Christine Okoko

I. JOB SUMMARY

The Finance Manager is responsible for supporting CARE Kenya’s financial health and viability by ensuring good financial planning and management as well as overall compliance with CARE, donor and government rules and regulations at the Country Office level. The Finance Manager is responsible for the day to day financial operations at the Country Office level; implementing CARE International’s financial systems to provide effective support to the Country Office. He/she plans, directs, and is responsible for providing quality financial services to all projects, units and staff in the CO. The Finance Manager reports to the DCD-Operations,works closely Senior Management to ensure that partnership is developed between finance, programs and administration.

II. ROLES AND RESPOSIBILITIES

1. Team Leadership and Functional Management-20%

§ Lead the Finance Department in an effective and efficient financial planning and management of resources:

§ Ensure proper staffing/recruitment to enable the Finance Team to manage CARE Kenya’s resources efficiently; work with the program teams to deploy finance department staff to support each project appropriately;

§ Manage the Finance Team towards high standards of performance through clear roles and responsibilities, on-going feedback and appraisals. Pro-actively address performance issues through timely constructive feedback and coaching.

§ Notice talent and maximize the use of available talent through on-going staff development, succession planning, career management and utilization of a leadership style that will drive employee engagement and motivation

§ Develop and implement the annual work plan and budget for the Finance department; carefully managing expenditure and safeguarding CARE's resources by following accountability procedures before signing approvals

§ Through supervision of the Grants and Contracts Team, ensure that CARE’s investments achieve the desired impact and that finances are managed in accordance with CARE and Donor requirements, rules and regulations

§ Provide analysis to SMT and the program teams efficiency and value for money achieved with our financial resources.

§ Through supervision of the Accounts Payable staff, ensure good practice in treasury and cash management, promoting the use of wire and digital transfers, timely and efficient process for making payments; and always maintaining appropriate levels of cash in country to keep operations going; This includes supporting project managers and heads of departments with accurate and timely cash forecasts; Always maintaining a healthy level of cash in country to maintain operations going.

§ Ensure country, regional and global key performance standards are met

2. Policies, Procedures & Systems 20%

§ Develop and implement policies, procedures and operational systems that will ensure smooth running of CARE Kenya’s finances and the delivery of a good standard of customer service by the finance team.

§ Maintain up to date knowledge of relevant CARE, donors and Government of Kenya policies, procedures and statutory requirements, including keeping abreast of any changes (e.g. in tax laws, labour laws, etc), and ensuring they are strictly adhered to;

§ Monitor the relevance of existing policies, procedures and systems in order to identify areas for improvement, striving for greater efficiency; take corrective actions as appropriate, referring to Accountable Managers, CO SMT, RMU or CMPs as may be deemed necessary,

§ Ensure that the day-to-day financial operations of CARE Kenya are run smoothly, and that financial operations are properly and accurately recorded, documented, controlled, monitored and reported, according to organizational, donors and CARE Kenya’s policies and best practice as well as regulators ;

§ Ensure that the Country Office finance system operates correctly and is being used effectively by CARE staff (both finance team and customers);

§ Ensure that all required internal controls are in place and followed and continuously identify ways of tightening them in the light of the high risks for fraud in Kenya

§ Maintaining and regularly updating the Authorized Signatory Forms (ASF) and up to date Bank signatories

3. Budgeting and Forecasting 20%

§ Oversee the development and implementation of CARE Kenya’s country-wide budgets

§ Establish the processes by which the country budget will be developed, adhering to CARE USA annual budgeting timeline, guidelines and policies and holding staff country-wide accountable for doing their part.

§ Ensure that accountable managers are equipped and empowered to carry out budgeting activities according to best practice

§ Ensure that mechanisms for monitoring, control and review of budget implementation are in place, including quarterly “health check” reviews of CO cost recovery efforts, continuously analyzing the extent to which the CO is recovering its costs (Shared Program Costs, Sub & Field Office Costs);

§ Forecast to confirm the availability of financial resources and maintain CO Master Budget updated in order to anticipate shortages and propose timely corrective actions to CO SMT (e.g. downsizing, restructuring, etc);

§ Carry out strategic level risk assessment and analyse trends to identify and manage issues that might impact on the financial health or viability of CARE Kenya

§ Develop systems, take actions and behave in a way which will generate and maintain relationships of mutual trust with donors; liaising with donors to ensure that they are provided with all required information,

§ Ensure statutory audits, internal and donor audits are conducted in a timely and professional manner, Cooperating with external audits and leading the implementation of recommendations,

4. Awards & Sub Awards Management 20%

§ Ensure effective end-to-end Awards & Sub-Awards management is carried out; ensuring full compliance with Donor requirements, CARE International policies & the laws of Kenya,

§ Keep up to date with changes to CARE USA policies and Procedures as well as CARE International requirements and any developments in donor requirements and relevant legislation

§ Ensure that all budgets and contracts are comprehensive and accurate and comply with Donor agreements and requirements, CARE International policies and the laws of the Country. Ensure budgets are prepared in line with CARE International Shared Program Costs policy and cover their fair share of Shared Program Costs (SPC);

§ Ensure that all grants; reports are made on time and accurately and that Shared Program costs are allocated as per CARE USA Policies

§ Proactively review Contract Aging reports in order to note breaches of contract, forthcoming expiries and any other problems or concerns

§ Provide CARE Accountable Managers with quality financial information and advice in order to aid their decision making concerning the grants and sub grants they manage.

