Mara Elephant Project
Non-profit + 1 more
Description
Qualification & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related discipline.
- Professional accounting qualification (CPA-K, ACCA, or equivalent.
- Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related discipline is an added advantage.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive financial leadership experience, including senior executive or CFOlevel responsibility.
- Demonstrated experience operating in donor-funded, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations with complex compliance requirements.
- Proven track record in financial governance, strategic planning, and Board-level engagement.
- Strategic financial leadership and sound judgment.
- Strong governance, risk, and compliance orientation.
- High integrity and stewardship mindset.
- Ability to translate financial insight into strategic action.
- Executive communication and Board-level presence.
- People leadership and institutional capacity building.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement financial strategies aligned with MEP’s strategic plan and operational priorities.
- Provide high-quality financial analysis and decision support to the CEO, senior leadership, and Board.
- Lead long-term financial planning, scenario modelling, and funding risk analysis to strengthen sustainability.
- Engage with the Board, funders, and other stakeholders to communicate financial performance and build trust.
- Act as the principal advisor to the CEO and Board on financial sustainability, funding risks, and long-term financial planning.
- Safeguard organizational assets, ensuring ethical, efficient, and mission-aligned deployment.
- Provide financial oversight for major supplier and vendor relationships, ensuring value for money and compliance.
- Act as senior custodian of financial governance, internal control, and risk management frameworks.
- Ensure compliance with statutory, donor, and regulatory obligations across all operations.
- Oversee timely filing of statutory returns, payroll obligations, tax compliance, and regulatory reporting.
- Lead engagements with auditors, regulators, and governance committees to ensure transparency and
- credibility.
- Monitor changes in regulatory and donor compliance requirements and advise management proactively.
- Strengthen supplier due diligence and financial elements of supplier pre-qualification processes.
- Identify financial, operational, and compliance risks and lead development of mitigation strategies.
- Support the Board and management in strengthening governance frameworks, financial policies, and accountability mechanisms.
- Maintain robust documentation, audit trails, and compliance records to withstand audit and donorscrutiny.
- Lead annual budgeting and multi-year forecasting linked to programme plans, operational needs, and funding pipelines.
- Monitor budget performance, analyze variances, and provide timely recommendations for corrective action.
- Support programme teams in developing compliant grant budgets and financial inputs for funding proposals.
- Work closely with programme teams to ensure effective financial planning, cost control, and value for money.
- Review contracts, MOUs, and partnership agreements from a financial and risk perspective.
- Set and enforce financial approval thresholds and oversight for procurement commitments and major
- vendor contracts.
- Collaborate with department heads to forecast procurement needs, integrate them into budgets, and promote cost-effective sourcing.
- Oversee financial management of all donor-funded grants, ensuring compliance with donor agreements and reporting requirements.
- Establish and maintain robust grant tracking systems by donor, project, and funding period.
- Ensure donor financial reporting is accurate, timely, and aligned to approved budgets and donor templates.
- Lead financial preparation for donor audits and reviews, serving as primary financial focal point.
- Ensure robust financial systems, accounting policies, and internal controls are in place and consistently applied.
- Drive continuous improvements to financial systems and processes to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
- Develop and maintain a Finance Manual and SOPs, including operational checklists aligned to Boardapproved policies.
- Ensure strong segregation of duties and clear transaction workflows and approvals across the organization.
- Oversee accurate accounting records in accordance with applicable standards and NGO best practices.
- Review and approve monthly reconciliations to ensure completeness and accuracy of closing balances.
- Prepare management accounts and financial dashboards for senior management and Board with clear analysis.
- Coordinate external audits and ensure timely completion of audited financial statements and management letters.
- Manage and monitor cash flow to ensure adequate liquidity for programme and operational needs.
- Oversee banking relationships, cash management, reserves policy, and financial sustainability planning.
- Lead and develop a high-performing finance department, promoting professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Build financial discipline across the organization and promote a cost-conscious culture.
- Provide coaching, mentorship, and succession planning for finance and administrative staff.
- Lead financial and compliance training for staff across departments.
- Undertake strategic assignments as delegated by the CEO.
- Serve as Secretary to the Audit & Risk Committee and the Remuneration & HR Committee.
- Oversee third-party consultancy contracts related to finance, audit, tax, and compliance.
- Represent finance in cross-functional working groups and strategic initiatives.
- Provide mentorship and capacity building support to strengthen financial management practices across the organization.
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