FANTA-2 works to improve nutrition and food security policies, strategies and programs through technical support to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners, including host country governments, international organizations and NGO implementing partners. Focus areas for technical assistance include maternal and child health and nutrition, HIV and other infectious diseases, food security and livelihood strengthening, and emergency and reconstruction. FANTA-2 develops and adapts approaches to support the design and quality implementation of field programs, while building on field experience to improve and expand the evidence base, methods and global standards for nutrition and food security programming. The project, funded by USAID, is a five-year cooperative agreement.
The Finance Associate will support the financial, operational, and administrative management of Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), Nutrition and HIV, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) and any other FANTA-2 activities in Ghana. The Finance Associate will be responsible for assisting the FANTA-2 Ghana team in planning, developing, implementing AED financial policies and procedures, and maintaining systems to track and manage the financial status of CMAM, Nutrition and HIV, and MCHN activities through the development and maintenance of budgets and field imprest reporting. In addition, the Finance Associate will be working closely with AED HQ project staff to ensure timely and cost-effective management, administration, and execution of FANTA-2 activities.
Essential Job Functions:
• Prepare, reconcile, and manage FANTA-2 Ghana monthly financial reports and transactions. This includes creating vouchers for all transactions, ensuring that required documentation is attached and appropriate approvals are obtained, allocating costs to expense and funding categories, reconciling bank statements, and correctly entering transactions and liabilities into QuickBooks.
• Prepare expense reports to clear advances and seek reimbursement for FANTA-2 program costs.
• Prepare all checks and present to the CMAM and Emergency Nutrition Specialist for final authorization.
• Ensure that imprest and expense reports are submitted to AED HQ accurately, completely, and on-time; provide feedback on reports submitted and communicate with HQ on pending issues to ensure the satisfactory availability and effective accounting of all funds.
• Prepare cash projections and wire transfer requests for imprest replenishment and advances to the field; work closely with the CMAM and Emergency Nutrition Specialist with regard to field expenditures, budget and cash-flow;
• Administer all payroll processes to include payment of local staff and payment of all payroll taxes and benefit entitlements in accordance with Ghana’s labor laws; maintain up-to-date records of payment or withholding of all payroll taxes and benefits for each employee.
• Negotiate and implement local procurement activities for all FANTA-2 activities in Ghana; ensure that all solicitation and procurement actions adhere to USAID, AED, and in-country regulations and procedures.
• Provide the CMAM and Emergency Nutrition Specialist and AED HQ project team with financial information as required; maintain an effective, accurate, and current financial filing system to include vendor files, bank statements and imprest reports.
• Make payments to participants and vendors during workshops and trainings at national and regional levels, as needed.
• Document cost-share information and maintain the cost-share tracking system, including submission of reports as part of monthly financial reporting; support the CMAM and Emergency Nutrition Specialist in maintaining a cost-share projections database.
• Work with the CMAM and Emergency Nutrition Specialist to develop, update and monitor activity budgets.
• Recommend or develop improved financial procedures and internal paper-flow.
• Participate in and contribute to cluster and project-wide work planning and reporting; complete other tasks as needed.
• Perform other related duties as required
Education:
Bachelors degree in accounting, commerce or related field.
Experience:
• Four years of relevant experience with a Bachelors degree OR equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of financial reporting, accounting software (QuickBooks) preferred, accounting principles and financial controls.
• Field experience or experience working with field-based activities.
Knowledge and experience with AED and USAID regulations and procedures strongly desired.
• Experience working with and supporting project teams and collaborating to resolve problems
Specific Knowledge Requirements:
• Minimum six years technical and programming experience in international health and nutrition, emergency nutrition programs, including community-based therapeutic feeding programs.
• Experience with USAID desirable.
Skills:
• (Must) be able to use/perform the following: Computerized accounting, MS Word, Excel at a highly proficient level. Experience with QuickBooks strongly preferred.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills; conceptualize, perform, and apply mathematical skills; and develop and maintain financial systems.
• Willingness to take initiative and responsibility for the financial management or project components.
• Strong budget preparation skills, with high level of accuracy, organization, and attention to detail.
• Must be capable of multi-tasking, establishing priorities and meeting tight deadlines consistently.
• Ability to learn and apply new skills and knowledge with training. Ability to face challenges with optimism.
• Ability to work independently with strong decision making skills and within a team setting, with limited supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work well, especially under pressure, with project staff, clients, and vendors. Ability to interact with a variety of people of diverse backgrounds.
• Fluency in English: both verbal and written.
Additional Information:
Some travel may be required.
To Apply:
Interested applicants should send resume with cover letter referencing position “Finance Associate--Ghana” to: fanta-2jobs@aed.org
We thank all individuals for their interest in AED, however only those selected for interviews will be contacted
More Information and Application Detail