§ Ensure that comprehensive Due Diligence and organizational capacity assessments of partners’ , including their financial capacity, have been carried out for all of CARE Kenya’s potential partners according to policy;

§ Ensure that CARE’s policies and procedures for Sub Awards management are carried out, liaising with accountable managers to trouble-shoot any problems.

5. Capacity Building 15%

§ Build the capacity of CARE Staff and Implementing Partners to manage financial resources according to good accounting practice and in compliance with Donor & CARE International standards

§ Support the development and implementation of strategies for bridging the partner capacity gaps that are identified during partner assessments

§ Liaise with Department Heads and the HR staff to understand financial capacity building needs of CARE staff; ensuring the development and roll-out of any required professional development initiatives;

§ Ensure that CARE Staff and Partners fully understand what is expected of them and are equipped to manage awards and sub-awards according to best practice, policies and procedures.

§ Deploy the team of Awards & Sub-Awards Staff to the project teams; ensuring that they provide all necessary support, and carry out monitoring visits according to the project plan

6. Other Responsibilities as assigned -5%

Keep up-to-date with CARE’s emerging strategies and approaches and contribute proactively towards implementation. Take responsibility for ensuring personal safety and security; giving due care and consideration to the impact of personal decisions on the safety and security of others

Royal United Services Institute (Nairobi| Finance and Operations Manager

Key Responsibilities

The Operations Manager is responsible for:

● All country financial matters, including budgeting, forecasting & reporting; managing the accounts, payroll, and financial reporting of project activities.

● Proper maintenance of country accounting records and accurate processing of financial transactions

● All country operational matters, including keeping HR records, overseeing premises, equipment, and IT.

● Acting as the main POC with the RUSI London office, donors, and partners, for country all matters administrative and financial.

1. Accounts Receivable & Payables Management:

● Providing leadership to finance and accounting areas of the organization.

● Maintain system of accounts (Sage 50) and keep books and records on all transactions and assets.

● Preparing monthly bank reconciliations, cashflow management and liquidity.

● Supervising the Accounts Assistant and assign jobs relevant to accounts payable, and accounts receivable.

● Overseeing the maintenance of contracts and timesheets.

● Preparing reports for funders, management accounts and organization financial reports.

● Responsible for accounting policies and governance

● Developing and manage the annual budget and project budgets.

● Ensuring that all financial transactions are processed accurately, in a timely manner, and in accordance with GAAPs.

● Developing, implementing, and maintaining processes and controls that are current best practices related to transaction processing.

● Monthly payroll processing.

● Maintaining an orderly accounting filing system.

● Reconciling any financial discrepancies by collecting and analyzing account information.

2. Reporting Responsibilities:

● Preparing draft financial accounts for audit and be the liaison with the externally appointed auditors.

● Coordinating the preparation of the audited financial statements and all tax and regulatory returns

3. Others:

● ensuring that the organization meets all regulatory requirements. (Annual

returns, tax returns, tax remittance, Statutory remittances, and deductions)

Achievements:

● Setting up of an organized financial filing system for the project.

● Development of accounting documents and monthly reporting templates.

● Identifying location and setting up of the Nairobi office, identification of service providers and creation of partnerships in service provision.

● Implementation of SAGE accounting system in the organization and ensuring proper coding of expenses.

SNV Netherlands Development Organization| Project Administrator Eldoret

Key Responsibilities

● Recording of financial transactions, prepare and check monthly, quarterly, and annual financial accounts, forecasts, and project depletion for the sector/project, follow up on program related receipts and payments, payments processing, bank reconciliation, projects financial reporting, asset register maintenance.

● Accurate and timely provision of HR related data to enable HR management for the programs.

● Maintaining sickness and leave administration for the program, preparation of monthly sickness / leave, deliver relevant HR data regarding the program to the HR officer and monitor the monthly program time writing.

● Making logistics arrangements for the project teams, attending to visitors, managing the program fleet, provision of basic ICT support, monitoring quality of ICT services, arranging the program procurements, based on the authorization, guidelines and with the approval of the Sector Leader/ Program Manager and finance officer.

● Contacting and contracting suppliers and garages for maintenance and services, ensure valid insurances for fleet.

● Coordinating activities and distribution of work to the support staff members i.e., drivers, cleaners, office assistants, and coaching and appraisal of own staff in consultation with the Finance Officer.

● Recruitment of casual laborer’s where and when required.

● Ensuring maintenance services for buildings and inventory and identify when external maintenance services are needed.

Achievements:

● Reorganization of the Eldoret Field Office creating a more efficient and timely reporting cycle.

● Introduction of a documents archiving system.

Green Belt Movement| Finance Manager

Key Responsibilities

In charge of the organizations financial docket which includes financial management, budgeting, cash flow management, financial reporting, treasury management, compliance, and grant management.

