Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.
Dimensions of Role:
The Partnership and Finance coordinator is responsible for coordinating with the partners, ensures legitimacy of the expenditures incurred, and assists Project Manager in ensuring expenditures are within approved budget. Ensures that Plan financial policies and procedures are applied efficiently and effectively and that all partners and Project Manager adequately understand and follow these policies. Ensures that Partners maintains a high standard of accounting and financial controls as well as financial records and supporting documentation. Ensures financial compliance, by conducting regular financial reviews, budget and expenditure monitoring, financial reporting, and records management. Facilitate documenting partnership commitments with the appropriate agreement and contract. Develops and regularly updates the Partnership Portfolio and corresponding data management on partnership agreements and financial documents.
Key Tasks and responsibilities
Support Project Manager in preparation and monitoring of programme budgets (operational budget and Budget versus Actuals) and phasing of budgets.
Provide continuous oversight of compliance to donor procedures and requirements throughout the project cycle, from start-up, implementation and closure by conducting regular audits at appropriate stages of the project
Provide training and ongoing support to relevant stakeholders including Grant funded project team members, Plan field office and partners on understanding donor financial compliance, identifying financial risks and other best practices related to financial management and ensuring compliance requirements are understood and adhered to at all levels.
Work closely with project team and partners to prepare donor financial reports and/or audit and organize trainings/capacity building sessions.
Contribute to the effective and efficient cash-flow planning and management.
Monitors whether appropriate due diligence is carried out on all potential partners, including financial capacity assessment.
Monitors actions taken to address weaknesses identified through partner due diligenceVerifying all partner and capacity building training related payment request, ensuring that all supporting documents are attached as per Plan International policy and donors’ requirements, authorized by the budget holder, and ensure no double payment is made.
Assist partners in month end closing, reporting process and in preparing monthly financial reports.
Ensure that all Partner’s financial transactions is updated and filed properly on daily basis and easily accessible.
Assist in the preparation of monthly budget monitoring and accurate donor reports in accordance with the specified format within the agreement timeframe in coordination with programme.
Consolidate monthly cash requests for the partners.
Remind Partner on their monthly cash requests for submission to the Finance Coordinator in a timely manner.
Review and verify the integrity of the accounting entries in the cashbooks submitted by the Partner before posting into SAP.
Support the Partners in ensuring accounting systems, policies, procedures and internal controls are properly understood and undertaken.
Support the partners in ensuring clear internal audit trails for external and internal audits for Plan International.
Facilitate the sharing of learning, based on best practices within the organisation as well as on best practices from the sector generally
Support Partners in safeguarding financial resources and records
Assist in financial audits as and when required.
Ensure that Partner maintain Fixed Assets register and reconciled with the Logistics record.
Assist in conducting partners’ appraisal and review of finance report from partners to ensure compliance with Plan International and donor’s standards and guidelines.
Support the development and implementation of capacity-building programs for both staff and the partners to strengthen financial and administrative compliance
Dealing with Problems:
Complexity of problems handled & the degree of investigation, analysis, & creative thinking required to solve them.
The job requires contribution to the decision-making on the basis of assumption and experience, as little hard information will be available. Decisions need to be context specific and there will often be no precedents to draw upon.
Decisions may affect the lives of thousands of disasters affected children, millions of dollars, security of staff, and the profile of Plan across the humanitarian sector and across media.
Excellent and creative leadership skills will be utilized to make strategic choices on responses with limited resources and with possible resistance from colleagues as is often the case in emergency response work
He/she should be able to work under pressure and accept travels and stays in often austere areas.
Communications and Working Relationships:
The Partnership and Finance coordinator should maintain a good collaboration and communication with technical and financial partners at both in and external levels.
Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:
Knowledge
BAC+3 or Bachelor Degree in accounting, finance, management, economics
At least 2 years’ experience in a similar role
Good experience in the financial project reporting requirements
Excellent written and spoken skills in English and French
Calm and positive under pressure and able to work in difficult situations;
Have a practical and relevant experience in the interventions in emergency contexts;
Have a good editorial capacity (capacity of drafting of reports);Know how to use the computer and master standard software (Word, Excel...);
A knowledge of the intervention area would be an asset;
Good knowledge and understanding of humanitarian principles and established international child protection standards;
Experience in the Far North of Cameroon is an asset.
Skills
Good analytical and interpersonal skills (open minded, pragmatic, diplomatic…)
Skills in participatory assessment.
Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local staff and also able to work with displaced persons and communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.
Well-developed written and oral communication skills. Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of Plan International. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills.
Commitment to child protection, gender equality and participation. Familiarity with project management and development sector donor requirements would be an asset.
