Finance Manager at USAID Biodiversity Jal Jangal Full Time

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world. DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner. DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

Scope of Work (SoW)

USAID BIODIVERSITY (Jal Jangal)

Finance Manager

USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) will conserve nature, enhance human well-being, and safeguard Nepal’s biodiversity to improve the health of ecosystems, fight environmental crime, and improve the ability of communities to prepare for and adapt to impacts caused by climate change and natural disasters. The activity will achieve measurable conservation targets within the biodiversity-rich, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems in and around the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Kailash Sacred Landscape, Terai Arc Landscape, and the proposed Karnali Conservation Landscape while increasing resilience to climate change and contributing to the inclusive and sustainable development of the Nepali people. To accomplish this, USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) will implement activities aligned with three mutually interrelated and reinforcing objectives: improve the health of ecosystems (Objective 1), strengthen environmental crime control and natural resource safeguards (Objective 2), and enhance the climate resilience of natural and human ecosystems (Objective 3).

1.  Objectives of the assignment 

The Finance Manager is responsible for managing finance staff, ensuring compliance to financial regulations, and adherence to policies and procedures. He/She will play a pivotal role in overseeing adherence to financial policies in the activity’s Field Operations Manual (FOM); USAID rules and regulations; and internal controls. He/She will be responsible for the overall compliance and financial well-being of the activity and reporting to and working closely with the Director of Operations (DOO).

2.   Tasks & Responsibilities

Financial Management 

• Ensures proper oversight of all financial aspects of the activity in all site office locations
• Reviews of all finance vouchers for correct coding, complete procurement documentation
• Manages activity expense reports submission on a bi-weekly and monthly basis
• Seeks to mitigate against accounting errors, and implements/oversees any correctional procedures such as accounting reversals and transfers
• Manages cash flow requirements and forecasts weekly
• Maintains banking relationships and procedures as required, manages banking signatories and ensures proper banking operations
• Reviews monthly bank reconciliations prior to approval
• Ensures that foreign taxes paid, if any, are tracked, recorded, and reported to USAID in accordance with ADS guidelines, and in a timely manner
• Ensures the VAT reimbursement procedure is carried out fully, timely, and accurately
• Ensures accurate and timely execution of payroll, timesheet review and maintains the leave balance tracker
• Coordinates all required responses to USAID financial data calls, at the request of the DOO or COP.
• Approves Petty Cash reconciliations on a weekly basis and reviews monthly reconciliations prior to DOO approval
• Reviews all TAMIS and offline payment requests for completeness and accuracy

Compliance

• Provides oversight of accounting staff ensuring adherence to financial policies and procedures, as well as GAAP accounting standards
• Ensures that any/all contractual financial reporting requirements are identified and complied in a timely and accurate manner
• Works with the DOO to ensure that all staff adhere to separation of duties policies
• Ensures that activity’s internal financial controls are implemented in accordance with DAI policies, USAID rules/regulations and the terms of the contract
• Works with the DOO to identify training needs for any staff on financial policies and procedures
• Provides responses and performs approved actions to internal audit comments
• Conducts regular spot reviews of backup documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with all regulations and the Field Operations Manual (FOM)
• Maintains proper internal controls over the receipt, disbursement, and administration of all financial resources.
• Require adherence to DAI’s high ethical standards and ensure high compliance, contributing to a positive work environment.

Training, management, and coordination

• Manages and provides training, guidance and direction to the finance team, ensures the finance team is properly executing its role
• Ensures balance of workloads and proper assignment of duties within the finance team
• Guides all staff on finance procedures relating to their role, including but not limited to advance and expense submissions, travel per diem and other financial expense policies, USAID financial policies and procedures as applicable to their role, and payroll taxes.
• Coordinates with the Procurement Manager on subcontract finances as required
• Works with other department managers on workflow clarity, projects, planning, and any other coordination matters
• Visits and provides training and support to site office staff, as needed

Other duties

• Provides leave of absence cover for staff as required
• Provides surge support to other teams as required
• Escalates any issues or concerns to the DOO immediately
• Prepared to travel to activity’s site offices as required
• Performs any other duties as assigned by DOO or COP

3.  Qualifications 

• University degree in business administration, accounting, finance, or a relevant field; master’s preferred.
• Experience managing finance and administration of a donor funded programs. For a candidate with a master’s, 10 years of professional work experience is required, for a candidate with a bachelor’s 13 years of relevant technical experience is required. (subtract one year of relevant experience—9 years with MA or 12 years with BA—for persons of excluded groups)
• 5 years supervisory experience
• Possession of relevant professional certifications.
• Demonstrated experience administering and managing complex grant funding, including experience with procedures to monitor, evaluate, and report on grant implementation and expenditures
• Experience developing and/or maintain budget tracking records.
• Experience managing USAID funded development projects preferred.
• Experience with DAI systems and management tools a bonus.

Application Link:

https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/fe4ylhxdlg/index

Application instructions:

Please select the position for which you are interested in applying for, fill out the required information and upload your CV. Only shortlisted applicants will receive notifications on the next steps.

Interested candidates should submit their application no later than December 22, 2023.

Women and persons from excluded groups are encouraged to apply.

Consistent with DAI’s commitment to attracting and retaining staff from all races, ethnicities, castes and backgrounds, DAI may adjust eligibility requirements to allow for applicants from excluded groups.  In these cases, the Scope of Work and vacancy announcement will clearly indicate the minimum requirements according to the Country Compensation Plan as well as the revised minimum requirements for applicants representing an excluded group. DAI promotes workforce diversity and in Nepal, DAI considers excluded groups to be women, Dalits, indigenous ethnic minority groups, Madhesi, Muslim, persons with disabilities, people living in remote areas, and sexual and gender minorities.