● Planning and implementation of the organization’s financial strategy.

● Ensuring there is complete integrity in the management and use of the organizations financial resources by coming up with effective financial control measures in the organization, and ensure accounts are maintained as per the GAAP’s and IFRS’s.

● Ensuring timely submission of donor reports and proper utilization of donor funds (USAID, UNDP, EC, SPANISH UNEP, GATES FOUNDATION, GTZ, GOK, SPANISH EMBASSY, AFD

● Reviewing of donor budgets in proposals before submission.

● Preparation of the organizations budget.

● Payroll review, statutory deductions remittance

● Variance analysis of expenditure v/s Budget.

● Steering the Annual audit process and ensure accounts are prepared on time and ensure compliance to regulators.

● Overseeing the procurement and logistics function of the organization.

● Management of the finance system (Microsoft Dynamics SL7).

● Finance Team performance management.

● Support the program and human resource functions of the organization,

● Deputize for the Executive Director.

Achievements:

● Setting up Internal Control systems & introduction of finance workflows.

● Developed finance team job descriptions.

● Introduced performance management strategies in finance department.

● Spearheaded the implementation of finance policy.

● Spearheading the organizations budgeting implementation process.

● Strategic restructuring resulting in 50% reduction in head count for finance

CfC Stanbic Bank| Finance & Administration Manager

Key Responsibilities

● Preparation of the operational budgets and capital needs assessment and budgeting for the whole bank’s overhead expenses.

● In charge of monthly variance analysis for the administration costs and explanation of the variances.

● Ensured continuous analysis and identification of cost savings initiatives to be applied by the bank.

● Filling of Annual returns of the bank, production of the final accounts of the bank through the preparation of required audit papers and monthly accounts consolidation.

● Service providers vetting and ensuring prompt termination and renewal of service contracts.

● Contracts management, procurement, negotiation of leases and contracts on behalf of the bank.

● Fixed Assets management including deployment, tagging, and tracking.

● In charge of the administrative and logistics, outsourced services Team performance management.

Achievements:

● Introduced cost management initiatives through introduction of fuel cards, established a group procurement committee leading to the realization of economies of scale.

● Spearheaded the successful outsourcing of document archiving.

● Involved in the post-merger integration of policies and procedures in the finance & administration department.

● Spearheaded the implementation of the automated statement rendition process.

● Managed and implemented the banks communication advancement strategy through telephone system upgrading.

● Managed the automation of taxi ordering system.

● Fixed Assets tagging.

Key Responsibilities

● In charge of the Sudan field finance staff.

● Setting up of financial systems in the field,

● Train the field office managers and finance staff on financial management, bookkeeping, and reporting of all field related expenses as per donor requirements. (USAID)

● Worked with the internal auditors to address weaknesses noted in the audit process.

● Roaming field accounting activities as per requirement.

● Human Resource management with respect to recruitment, appraisals, and performance management for field staff.

Achievements:

● Developed the field office finance manual.

● Trained all the field staff in financial systems.

● Established finance units in the various field locations that the organization operated in. (Nimule, Yambio, Yei, Rumbek, Anyidi and Juba)

Key Responsibilities

● Overall, in charge of the regions finance unit.

● Cash flow management,

● Management reporting on the region’s performance,

● Financial appraisal of all grant requests,

● Training of partners in financial management and program staff on financial systems and donor reporting including budgeting. (Child sponsorship program, Pooled funds)

● Vetting of consultants and service providers,

● In charge of the program coordinators and program accountants in the region & fleet management.

● Conducting frequent field audits of program activities and financial monitoring of programs, review of financial reports to ensure proper allocation of expenses.

● Preparation of annual budgets for the region.

● Team staff performance management,

● In charge of HR for the region.

Achievements:

● Lead trainer in the capacity building for non – finance field staff on proper record keeping and financial management.

● Developed a Training manual for Community Based organizations on finance including a training calendar.

● Set up a fleet management system in the regional office

Key Responsibilities

● As Accounts Analyst: General ledger processing at month end, reconciliation of expense accounts, safe custody of unpresented cheques, reconciliation of the stale cheques listing and updating of the register.

● As Investment Analyst: monitoring of the organizations bank accounts, monitoring of maturities of money market investments, investment of excess funds into governments securities and fixed deposits with banks, negotiation of interest rates with banks for fixed deposits, production of financial reports on investments and securities and market performance on the same. Trend analysis reports. Safe custody of all the security documents for the organization and preparation of board papers for the department.

Achievements:

● Developed an investment monitoring tool for maturities and interests received to enable efficient monitoring of income.

Developed a Returned Cheques monitoring tool, for use by finance and customer service departments that helped prevent fraudulent use of lost / unclaimed cheques.

Key Responsibilities:

● In charge of Vote book section, committing of Expenses in the vote book and signing of the Vote book certificate.

● Collection of revenue from the revenue collection clerks, issuing of receipt books and banking of collections once verified, safe custody of used and unused receipt books.

Achievements

● Trained the Ministry’s Finance staff on Lotus 123.

Spearheaded the computerization of the Vote book department.