Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The primary function of the Finance Officer is to develop, manage and administer SLaDA’s plans for proper recording, documentation, control, monitoring, and reporting of financial operations in compliance with SLaDA and donor rules and regulations. The Finance Officer is solely responsible for planning, organizing, and liaising with SLaDA’s management for all financial and general administration of SLaDA. S/he manages the financial systems of the organization, ensuring that control measures are implemented. S/he provides oversight of the day-to-day financial operations and is accountable for organizing and providing high-level quality financial series to SLaDA programs, projects and units.

RESPONSIBILITIES

JOB RESPONSIBILITY # 1: Financial System Operations Management and Data Processing 

The Finance Officer plays a crucial coordination and management role in financial system operations to ensure the system is functioning properly and is being used effectively by staff. S/he provides day-to-day oversight of financial operations and ensures efficient process flows and control over finance and accounting functions are processed in the system accurately and reported to donors, management, and other partners on time. Specific roles and responsibilities include: 

• Ensure Liquidation for partners is done on time.
• Track expenditure for every program activity TOR’s ensuring every TOR budget is spent accurately in line with approved donor budget lines.
• Maintain a partner reporting log for all partners. Monthly and quarterly financial reports are ready not later than 5th of the following month.
• Perform monthly bank reconciliation thereby updating all project cash books and condom sales record against overheads expenditure. 
• Lead in the Preparation of the budget for operations 
• Work with Executive Director to prepare and review all funding application budgets
• Ensure policies, procedures and other quick reference guides are available to staff and disseminated 
• Determine short and long-term cash needs and coordinate cash requests and approvals, including the submission of cash flow projections.
• Ensure vendors are paid and account receivable are collected timely
• Ensure staff receive proper training and are effectively using the cash-related modules
• Ensure journal entries are processed timely and accurately and cash receipts are recorded properly 
• Ensure that the period closing processes are performed timely and adequately 
• Supervise the quality and integrity of financial data and supporting documentation and ensure completeness of data recorded in the system.  
• Ensure submission of timely, complete, and reliable financial reports to the Executive Director, donors, and other stakeholders as relevant. 
• Fully monitor financial statements as against transactions done by SLaDA on a monthly basis
• Coordinate and supervise the preparation of forecasts and budgets 
• Lead the preparation of budgets and implement SLaDA policy and guidelines related to fair sharing of support costs. 
• Supervise the monitoring of actual expenses against budgets 
• Ensure costs/expenses are managed properly within approved budgets

JOB RESPONSIBILITY#2: Financial Analysis, Compliance, and Control Tasks;

• Perform quality reviews and analyses of books as well as financial performance reports and provide feedback to the Executive Director to improve financial management (Bank reconciliation, balance sheet, income statement, grants/contracts reports, actual expenses vs budgets, payroll allocation, etc.) 
• Ensure compliance with SLaDA’s accounting policy and procedures and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) 
• Ensure the payroll and other systems provide adequate controls 
• Review all leases, agreements, and/or contracts that require current and future use of the organization’s assets and make any relevant recommendations to the Executive Director 
• Ensure SLaDA complies with donor rules and regulations 
• Ensure SLaDA prepares for annual financial and donor audits  
• Facilitate internal and external audits, and assist the Executive Director in preparing responses to audit findings as well as planning and implementing audit recommendations. 
• Ensure cash deposits are done for all condom sales activity on a daily basis with relevant documents in place.
• Complete partner’s financial records and statement taking notes of gaps and notes to files for gaps identified.

JOB RESPONSIBILITY#3: General Administration Tasks;

• Ensures functionality of the information technology systems 
• Work with relevant staff to establish a central asset management system by ensuring that SLaDA’s universal coding system for the Furniture Fixture and Equipment items (FF/E) is applied in all locations. Establish and maintain guidelines for property/assets items movement, develop and implement the maintenance plan for property/assets items and ensure the proper safeguard and disposition plan of these items.  

JOB RESPONSIBILITY#4:  Staff Management and Development (Talent Management and Capacity Building).

• Identify the gap in skills, develop training materials and provide training in accounting and financial management as needed for the Finance Assistant.
• Managed and supervised the Finance Assistant. 
• Work with the Executive Director to develop and manage talent in the admin and finance department 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

The Finance Officer must have: 

• Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance or a related field
• At least 2 -5 years’ experience specifically in an NGO settings
• Ability to use QuickBooks, EXCEL and other Accounting software. 
• Excellent written & oral communication skills
• Previous experience in working with an NGO is a must

Your application should include: 

• A cover letter
• A comprehensive CV including details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent supervisor. 

• Only short-listed candidates shall be contacted references would be taken and background on anti-terrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with SLaDA International Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy. 

• Sierra Leone Social Marketing and Development Agency follows an equal opportunity policy and actively encourages diversity-welcoming applications from all especially women and people living with disability. 

• Early application is encouraged, as we will review them as they come in throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert on the stated time.

Method of application:

If you are a qualified Sierra Leonean who have read and meet the criteria above, please forward your Cover Letter, CV with three referees , 

Pls. let the application be sent directly

To dominicconteh@slada-sl.com .

or by hand delivery @ 1 George Brook Street, IMATT Freetown via USA Embassy (the same building with Peak Lodge Supermarket) 

Closing date for all applications is on or before the 26th of January 2024, 5:00PM.