Malawi Finance Manager

Location: Zomba, Malawi
Type of contract: Full-time fixed-term contract with possibility of renewal
Suggested start date: July 1, 2016
Salary and benefits: Salary commensurate with skills and experience, with a generous medical and health benefits package

Dignitas International (DI) is an independent registered Canadian charity dedicated to transforming patient health and health care systems for the world’s most vulnerable people. We deliver and support frontline medical care in resource-limited settings in Malawi, and with First Nations communities in Canada. We also research ways to improve how health care is delivered, to make it more effective and accessible. Finally, we share our findings broadly and advocate for better health care policy and practice for marginalized and underserved populations. By coupling the frontline experience of our clinicians with the expertise of our scientists, we generate, pilot, and scale up sustainable models of care that address barriers and gaps in health services and policy. More information can be found at http://dignitasinternational.org.

Dignitas began working in Malawi in 2004, at the height of the AIDS epidemic. Working in one of the hardest hit areas of this country, we witnessed the devastating impact of HIV and AIDS on families, commnuities and the health care system. By collaborating with the Government of Malawi and local partners, Dignitas was able to dramatically increase access to quality treatment and care for HIV, TB, and other related diseases.

Dignitas supports people living with HIV by providing frontline health care in our flagship Tisungane Clinic, a hub for innovation, teaching and knowledge sharing. At this Clinic, we have developed and implemented specialized models of care for vulnerable groups, including HIV+ teens, health care workers and prisoners. To extend our impact, Dignitas provides comprehensive training and mentorship to health care workers in 127 clinics, ranging from urban hospitals to small rural health centres.

Today Dignitas operates a large office in Zomba, Malawi with over 200 staff, supported by the organization’s headquarters in Toronto, Canada. The Malawi program is funded by USAID, as well as a number of other private and institutional donors, including several research grants.

The Position
This is a fantastic opportunity for a driven and experienced finance manager who enjoys team and systems building and is committed to excellence in financial management. As a member of the Malawi Management Team, this position provides leadership and support in financial matters across different work areas including financial management and reporting, fiscal and legal compliance and grant management, systems strengthening, risk management and overall operations.

The Finance Manager manages the Finance team and is responsible for overseeing finance and accounting duties and audits, preparation of accurate and timely financial reports to a wide range of donors, and ensuring the accurate recording of financial transactions. S/he will ensure each financial transaction complies with terms and conditions of donors, tax and local laws, Dignitas policies and procedures and in accordance with approved budgets.

Main Job Tasks

• Oversee data entry of financial information into the QuickBooks database accurately and are in accordance with Dignitas policies and procedures
• Ensure timely preparation of payroll and all statutory deductions
• Ensure monthly and annual accounts are closed on time as per checklists
• Ensure up-to-date accounts and financial databases
• Supervise and coach accountant and administrators in other departments for financial transactions
• Work closely with all department heads for budget monitoring, payments and recording of expenses on time
• Prepare monthly cash forecast and cash request, ensuring adequate cash flow for ongoing operations at all times
• Prepare and implement a monthly calendar for finance department deliverables
• Compile and analyze financial information to prepare financial statements, including monthly, quarterly and annual accounts
• Prepare financial management reports as required
• Prepare and coordinate for donor audits and statutory headquarter annual audit
• Work closely with headquarter Finance Manager to provide timely information for donor reports, financial management, budgets, and audits
• Support budget preparation for grant proposals and the annual plan
• Ensure compliance with Dignitas policies and procedures, donor contracts, and local laws and regulations and ensure adequate documentation is available for each financial transaction

Candidate Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy or equivalent, Master’s Degree preferred
• Recognized accounting designation required (CPA, ACCA)
  Minimum five years’ experience in a supervisory role within a finance team at an international NGO, preferably in Africa
• Thorough knowledge of non-profit accounting principles
• Experience working in a multi-grant environment is required; experience with USAID funding is strongly preferred
• Good communication and interpersonal skills at all levels
• Highly detail-oriented and organizated in work, ability to meet assigned deadlines
• Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, and external agencies to maximize performance, creativity, problem solving, and results
• Professional level expertise in working with Quickbooks (multi-currency version) and advanced level of Excel
• Proficiency in Microsoft office applications
• Fluency in written and spoken English

HOW TO APPLY:

Qualified applicants should send a CV and detailed cover letter explaining their interest and suitability for the post to jobs@dignitasinternational.org with the subject heading "Malawi Finance Manager".

Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis. Deadline to submit an application is May 31, 2016 EDT. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. DI thanks all applicants for their interest.