Finance and Operations Director, RISE Eswatini

Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization affiliated with The Johns Hopkins University. For 50 years and in over 155 countries, Jhpiego has worked to prevent the needless deaths of women and their families. Jhpiego Corporation has been providing technical support to the Ministries of Health in partner countries across the globe in a variety of technical areas including cervical cancer treatment and prevention, community health, HIV and AIDS, maternal and newborn health, health workforce capacity development family planning, malaria, and IPC/WASH. 

The RISE project supports countries to respond to the HIV epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic by providing technical assistance, service delivery, research, and cross-cutting health system innovations. RISE partners with ministries of health, local stakeholders, and nongovernmental organizations in more than 25 countries around the world to advance strategic and policy objectives to control the transmission of HIV and COVID-19. Working across the HIV prevention, care, and treatment cascade, RISE bridges country-led efforts to reach the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals by 2030. To address the COVID-19 pandemic, RISE provides short-term, emergency response aid, alongside longer-term health systems strengthening, to achieve pandemic preparedness. Targeted technical assistance includes strengthening health information systems, human resources for health, supply chain, and health financing. 

The Finance and Operations Director oversees the financial and operational aspect of Jhpiego programs in Eswatini and contributes to ensuring that financial, administrative, and operational systems are sound and compatible with standard accounting practices and follow USG, JHU and Jhpiego rules and regulations. The Finance and Operations Director collaborates with the Jhpiego Baltimore office and other stakeholders in the Eswatini country program and ensures the implementation of uniform and financial procedures.

This position contributes to Jhpiego’s overall mission by leading and supporting seamless financial, operational and administrative systems, procedures, and processes. The Finance and Operations Director will play a critical role in partnering with the senior leadership team in strategic decision-making and will have a keen interest in Jhpiego’s mission.

Leadership

• Lead the finance and administration teams across the entire Jhpiego Eswatini country program including any sub-offices. This includes training, supervising, mentoring, coaching, and developing staff capacities and potential, recognizing outstanding performance and areas for development. Foster a collaborative team approach.
• Propose and lead structural or management changes in these teams as appropriate to ensure a more effective and productive working environment with delegation as appropriate;
• Ensure implementation of sound financial and administrative systems and processes to ensure smooth functioning of the country and sub-offices;
• Lead the development and oversee implementation of financial policies and procedures in accordance with General Accepted Accounting Principles and ensure compliance with Government, donor and Jhpiego regulations and ensure their effective utilization across Jhpiego’s Eswatini programs.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and awareness of changes to national laws/regulations and propose changes or amendments to Jhpiego policies and procedures as required to the CFO;
• Lead by example and ensure cost-effectiveness and cost efficiencies in operations across all programs; identify areas to reduce costs whilst maintaining quality, and set standards to deliver efficient and transparent financial management systems across all Jhpiego Eswatini projects and offices;
• Lead and oversee the preparation for external and internal audits and finance reviews, Lead the implementation at country office level measures to address gaps or findings from audit;
• Play a proactive role as a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and support the Country Director (CD) and other SMT members in advancing the priorities of the strategic plan. Advise the CD and SMT on financial and administrative matters and propose solutions to address bottlenecks.

Management (Financial Management, Policies and Procedures, and Administration)

• Ensure all projects are compliant with the award terms and conditions and conduct regular compliance checks, and in coordination with the compliance officer ensure same for sub-grantees. Orientate project staff in award management and build their capacity to manage donor funded awards;
• Have a sound understanding of the definitions of sponsored funds, general funds, service center and F&A rates, and how to apply the rates, and ensure understanding amongst colleagues;
• Resolve complex contractual issues regarding terms and conditions of contractual documents to minimize the risk to Jhpiego and provide support in negotiating the terms and conditions of awards, contracts, grants, balancing Jhpiego interests with customer and partner interests to resolve issues.
• Analyze financial, administrative implications of contractual requirements and propose solutions to the CD in areas that require strengthening;
• Support the development of /and or adapt existing internal procedures and processes to effectively monitor, execute and close grants in accordance with donor and Jhpiego regulations.
• Ensure the financial integrity of data in QuickBooks. Closely review financial transactions for allowability and allocability. Ensure financial transactions are recorded accurately in QuickBooks.
• Ensure compliance with Government of Eswatini legal and statutory requirements (i.e., registration, VAT/Tax reporting, filing tax returns, business licenses, payroll, and other taxes etc.)
• Develop and implement and provide oversight to internal control systems and conduct risk assessments (including pre-award assessments for sub-grantees).
• Support the tracking of cost share expenses as required by the award and identify other areas for program cost share, perform financial forecasting, trend analysis, and provide reports on same;
• Ensure reporting requirements as per JHU, Jhpiego, donor and government standards.
• Ensure that all procurement procedures and processes adhere to donor requirements including where required waivers and prior approval.
• Conduct the final review of the end of month/end of year financial reports, payroll prior to submission to the CD.
• Oversee lease agreements and other contracted vendor agreements;
• Ensure assets and inventories are well maintained and annual physical verifications are undertaken;
• Manage the IT team and ensure there is adequate IT support and resources as needed;
• Support the Security Focal person in collaboration with the CD to ensure s/he is well supported, and the country program security policies are upheld.
• Support the finance and project teams to develop annual project budgets (or as required), and for new program development purposes, ensuring proper budgeting standards. Develop the capacity of finance team and program staff to develop budgets with the appropriate oversight;
• Ensure all program budgets are tracked according to funding ceilings and ensure monthly reporting to program teams on expenditure. Alert the project director/project manager, and CD immediately of any variances including under or overspending and propose immediate solutions.

New Program Development

• Identify strategic opportunities for the country program and potential areas for expansion of existing projects in Jhpiego’s portfolios and make recommendations to pursue opportunities;
• Facilitate the development of innovative project approaches and interventions;
• Support the development/review of strategies, including strategic direction to achieve program goals and management effectiveness.

• Master's and/or ACCA or equivalent
• Minimum ten years' experience in professional accounting, financial management, budgeting, or auditing, preferably within an international NGO;
• Expert knowledge of professional management principles; of the laws, regulations and procedure governing US agency and host Government rules and regulations, financial management and contractual & procurement regulations.
• Expert working knowledge of budget and fiscal procedures
• Demonstrated computer literacy including proficiency with Excel, Word, Outlook, off the shelf accounting software, and preferably QuickBooks.
• Excellent communicator with highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team. English fluency (speaking/reading/writing)
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Government offices, NGOs, US Government Agencies, donors;
• Excellent decision-making skills and a results-oriented approach and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated skills in facilitation, team building and coordination and ability to get the most out of a team.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines, and intense pressure to perform, and able to work proactively and independently, organize and manage his/her own work and support others to do the same.
• All staff irrespective of their position are expected to comply with and follow Jhpiego operational procedures and policies, and codes of conduct.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.