Position Title: Regional Finance Director - MEESA
ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL
Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years and are now active in more than 85 countries.
Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organization is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 100 million girls.
In Finance, our vision is ‘to be a globally trusted partner in the organisation’s delivery of life-changing programmes for girls and young women’.
We aim to do this by ‘providing the robust financial systems, reports, tools and data, and the skilled people to enable successful project delivery. We equip our customers with the insights, capabilities, and expert advice that they need to change lives’.
Plan International embarked on an ambitious and exciting strategic change initiative to make the organization more transparent, legitimate, and agile. Strengthening our financial planning, decision making, and analytics is a key enabler in attaining our strategic goals.
The Middle East, East and Southern Africa Region currently comprises 15 countries and a regional hub. The Region also manages the Africa Union Liaison Office and a Shared Service Centre. The Shared Service Centre provides transactional services to the Country, Regional and Global teams based in Nairobi and to some countries beyond. This role sits in the Regional Hub Management Team of eight people, led by the Regional Director.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Regional Finance Director (RFD) will provide critical leadership to ensure that Plan International Inc.’s finances in the MEESA region adhere to external and internal financial standards and donor regulations. The RFD will ensure that Regional Management and the Global Hub (GH) finance function are alerted to financial risks and opportunities in MEESA, while also providing strategic analysis on the business environment.
The RFD will play a key role in driving alignment to the finance strategy and priorities at a regional and country level and alignment to country and regional priorities in global level finance.This role will also be accountable for the professional management of finances and finance team capacity in the MEESA.
Country Directors are accountable for the performance of their country teams. COs each have a Country Finance Manager and team who have responsibility for meeting internal financial standards and donor regulations. The regional role is to have technical oversight of the finance function in COs. The Regional Finance Director monitors the financial performance of all COs and supports the finance function to have the capability to achieve high financial standards. They work with the Directors of Sub-Regions and the Regional Hub Management Team to identify and address areas of concern. The Regional Hub works with the COs to strengthen their finance capacity.
The Regional Finance Director will be part of the MEESA Regional Management Team and of the Regional Hub Management Team whose remits are broader than just finance. He/she will also be part of Finance Leadership Team and as such participate actively in the global function strategy development and continuous improvement.
MANAGEMENT SCOPE, REPORTING LINES, KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to; The Regional Director
Key relationships
- Regional Director
- Directors of Sub-Region
- Regional Global Assurance Team
- Chief Financial Officer
- Regional Hub Management team
- Country Finance Managers and their teams
- Country Director
- Deputy Country Director – Operations /Country Operations Director
- Global Hub Finance Team
Dimensions of the Role
- Regional Finance Management
- Financial Planning and Monitoring
- Internal Financial Controls and Financial Risk Management
- Grants Finance Management
- Financial and Business Analysis
- Relevant people and talent management
- Assisting business cases and cost-effective business management
- Analyse organization requirements and provide input to RH management and GH to improve, translate, and simplify requirements.
- Support and influence the development of the Finance functions’ three-year strategy and underpinning transformation initiatives.
Physical Environment
The role will be based in an office setting, with considerable amount of work from home as well.
Level of contact with children
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction
ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES
1. Oversight of and support to COs Financial Management
a) Internal Financial Controls and Financial Risk Management
- Ensure appropriate financial control processes, procedures and systems are in place and adhered to in all COs to support compliance with PII policies, PII financial standards, local regulatory, tax legislation, and donors’ requirements.
- Provide high quality financial and accounting support to COs to ensure:
- COs provide accurate and timely recording of accounting transactions
- COs Financial controls are in place and adhered to
- COs comply with Plan International financial standards.
- Monitor accuracy and consistency of COs Month-end report pack.
- Identify, assess and report on financial risks:
- Ensure that key financial risks are reported and incorporated into regional risk register and general risk management processes.
- Work with GH Finance to develop and implement policies and procedures that mitigate financial risks.
- Monitor finance related audit findings within the region and follow up on finance related audit functions that require above-country action.
b) Grants Finance Management
- When required, provide Financial review and opinion during the proposal and donor contract approval process (FAD) that require DSRs or RD approval.
- Work with relevant NOs Projects Finance Controllers and CFMs
- When donors’ financial compliance requirements are not compatible with local regulations or Plan International policies and standards support the Country Office to seek waivers from donors, local authorities and/or GH Finance.
- Follow up finance related regional grants audits reports and actions
- Support countries to ensure that COs are providing NOs and donors with timely financial reporting consistent with Plan International accounting standards and records and compliant with donors’ requirements.
- Improve cost recovery within COs so that they are recovering the correct and optimal amount from grants.
c) Financial Planning and Monitoring
- Coordinate budgeting and forecasting processes with all COs to ensure that the budget is a realistic estimate of the country’s future spend projections.
