential Criteria:

• Commitment to Financial Integrity: Strong dedication to upholding financial integrity, accountability, and compliance with donor requirements and internal policies.
• Adherence to NCA Values: Commitment to NCA’s core values and principles, including timely reporting, adherence to the NCA Code of Conduct, and ensuring compliance with Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) standards.
• Independent Work: Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision while being proactive and results-oriented in financial management tasks.
• Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify financial discrepancies and provide effective solutions to enhance financial processes.
• Cultural Competence: Ability to work and communicate effectively in culturally diverse settings, understanding local financial practices and engaging with community partners.
• Financial Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present financial reports clearly and train non-financial staff on financial processes.
• Computer Literacy: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, financial software (e.g., Maconomy), and other relevant tools for effective financial analysis and reporting.
• Fieldwork Readiness: Willingness to travel to field sites to engage with financial operations and provide support to project teams, particularly in humanitarian contexts.

Qualifications
Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.

ICAN Certification:

• ICAN or any relevant professional certification will be considered an added advantage.

Experience:

• NCA’S Commitments
• NCA is committed to following the following policies, standards and commitments and all staff are equally expected to conform to their requirements:

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

• Actively promote PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) standards within Norwegian Church Aid and amongst beneficiaries served by Norwegian Church Aid.

Compliance & Ethics:

• Promotes and encourages a culture of compliance and ethics within Norwegian Church Aid.
• As applicable to the position, maintains a clear understanding of Norwegian Church Aid’ and donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards. Conducts work with the highest level of integrity. Communicates these values to staff and to partners and requires them to adhere to these values.
• INGO Experience: Minimum of 4 years of experience working with an International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO), ideally in a humanitarian or emergency setting.
• Team Collaboration: Experience working within a multidisciplinary team, contributing to financial planning and reporting efforts.
• Policy Compliance: Ability to enforce compliance with financial control procedures and policies, ensuring the integrity of financial operations.
• Capacity Building: Experience in training staff or partners in financial management practices to enhance organizational capacity.
  • Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP)
  • Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Disaster Relief
  • ACT Alliance Code of Conduct
  • SPHERE Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Relief
  • NCA Nigeria Security Plan
  • NCA Nigeria Staff Handbook.

Application Closing Date
24th October, 2024.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit a copy of their CV to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of the email.

Note

• Please ensure that you follow these instructions carefully, as failure to do so may result in disqualification from the recruitment process.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage early submission.
• We are committed to a fair and transparent recruitment process, ensuring all applications are evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and relevant experience, free from bias or discrimination.
• We value diversity and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.
• Only candidates who meet the specified qualifications will be contacted for the subsequent phases of the recruitment process.