Operations and Finance Director, Plan International Nepal Full Time

Title : Operations and Finance Director

Functional Area : Operations and Finance

Reports to : Country Director

Location : Country Office

Travel required:

Effective Date : 1 July 2020

Grade : E

Type : Fixed Term Employment for 2 years based in Country Office

ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL 

Plan International is a development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners in over 75 countries. Our programs are underpinned by a core of defined values, including transparency and accountability, team collaboration, inclusion and integration, as well as the overall ambition to empower girls and young women as legacy.
Plan International has been working in Nepal since 1978 and developed a strong reputation as a respected development and humanitarian actor helping marginalised children, their families and communities to access their rights to health, education, economic security and protection. Through the support of local partners, Plan International works in 24 districts in Nepal.

Plan International Nepal has a vision for 2030 as “an inclusive, just and safe society where all girls and young women enjoy their rights and live in freedom”. This is coupled with the ambition of taking action so that 100 million girls learn, lead, decide and thrive as “Girls and young women in all of their diversity reach their full potential as equal and active citizens” by 2023. The country strategy is put into action through the implementation of three interrelated program areas defined as follows:

LEARN: the “Education and Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (SOYEE)” program aims to assist vulnerable and excluded girls and young women in adapting and thriving in a changing climate;

LEAD AND DECIDE: the “Youth as Active Drivers of Change and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR)” program aims to empower girls and young women in leading change, having control over their bodies and making informed decisions; and

THRIVE: the “Early Childhood Development (ECD), Child Protection and Child Poverty” program enhances vulnerable and excluded children, especially girls, to be valued and cared for without discrimination, fear and any forms of violence.

Plan international Nepal seeks candidates who practice feminist leadership, promote diversity, actively seek innovative solutions for problems, courageously and respectfully share their opinions and ideas, break down barriers and engender cross-department collaboration, practice active listening, maintain confidentiality, build trust and are passionate about children’s rights and equality for girls.

 

ROLE PURPOSE

To provide strategic leadership, coordination and delivery in operations and finance, to ensure efficiency and compliance with local law and Plan International policy and standards while providing high quality support to programs so that Plan staff and partners can deliver on our strategic ambitions.

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE 

Oversight of annual country budget of between € 9-12 million, manages department budget and ensures effective financial management for approx. 42 partners for all Areas Offices.

Ensure effective support of program delivery, though financial planning, capacity building of staff and partners, high quality administration, logistics, supply chain, security, IT.

Accountable for analysing and strengthening internal controls across financial and operations; Management Responsible for overseeing the financial management; ensuring internal financial internal control, financial reporting and analysis, business planning process and people management.

The Country Finance and Operations Director reports to Country Director, and leads the finance and Operations team of about 8-10 members. S/he has the authority to approve financial transactions and contract up to € 100,000. Based in the country Office, this role ensures support to Plan’s programs and project areas throughout the country.

Areas of responsibility: National level

Reports: Financial reports, monthly, quarterly and annual basis, and audit /review & investigation reports.

Committee: Country Management Team (CMT) and National Management Team (NMT) Member of Plan Nepal

 

Internal and External Stakeholders Representation:

Internal – Level 

Provides financial service /advice to CD, Regional and Area Managers, Head of Departments – (H)

CMT,NMT, Regional and Area Managers, Project managers – (H)

Functional reporting to Regional Finance Manager – (H)

Global Assurance Auditor – (H)

Regional Finance team – (M)

Technical Coordinators at CO and FO – (M/L)

Legal counsel in Global Hub –

 

External – Level

Government
-tax office
-Departments of WCSC and Labour – (H)
-Min of Finance

External Audit firms –  (H)

Banks

Partner Organizations – (H)

Finance related network among INGOs In-country legal advisors

Clusters (Logistic) and operations networks

 

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Strategic leadership and management
• Develop strong coordination, cooperation, communication and synergy between Finance, Operations, Programs and Partnership Management & Impact teams
• Ensure standardization of process and procedures, maximising effectiveness and efficiency and aligning with Plan’s values and strategic ambition.
• Build a proactive culture within operations and finance to ensure effective support to program implementation
• Ensure that all work plans drives achievement of the strategy
• Contribute to continuous improvement of Plan International Nepal’s policy and procedures related to Finance, Administration, Procurement and Logistics and IT functions;
• Contribute to the Country Management Team in strategic thinking, setting direction, creating a culture grounded in Plan’s values, modelling feminist leadership and ensuring results.
• Ensure that all staff are aware of, kept up-to-date on and implement policies and procedures across Operations and Finance

