Mott MacDonald Job Vacancy For Finance Officer

Job title: Finance officer

38429BR

Finance and Accounting, International Development

Accra

Job Description

Reporting to the Regional Project manager, and working closely with the UK Finance manager, the Regional Finance officer will be responsible for financial aspects of the Fleming Fund Grants Programme in the region including: conducting grant application financial reviews, oversight of financial monitoring and spot checks of grants, the provision of accurate financial forecasts and financial reports. This includes monitoring financial expenditure of grantees, providing oversight of the implementation of financial controls in the processing of grantee payments and substantiation of costs under grants. 

The Regional Finance Officer is a member of the regional hub team supporting the end-to-end process of grant management and will assist the Regional Project Manager to manage, monitor, forecast and report on all aspects of the financial position of the Fleming Fund Grants Programme in the region. The role will help ensure a consistent approach and a high level of financial compliance is maintained across the region. In order to do so the Regional Financial Officer will work closely with the rest of the regional team and with the UK Finance Manager.  

Grant Management 

• Reviewing grant applications for quality and risks, making recommendations for funding based on grantee financial submissions  
• ?Monitoring and reviewing grantee financial reports, reconciliations of grantee expenditure, and undertaking regular travel to carry out spot checks of hard copy receipts and grantee financial reports 
• Assisting the UK Finance Manager to prepare reconciliations between the grant management software (MatsSoft) and the grant disbursements recorded in the Group financial system
• Assisting the UK Finance Manager to monitor and review grant payments to ensure they are approved in line with Group Authority Levels, bank mandated signing levels and client requirements
• Preparing regional grant forecasting figures, as required by the UK Finance Manager 

Programme Accounting 

• Responding to financial audits of the programme (internal and external)
• Supporting the Regional Project Manager as required on managing Project Management Desktop (PMD) sub-project monthly budgeting and balancing ensuring profit release, Work In Progress (WIP) and forward budgeting are in line with forecasts
• Ensuring that timely, accurate, and appropriate information is available to the programme management team and local financial returns are prepared in a timely fashion and with integrity
• Supporting the Regional Project Manager and the local Mott MacDonald finance team as required, producing and submitting monthly invoices to MML in the UK 

Financial Management 

• Working closely with the Regional Project Manager and UK Finance Manager to enforce appropriate and sound internal controls policies to protect donor assets and Mott MacDonald Limited (MML) and Mott MacDonald Thailand/India/Uganda/Ghana (as appropriate) funds and maintain sound financial systems and policies in line with GAAP, MML policies, local policies, DHSC requirements, and local laws
• Supporting the Regional Project Manager as required on invoice and expense claims from the Regional Hub. 
• Providing oversight of timely completion of invoice and expense tracker for the Regional Hub
• If required, support to EY for grantee audits. 

Candidate Specification

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• ?Experience implementing grant/ fund management programmes in low and middle-income countries 
• ?Experience managing the finances of complex programmes
• ?Experience of financial monitoring and reporting of grant expenditure, including sampling, validation, and compliance checking
• Experience in implementing finance processes and policies and templates for internal controls and counter fraud measures
• Understanding of value for money, ethics, and transparency
• Demonstrable ability to work accurately and to deadlines
• Excellent written and spoken Swahili and English
• A good communicator with strong relationship building skills, reliable and a team player
• Pro-active to raise issues with management and resolve identified problems
• Able to undertake periodic travel to overseas offices and locations. 
• Evidence of advanced Excel skills 
• Pro-active to raise issues with management and resolve identified problems
• Able to travel regularly to Fleming Fund grantees in the region 

Desirable 

• An accounting qualification 
• ?Experience of due diligence, financial assurance and/or fiduciary risk assessments. 

Job Profile

Drug-resistant infections pose a grave threat to health and wellbeing across the globe. Bacterial causes of infection are becoming resistant to an increasing number of antibiotics, with consequent reductions in the effectiveness of treatment. Estimates indicate that up to 10 million people could die each year from illnesses that are resistant to antimicrobials by 2050.1 The UK Government is playing a leading global role in addressing this problem and has launched the Fleming Fund as a major component of the UK’s response. 

The aim of the Fleming Fund is to address critical gaps in surveillance of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries in these areas are set to bear the highest burden of antibiotic resistant infections. Led by the UK, political action against the problem has resulted in a roadmap for global response - the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).2 This is the blueprint for a multi-stakeholder global response to averting the burden of AMR.  

The Fleming Fund Grants Programme is designed to align with the objectives of the Global Action Plan and to support the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS). The objectives of the Fleming Fund Grants Programme are: 

• Laboratory infrastructure enhancement  
• Human resource strengthening and work force reforms 
• Surveillance systems strengthening  
• Greater alignment between human and animal surveillance systems 
• Building foundations for AMR surveillance data use  
• Promoting rational use of antimicrobial medicines in humans, animals and crops 
• To provide value for money in grant funding 

The Fleming Fund Grants Programme will assist LMICs by providing the technical support, grant funding and other support necessary to improve surveillance and use of data on antibiotic resistance. A number of funding streams will be delivered in selected countries and regions in Africa and Asia. The majority of funds will be invested to support the implementation of individual countries’ National Action Plans for antimicrobial resistance to ensure country ownership, alignment of approach with stakeholders, and sustainability. The Fleming Fund will use a One Health approach by promoting cross-sectoral approaches to surveillance of resistant organisms and the drivers of resistance development (e.g. use of antibiotics in agriculture, animal health, and in human medicine). Additional funding will be available for the Fleming Fellowship Scheme to provide professional development and improved awareness and advocacy. This will be complemented by funding streams to provide Regional Grants to improve surveillance and the use of data, operational research, online learning, and for strategic investments in collaboration with other donors.