About Self Help Africa

Established in 1984, Self Help Africa is an international development organisation that works through agriculture and agri-enterprise development to address hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impacts of climate change. We believe that equitable economic development is key to lifting communities out of long-term poverty, empowering them to take control of their futures and improving their quality of life.

In early 2023 we launched a new five-year organisation strategy, which defines shared mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise- focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.

Our wider organisation also includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, which provides ethical auditing and consultancy services, and CUMO, Malawi’s largest micro-finance provider.

Our three core values are:

• Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
• Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing World.
• Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.

Self Help Africa - Zambia

SHA has been working in Zambia since 1987, implementing community-based development interventions. We work with smallholder farmers, farmer associations, cooperatives, agribusinesses, and local governments to help farmers grow and sell more food, improve diets, diversify incomes, and make their livelihoods more sustainable and resilient to external shocks. We work with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, supporting the growth of inclusive, profitable and sustainable businesses models that provide services and decent employment opportunities for community members.

Job Purpose

The Head of Finance and Administration (HOFA) under the supervision of the Country Director and Global Programme Finance team, will provide oversight and leadership for the efficient and effective operations of the finance and compliance functions of the Zambia Country Office programmes. S/he will be responsible for all financial oversight in the country programmes, including accounting, payments and banking, budgeting, financial reporting, grant financial management and compliance, while ensuring the technical capacity building of the finance and programmes teams.

The role will be directly responsible for the implementation and overall management of financial systems and controls, accountable for assessing, monitoring and mitigating both internal and external risks across the Country Programme and providing effective guidance for the quality of management oversight on key functions within the Country Programme. These include day to day financial management (including monitoring and review of transaction recording/posting to accounting software and adhere to internal controls, financial reporting (internal/external), cash/bank management, budget administration, staff capacity building and any other related matters in country.

The post holder will also develop high quality approaches and systems, work closely with programme leads and other country management staff to ensure effective monitoring and response to external risks associated with compliance with policy and regulations and statutory requirements and collaborate with teams across the country programmes and at the Global level.

The HOFA is a key part of the country management team of the Country Programme and under the overall leadership of the Country Director plays a key role in the overall achievement of the country programme goals. At country level, the role will liaise with and provide direct support to Country Management Team (CMT), budget holders, procurement team, auditors, and partners.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership, Cash flow Management and Effective Administration:

• Develop the overall strategic plan and Standard of Operations for the country finance function, in collaboration with the Country Management and Global Finance teams.
• Lead the implementation of SHA’s financial procedures in-country to ensure monthly standard accounting submissions from the respective field offices, including account reconciliations, financial analysis of month end transactions by award for accurate coding, as well as other financial analysis and information in a timely and accurate manner.
• Provide monthly management reports to the Country Director, Global Finance Office, Programme Managers and the senior management teams including expenditures by fund/project, income and expenditure account, cost analysis reports, and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.
• Monitor and analyse grant budgets and spending, and in coordination with programme/project managers, initiate and prepare required budget realignments.
• In conjunction with country office Programme Management, ensure effective management of Country office and project budgets - identify potential under or over-spends and liaise with country office Programme Management/Project Managers, Country Director, global office, and donors as appropriate.
• Preparation of the Country Programme annual budgets (in liaison with country office programme management and Country Director) for submission to global office/donors.
• Support in developing and appraising financial aspects of project proposals for submission to global office and donors.
• Oversee the preparation of and review accuracy and completeness of donor financial reports – monthly, quarterly, or annually, as required by the donor contracts and guidelines, which agree with the corresponding narrative reports. Submission to the global office for approval along with budget variance analysis and explanations.
• Preparation of the year-end audit file and financial statements, arranging and ensuring the timely completion of the year end audit (accounting year end -31 December). Submission to the global office for approval.
• Review and approve payment documentation, ensuring amounts are in line with agreed budgets, authority levels, internal control procedures and donor requirements are adhered to, and timely payments are made to suppliers, partners, and beneficiaries.
• Lead the country programme administration including HR operations, asset and facility management and manage cash flow forecasting.

• Develop the overall strategic plan and Standard of Operations for the country finance function, in collaboration with the Country Management and Global Finance teams.
• Lead the implementation of SHA’s financial procedures in-country to ensure monthly standard accounting submissions from the respective field offices, including account reconciliations, financial analysis of month end transactions by award for accurate coding, as well as other financial analysis and information in a timely and accurate manner.
• Provide monthly management reports to the Country Director, Global Finance Office, Programme Managers and the senior management teams including expenditures by fund/project, income and expenditure account, cost analysis reports, and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.
• Monitor and analyse grant budgets and spending, and in coordination with programme/project managers, initiate and prepare required budget realignments.
• In conjunction with country office Programme Management, ensure effective management of Country office and project budgets - identify potential under or over-spends and liaise with country office Programme Management/Project Managers, Country Director, global office, and donors as appropriate.
• Preparation of the Country Programme annual budgets (in liaison with country office programme management and Country Director) for submission to global office/donors.
• Support in developing and appraising financial aspects of project proposals for submission to global office and donors.
• Oversee the preparation of and review accuracy and completeness of donor financial reports – monthly, quarterly, or annually, as required by the donor contracts and guidelines, which agree with the corresponding narrative reports. Submission to the global office for approval along with budget variance analysis and explanations.
• Preparation of the year-end audit file and financial statements, arranging and ensuring the timely completion of the year end audit (accounting year end -31 December). Submission to the global office for approval.
• Review and approve payment documentation, ensuring amounts are in line with agreed budgets, authority levels, internal control procedures and donor requirements are adhered to, and timely payments are made to suppliers, partners, and beneficiaries.
• Lead the country programme administration including HR operations, asset and facility management and manage cash flow forecasting.

• Financial oversight
• Accounting
• Payments and banking
• Budgeting
• Financial reporting
• Grant financial management
• Compliance
• Technical capacity building
• Financial systems and controls
• Risk assessment and mitigation
• Cash flow management
• Strategic planning
• Standard of Operations development
• Account reconciliations
• Financial analysis
• Management reporting
• Budget analysis and realignment
• Project proposal appraisal
• Donor financial reporting
• Audit file preparation
• Financial statement preparation
• Payment documentation review
• HR operations management
• Asset and facility management
• Cash flow forecasting

• Experience in finance and administration
• Experience in international development organization
• Experience in agriculture and agri-enterprise development
• Experience in managing finance and compliance functions
• Experience in accounting, payments, banking, budgeting, financial reporting, grant financial management and compliance
• Experience in building technical capacity of finance and programme teams
• Experience in implementing and managing financial systems and controls
• Experience in assessing, monitoring and mitigating financial risks
• Experience in day-to-day financial management
• Experience in monitoring and review of transaction recording/posting to accounting software
• Experience in adherence to internal controls
• Experience in financial reporting (internal/external)
• Experience in cash/bank management
• Experience in budget administration
• Experience in staff capacity building
• Experience in developing high-quality approaches and systems
• Experience in working with programme leads and country management staff
• Experience in monitoring and response to external risks
• Experience in compliance with policy and regulations and statutory requirements
• Experience in collaborating with teams across country programmes and at the Global level
• Experience in country management teams
• Experience in liaising with and providing direct support to Country Management Team (CMT), budget holders, procurement team, auditors, and partners.