 

General Financial management

• Ensure accountability for financial resources across the organisation and partners
• Ensure strong internal control systems within Plan for adherence to local law and PI’s policies
• Monitor of financial resources, ensuring budget monitoring, spend analysis is done on a monthly basis.
• Provide high level analysis and projections on financial health of the organisation to the CD and CMT
• Ensure financial systems are established, maintained and improvement for alignment with the law and PI’s policies
• Ensure timely, quality financial reporting is completed, deadlines are met and all submissions are on time  This includes monthly and quarterly reports as required by the GH
• Ensure projects financial reports are prepared for completeness; accuracy and conformance with donor guideline.
• Ensure management of the general ledger and cash management processes including cash forecasting
• Update the financial authorisation matrix and obtain the approval of the Country Director at least annually
• With the CMT, ensure that audit issues are addressed
• Ensure tax compliance and submit annual tax returns
• Submit annual statutory report to government by due date
• Oversee the preparation, consolidation, analysis and submission of  budgets for Country Office and Area Offices as per GH instructions and guidelines; provide necessary information on operations budget for project budget preparation, ensuring cost-recovery as a key element

 

Project-specific management (grants and sponsorship-funded projects)

• Ensure grant budgets are accurate, complete and per the donor guidelines
• In collaboration with the Business Development Team, ensure that areas of financial non-compliance are addressed immediately
• Ensure grants reporting; monthly, quarterly and end of grants are done on time
• Ensure grants compliance and audits are done as per grant agreements
• Ensure Local partners at the field level are in compliance with grant agreements and regulations
• Ensure Grant Tracking system &, Indicative Grant funding systems are up-to-date

 

Administration

• Ensure proper administration of all Plan Nepal Office, including office maintenance, telephone service, visa processing and mail/courier.
• Ensure efficient asset management through asset control, tracking, maintenance and maintenance of up-to-date records.

 

Procurement and logistics

• Procurement of goods and services is completed in a timely manner, is transparent, follows PI’s policies and ensures value for money
• All vendors are vetted through Anti-Terrorism Screening and Child Protection

 

IT

• Ensure that Plan’s IT systems, equipment and processes are in line with Global standards and guidance.
• Ensure that Plan’s IT systems, equipment and processes are up-to-date, relevant and contribute to the effective delivery of our strategy
• Ensure IT issues are properly ticketed and resolved in a timely manner
• Ensure that we are continuously improving our use of technology to better deliver on our strategy.
• Ensure ICT policy and procedures is in place and followed, in line with best practices and Plan global policy, to enable maximum efficiency of our systems.
• Provide effective support systems, enabling the smooth operation of IT systems
• Provide innovative and effective IT solutions for new and developing organizational needs including ICT4D

 

Performance management

• Ensure coaching and mentoring through bi-monthly 1-1 meetings, ensuring that Plan’s Feminist Leadership behaviours are understood and practiced.
• Ensure that staff have clear development objectives and are able to grow in the job to meet those objectives
• Develop a culture of continuous improvement within the Operations & Finance team.
• Address technical and behavioural problems in a timely manner
• Develop and implement training for Operations & Finance team and partners organisations

 

Partner support

• Ensure partners comply with all of Plan’s policies
• Provide regular training and frequent monitoring to build partner capacity across Operations & Finance
• Review partner internal control systems and provide support to strengthen
• Ensure monitoring of partner’s use of Plan’s resources and address violations per policy and the laws of Nepal
• Ensure that Partner Support staff audit partners, provide spot audits and build capacity to address issues

 

Security

• Ensure that Plan International Nepal has updated safety and security related policies, procedures, protocols that are aligned with Plan global, regional and country security standards.
• Ensure periodic review of all Plan International Nepal Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) documents and approaches to keep these aligned with related local laws;
• Ensure Plan’s mandated Security assessments are undertaken in a timely manner, including security threat and risk analysis, contingency planning, office, residential and site security coordination as well as contract and liaison with security service providers.
• Ensure completion of the annual review and update of Security Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Plan International Nepal is ensured;
• Ensure that an appropriate framework against the identified security threats and risks with detailed security measures and Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) is developed and updated

