Finance Manager/Director

About the role

The Finance Manager reports to Group Finance Director with day-to-day oversight and management provided by Crown Agents USA (CA-USA) President & CEO. S/he is responsible for accounting, financial reporting, statutory reporting, supervising accounting staff or contractors, and identifying and implementing effective process improvements. S/he will play a pivotal role in overseeing adherence to USAID and other client regulations, contract requirements and limitations, financial policies, procedures, controls, and reporting. The Finance Manager is tasked with all CA-USA accounting and financial reporting functions, oversees cost and general accounting, accounts receivable/payable, payroll, risk management, audit backup documentation, and directly supervises and supports field project finance staff and accounts payable/payroll contractors. S/he will be responsible for conducting monthly cash flow analysis.

MAIN JOB PURPOSE

• General Accounting & Financial Management
• Review and approve wire requests for field project implementation.
• Conduct regular cash flow analysis to ensure availability of funds and the accurate maintaining of bank balances.
• Responsible for accurate and timely processing of invoices, advances and reimbursements, checks, and wire transfer payments.
• Ensure the timely deposit of cash and check receipts, if any.
• Responsible for ensuring petty cash is maintained at a feasible level for operational activities and that petty cash procedures are followed.
• Ensure the safeguard of bank checks and cash receipts.
• Ensure proper segregation of duties within the Finance/Accounting Department.
• Manage banking relationships and coordinate periodic updates for checking account signers.
• Review and approve bank reconciliations performed by field finance staff.
• Maintain file management systems for soft and hard copy documentation.
• Establish guidelines for maintaining contract and other partnership files and activities as applicable.
• Maintain files on grant/procurement/subcontractor documents and modifications as applicable.
• Direct the schedule of financial activities to ensure the timely preparation of budget- and cashflow-related reports.
• Supervise periodic cash counts.
• Ensure non-billable expenses are regularly reviewed and kept to a minimum.
• Ensure that foreign taxes paid, if any, are tracked, recorded, and reported to USAID in accordance with automated directives system guidelines.
• Responsible for all accounting (field, project, and DC office expenses), recording transactions in the accounting system, running reports, and producing client invoices
• Responsible for coordinating documentation requirements with and gathering from various staff, i.e. procurement, grants, logistics, Human Resources, Inventory Management, and other documents required to support transactions and financial reports.
• Responsible for developing written guidelines/policies on finance procedures and documentation requirements and training staff on these.
• Ensure that field tax recording and reporting procedures are well documented to facilitate preparation and submission to local authorities in a timely manner.
• Track and report on partner/vendor payment schedules and obligations.
• Provide annual budgets of expenditure as well as quarterly forecasts against budget statements (accruals, pipelines, etc.) as applicable.
• Work with the local and international finance teams to ensure the monthly close, reporting, and invoice process runs smoothly.
• Travel Advances & Reimbursements
• Follow and maintain procedures to ensure accurate and timely payment of travel advances, reimbursements for employee and/or contractor travel.

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• Maintain procedures to ensure accurate and timely reconciliation of travel advances.
• Review outstanding advances and aging reports for accuracy.
• Payroll
• Ensure the timely and accurate processing and review of all payroll transactions, assuring compliance with established employment agreements and modifications.
• Ensure staff compliance with timekeeping policy and recordkeeping.
• Serve as backup for payroll processing as needed.
• Audits
• Manage preparation of internal and external audits. Support responses and actions to internal audit comments.
• Review and ensure daily backup created of accounting and finance documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with all regulations.
• Ensure adequate backup documentation is uploaded to relevant accounting system and SharePoint according to established deadlines.
• Policies & Procedures
• Ensure that accounting policies and practices are carried out in accordance with GAAP standards
• Ensure field project internal controls are established and implemented in accordance with Crown Agents policies, USAID rules/regulations, and/or the terms of client contract.
• Management reporting
• Work with the DC, UK, and field finance teams to ensure the monthly management reporting is completed on time, to the Group’s timetable, and that the accounts are prepared according to the group’s policies and procedures.
• Provide executive supervision to ensure commercial evaluation and financial monitoring is provided to project teams throughout each project life cycle.
• Financial oversight of client reports to ensure accuracy and compliance are maintained.
• Budget and forecast
• Support the President & CEO to develop annual budget.
• Track budget versus actual expenditure monthly and report under/over expenditure
• Deliver the corporate budgeting and forecasting reports approved by the US President & CEO and bring commercial insight and constructive challenge to the process.
• Forecast cash flows and work with Group team to manage working capital demands of the business.
• Taxation
• Provide finance, commercial and project implementation staff with technical taxation advice, guidance and assistance in relation to new and existing initiatives.
• Ensure the policy, procedures and practices relating to taxation comply fully with all legal and regulatory requirements and codes of practice /conduct.
• Stakeholder Management
• Engage with senior stakeholders across the business to ensure the US finance function supports and coordinates with the Group and acts as a business partner to the business.
• Act as a champion for the finance team with all stakeholders.
• Team
• Ensure that the finance team, through direct and indirect reports, are delivering consistently and to a high standard of work product and that staff receive the appropriate level of feedback to improve their performance

General

• Be aware of and adhere to company quality standards and procedures in accordance with Crown Agents’ commitment to working to the highest quality standards and striving for continual improvement.
• Any other duties as appropriate to the position, as requested by the Crown Agents USA President & CEO and/or Group Finance Director.

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About You

Qualification (Degree)

Bachelor’s degree in accounting with CPA or equivalent experience and master’s degree preferred.
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Experience

• 8+ years finance and accounting management experience with a U.S. Government implementing partner, experience with a for-profit U.S. Government contractor strongly preferred.
• 3+ years of hands-on Deltek GCS Premier experience – specifically with the G/L, Contracts, A/R & Payroll modules, knowledge of Infor SunSystems desirable.
• Experience working with international field office accounting, budgets, and project accounting desired.
• Experience of working effectively where strong organizational skills are required.
• Experience supervising staff.
• Experience with enterprise accounting software, and Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, etc.
• Demonstrated knowledge of internal controls and audit processes (e.g. procurement, subcontract agreements, etc.)
• Experience with grants or small grants under contract programs highly preferred.
• Accuracy in working with large amounts of data.
• Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• An articulate individual who possesses excellent communications and personnel management skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization and has experience working in a diverse and cross-cultural setting.
• An energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards.
• An extremely well organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus
• Fluency in English is required, proficiency in a second language, especially French, Spanish, or Arabic desired.
• Must have the legal right to work in the U.S. with dual authorization to work in the U.K. highly desired.

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About us

You’ll be working with Crown Agents which is a high impact social enterprise passionate about transforming the future for millions of people. Since our creation in 1833 we have worked across the globe to improve public services and drive economic growth. Our expertise is finding new solutions to difficult problems for clients in the areas of health, governance, economic growth, humanitarian action and supply chain services. We work with and train leaders at local, national and international level to achieve lasting change drawing on our insight and experience.

About what’s on offer

Crown Agents offers a competitive benefits package.