Role Title: Finance and Admin Assistant – Mission inclusion

Mission inclusion supports innovative and mobilizing community actions in favor of the social inclusion of vulnerable or marginalized people in 14 regions of Quebec and in 12 countries around the world.

One of the few foundations in Quebec to show its solidarity at home and abroad, Mission inclusion supports actions resolutely focused on profound and lasting social change. It builds quality relationships with partners, many of whom have marked the social development of their countries.

Mission inclusion, in 2019, adopted a new name and programming strategy, which are a great source of motivation for its team, and is currently looking to fill the position of:

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Mission inclusion, in partnership with with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and local partners, aims to deliver the Regenerative Seascapes for People, Climate, and Nature Program. This program is funded by Global Affairs Canada and has the objective of enhancing the physical and socioeconomic resilience of people living in coastal communities to adverse impacts of climate change in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. Anchored to the WIO-led and Africa-driven Great Blue Wall (GBW) initiative, the establishment of a network of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive seascapes to reduce vulnerability to adverse impacts of climate change of 350,000 persons, including women, men and young people, living in coastal communities in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Comoros and Madagascar.

The program is built upon three key pillars: Blue Planet (conservation), Blue Nature (NbS focus), and Blue People (women’s and youth leadership in the blue economy). These pillars will be supported by Blue Partnerships, serving as a cross-cutting element. Blue Partnerships pillar aim to cultivate innovative and unconventional collaborations to address climate change impacts and promoting sustainable development and to expedite the attainment of the objectives.

FINANCE AND ADMIN ASSISTANT

Nairobi, Kenya (national only)

JOB SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Finance Controller, the Finance and Admin Assistant will ensure that all financial functions in the Program regional office are completed effectively and in a timely manner, including accounting, payment and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grand financial management and compliance. The Finance and Admin Assistant will ensure compliance with donor regulations as well as Mission inclusion internal policies and procedures and provides support to the program management teams as required.

The Finance and Admin Assistant role involves working on monthly management accounts, cashflows, annual budget planning and quarterly forecasting. She/he will assist the Finance Controller preparing periodical reports for the donors.

The role is responsible for the preparation and production of financial statements, including all supporting schedules and reconciliations. This requires a sound understanding of donor accounting regulations. Finance and Admin Assistant’s reporting extends to other ad hoc requirements, such as preparing documentation to support due diligence enquiries from financial and governmental institutions.

The role is also responsible for promoting and upholding a commitment to the efficient use of Mission inclusion and donor resources. It involves ensuring compliance with donor’s requirements and regulations, including financial tracking and oversight of partner budgets, finance, administration, and reporting.

ROLES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Financial & accounting: Assist the Finance Controller in the execution of admin tasks regarding Program and office management. Monitor project budget execution dans take decisions based on annual budget and annual work plan. Maintain the Program accounts in accordance with the provisions of the annual budget. Ensure the conformity of supporting documents and the respect of payment deadlines to suppliers. File and archive accounting documents and maintain a fixed asset register. Prepare monthly accounting reports. Prepare cash advance request requests based on project cash flow and progress of activities. Ensure that expenditures are in accordance with approved procurement plans. Perform year-end closing accounts. Prepare monthly bank reconciliations and manage accounts to avoid overdraft. Prepare and facilitate internal and external financial audits and follow up on recommendations.
• Administrative management: Establish the initial inventory, keep it up to date and draw up the year-end inventory (fixed assets, inventory, depreciation). Ensure that information related to local and donor legislation is kept up to date and that it is applied in accordance with local and Canadian laws. Ensure compliance with environmental management and gender equality and social inclusion standards. Carry out any other tasks related to its mandate that may be assigned to it.
• Compliance & Regulatory: Coordinate with Mission inclusion for formal registration in countries. Ensure that expenditure made by the project team members are within budget, comply with the procurement policy for goods and services, obtain the necessary approvals, are well documented, and comply with anti-corruption rules, management procedures, financial reporting tools, etc. Certify that service provider does not maintain activities or links with groups that promote or participate in criminal or corrupt activities. Comply with and maintain local and Canadian regulatory standards and laws regarding the management of funds, expenditures, etc. Prepare tax and social security returns and other obligations, and make the corresponding payments in a timely manner, in accordance with country requirements.
• Information technology: Oversee the formulation, interpretation and application of IT policies, procedures, rules and regulations. Provide appropriate information and guidance on emerging and best practices in IT. Oversee the organization’s network and liaising with IT suppliers and support services provider.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor of Commerce, Business Administration, or related undergraduate Degree or its equivalent for a recognized university.
• At least 3 years working experience in financial and admin in an INGO or a large organization.
• Extensive experience and understanding of accounting for donors, knowledge of GAC’s rules, regulation and procedures preferred.
• Strong budgeting and forecasting experience.
• Practical experience managing consortia-led grants.
• Good knowledge of Enterprise resource planning and Excel.
• Fluency in English and in French is required. Kiswahili and/or Portuguese a plus.
• Experience in MS Office package, Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Strong analytical skills, problem solving capacities and attention to details.
• Ability to work with other in a constructive way.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-cultural teams. Coaching skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented.
• A good understanding of human rights, women’s rights, and socio-economic justice.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Remuneration: Competitive and advantageous salary package (Based on internal Salary scale), with a full range of benefits.
• Duty station: Nairobi, Kenya, with up to 10% of the time travel (WIO region and international events).
• Contract type: fixed term contract.
• Target start date: As soon as possible.