 

Disaster Preparedness

• Support to programmes: Oversees the planning and delivery of all general services and logistical requirements of programme work in line with established procedures e.g.: procurements, storage, transportation and distribution;
• Budgeting: oversees the coordination of the preparation, consolidation, analysis and submission of Operations budgets for country offices and Field Offices as per field budget instructions and guidelines; provides necessary information on operations budget for project budget preparation though a systematic ways ensuring cost-recovery as a focused element of the same.
• Reporting: coordinates the reporting process, in particular quarterly and annual reports, to the RO including timely submission of all required reports and implementation of follow-up actions and recommendations.

 

Ensure Plan International’s CPP and GEI policies

Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

 

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Educational Qualifications and work experience  

• Minimum Masters level educational qualification in Professional Financial/ Accounting (CA/ CPA or equivalent)
• Minimum 7 -10 years work experience in a finance and operations function out of which at least 5 years should be at senior level.
• Proven experience in managing teams, finance and other critical management domains.
• INGO work experience preferred

 

Knowledge 

• In-depth understanding of the international human rights framework for development, key development issues, approaches and tools.
• Clear understanding and sound knowledge of Nepal Tax laws and statutes related to Finance
• Knowledge of Financial Reporting Standards, Control standards and Risk management techniques and the reporting requirements of major international grant donors
• Clear understanding of internal control systems
• Practical knowledge of operations support for development and emergency response including Sphere standards.
• General knowledge of administration, ICT, security, Audit, people management and business management matters;
• Preferred: Basic knowledge & understanding in disaster management context and relevant humanitarian response required to provide effective support in the event of a disaster and proactive preparation.

 

Leadership Skills and Behaviours demonstrated from experience

Role model Feminist Leadership Principles:

• Aims for gender equality and gender transformative leadership
• Focus on achieving equality for girls as the world’s most marginalised and excluded group
• Recognise, celebrate and actively take into account girls’ and young women’s multiple and intersecting identities, including poverty, ethnicity and sexual orientation

 

Striving for high performance:

• Achieves clarity and accountability among whole team of their individual and collective objectives;
• Organises work clearly and effectively within the team;
• Deals with poor performers by either improving their contribution or managing their exit, if appropriate.

 

Strategic thinking and innovation:

• Creates strong strategic direction for own part of organisation in wider Plan context;
• Major contributor to direction in the management team of which they are a member;
• Flexible in responding to new demands presented in emergency situations.

 

Decision making and risk management:

• Can address complex problems in a balanced way;
• Good judgment in decision-making, making best use of available information;
• Willing to make difficult or unpopular decisions and stand by them.

 

Influence and communication:

• Uses the potential of varied cultures to reach solutions;
• Excellent listener who understands and shows sensitivity to the views of others;
• Forms good relationships quickly with wide range of people, including those in positions of power and who have different views/ interests;
• Represents Plan effectively with senior people in external stakeholder organisations;
• Understands external and internal politics and able to navigate these;
• Communicates with clarity and passion both 1-1 and with large groups;
• Effective negotiator in complex situations;
• Assertive without being aggressive.

 

 

Building effective teams and partnerships:

• Creates a highly motivated team with a unified purpose;
• Modifies own view to get best outcome for organisation;
• Contributes effectively to work of other functions/ units and to management team as a whole
• Able to build partnerships and improve relationships;
• Resolves conflict effectively in own team or across boundaries.

 

Developing people:

• Continuously uses both 1-1 and team situations to develop others;
• Organises work to give others development opportunities;
• Adapts style to suit the needs of a wide variety of people;
• Deals effectively with mistakes and re-motivates those involved.

 

Self-awareness and resilience:

• Aware of own strengths, weaknesses and pro-active in using feedback and self development including emotional reactions and ability to manage them
• Aware of impact on others and uses impact to create positive climate at work
• Aware of own emotional reactions and able to manage them
• Manages own workload effectively and manages stress without harm to self or others
• Positive about change and able to cope well with ambiguity and support others in doing so

 

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

 

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

 

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

 

We are inclusive and empowering

• We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.

 

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

• Post based in the Country office with travel to program unit operations for approximately 25% time

 

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

• Mid contact:Occasional interaction with children

 

Say Yes ! To Keeping Children and Young people safe and Protected.