- Work with COs to ensure that their overhead to direct implementation rate is right
- Where required by DSRs, support COs to review spend patterns for both sponsorship and grants funded projects, and cost drivers for apportioned costs
- Provide guidance on cash flow/ treasury management in region, ensure GH remits to COs as they require it, and no CO should hold high cash balances.
d) Financial and Business Analysis
- Working with the Power BI GH lead, to design reports that are accurate, relevant and useful to identify areas of concerns for COs.
- Working to continually improve data and reporting to help COs to improve their performance.
- Training all COs on Power BI and reports so that they are aware of actions required at CO level.
2. Strategic Finance Management of the Region
- Plan, prepare and provide strategic financial analysis and advice to regional management.
a) Business Analysis
- Implement advanced strategies for gathering, reviewing, and analysing data requirements.
- Prepare and review periodic regional financial reports
- Support regional management’s submission of timely and reliable financial information and analysis.
- Develops and analyse cost benefit of the regions current business delivery strategy to ensure a strong performing return on investment.
b) Cost-effectiveness
- Work with the Regional Hub Management Team to drive the function in cost-effective ways to deliver programmes and organization management in MEESA, so that the region is high performing in ensuring continuing high-level support from donors, partners, and other key stakeholders.
3. Finance Management of the Regional Hub
- Support the Regional Hub Management Team to ensure that the Regional Hub budget and spend is in line with regional priorities.
- Ensure Regional Hub Finance compliance with PII policies and standards, local regulatory and tax legislation, and donors’ requirements.
4. Capacity & Capability Building
- Work with Global Finance and Country Office teams to identify capability gaps and training requirements, particularly for Country Finance Managers and CO Grant Finance Managers.
- Develop strategies and plans to address capability needs and mobilise teams to implement new initiatives.
- Work with Global Finance and Country Office teams to identify talent pools and manage capability and capacity development opportunities for CO finance function staff.
- Support the Finance Transformation Directorate to design capability building initiatives for project and finance teams within the MEESA and support the Learning and Development team in the region to roll these out.
5. Strategic Transformation of Global Finance Function
- Contribute to the design and development of new strategic initiatives, and support business change activities across the region.
6. People Management
- Supervise the Regional Hub Finance team and the Regional Finance Network providing oversight and support to COs, ensuring that the team works well together and supports each other.
- Support and advise Country Directors (CDs) in the recruitment, objective setting, and performance management of the Country Finance Managers (shared technical management with CD).
- Working with all COs to ensure that the financial capacity and capability in COs meets global requirements.
7. Policies and Standards
- Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion 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.
8. Other Duties
- Other duties outside the above may be assigned by the line manager.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Essential Qualifications and experience:
- Relevant financial and business analysis qualification
- MBA or another relevant advanced degree preferable
- 8-10 years’ experience in a similar senior role
- Experience with NGO implementing projects, particularly grants funded ideally gained in project countries.
- Experience in supporting a regional roll-out of an ERP platform would be an added benefit.
Desired Qualifications/ experience
- Strong leadership and management skills
- Strategic problem solving
- Analytical skills
- Communication skills, appropriate to the audience, particularly Communicate finance concepts and issues clearly to non-finance people.
- Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment
- Strong team-building and motivational skills
- Strong negotiating, facilitating and influencing skills
- Proficient in computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, database, internet).
- Possess the capabilities needed to deliver effective solutions to complex business challenges.
- The ability to conduct cost/benefit analysis
- Business case development
- Modelling techniques and methods
- Knowledge and experience of using any/all of the following would be an added value:
- SAP ERP systems
- Power BI
- Dynamics 365
- Experience of moving an organisation to a new ERP would be an added value
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
- Provides Strategic Leadership for the region, acting as a partner in the delivery of outcomes.
- Develops, motivates, coaches and manages finance teams in the region.
- Promotes high performance and continuous improvement by all staff.
- Promotes innovation and ongoing learning and development of all teams within the region.
- Communicates clearly and effectively.
- Gains, develops and retains credibility about their performance.
- Implements advanced strategies for gathering, reviewing, and analysing data requirements.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPENTENCIES
- Understands relevant sectoral context including how the sector operates in terms of funding and governance and awareness of Plan'spurpose, values, and global strategy.
- Manages legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with risk-related standards, including in areas such as Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender equality and inclusion, Counter Fraud, Safety and Security.
- Managing activities and resources including skills in planning and organising, financial and project management.
- Managing people and information including skills in communication skills, both speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills.
Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and idea.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.
We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.
We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.
How to apply
To apply, please click on the link below;
Career Opportunities: Regional Finance Director - MEESA (46582) (successfactors.eu)
A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme, we will request information from applicants' previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
Location: MEESA Region
Type of Role: Fixed Term Contract
Reports to: Regional Director - MEESA
Closing Date: 24th May 2023
Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.