JOB ADVERT

Job Title: Grants and Compliance Manager

Number of positions: 01

Employer:  National Episcopal Conference Cameroon (KIDSS Project)

Supervisor:  Head of Administration and Finance

City/Country: Yaoundé, Cameroon

Expected start date: 01 /03 /2021

Contract Duration: 07 months renewable (Period involves 03-months probationary hiring)

PROJECT SUMMARY

Funded by the President of America’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been the prime implementing partner for the Key Interventions to Develop Systems and Services for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (KIDSS) Project in Cameroon since 2014.

Following the 3 – year transition funding just received by CRS (until March 2023), the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) has been chosen as a potential localization prime partner for the implementation of the USAID / PEPFAR OVC program in Cameroon beyond March 2023. Under the shadows of CRS, NECC will progressively take control of the KIDSS project.

The KIDSS project aims to provide holistic and sustainable care for orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) by strengthening the capacities of the Government of the Republic of Cameroon (GRC), civil society organizations, communities and households to provide quality care and support to children and their families infected and affected by HIV.

KIDSS currently partners /collaborates with 24 local implementing partners, the Government of Cameroon and other stakeholders to reach OVC and their families in 32 health districts across nine regions of Cameroon. The program includes prevention and case finding activities for OVC, community support to enable linkage to care of infected children and adolescents, as well as to improve retention of children and adolescents living with HIV who have been enrolled into care and treatment.

NECC therefore seeks to recruit qualified personnel to serve as the Grants and Compliance Manager.  The details of the job description are as seen below.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Job Summary

You will lead all risks related activities of the KIDSS project and also the compliance of sub-recipients with NECC policies, those of CRS, local laws and Donor regulations. You will constantly monitor contract terms to help ensure the effective delivery of high-quality programs to orphans and vulnerable children. Your knowledge and skills will help reduce risks to staff, risks on the effectiveness of our programs and risks to the people we serve through the application of the principles of management, integrity, transparency and accountability.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Compliance management

• Contribute to the optimization of the NECC - KIDSS project compliance system
• Evaluate and monitor the compliance of the NECC - KIDSS Project and its local KIDSS implementation partners with respect to the United States Government policies and procedures
• Evaluate and monitor the financial management processes of sub-recipients in accordance with the policy and strengthen the partner's capacity in accounting and financial transactions
• Carry out field visits and review management reports.
• Provide information to project / grant staff, sub-recipients and partners on financial accounting policies and procedural compliance issues and provide training and other capacity building activities as needed.
• Assist local KIDSS implementation partners and provide technical and practical advice in the institutionalization and socialization of both revised and new policies at the financial or operational level, including plans to measure policy compliance.
• Ensure that regular and comprehensive risk and profitability analysis are carried out at the project level as well as at the level of local implementing partners.
• Ensure that NECC and local KIDSS implementation partners adhere to USAID requirements, including helping them develop robust risk management and fraud reporting systems, developing and maintaining a project risk and problem management log, and developing a payment digitization system
• Support local KIDSS implementing partners to develop specific fraud detection and reporting policies and procedures and help them establish and fully implement them, including training and mentoring of focal points for internal audits at the level of local KIDSS implementing partners.

Grant management

• Support staff on the financial management policies, procedures and exigencies of the donor and of NECC in collaboration and coordination with the Head of Administration and Finance.
• Prepare and implement training and technical assistance as needed to meet capacity needs and to strengthen grant management, for example, financial management, budget analysis, policies and procedures, and basic accounting
• Anticipate and identify the problems and challenges linked to risks and the most appropriate solutions to face them, in particular by (a) revising the existing sub-grants manual; (b) the design and facilitation of relevant risk training sessions in collaboration with those responsible for the management, programming and / or operations of the program in order to contribute to the relevant components of institutional capacity building of KIDSS implementing partners.
• Lead and coordinate the implementation of the financial management policy of the sub-recipients. Ensure that all partners are evaluated effectively; are categorized and all internal control improvement plans are fully implemented. Lead and coordinate the update of attribution data in Gateway.
• Ensure timely receipt and review of monthly expenditure reports from local KIDSS implementing partners, including review of budget updates and liquidation reports that the finance team at NECC should treat. Ensure documentation of partner liquidation reviews describing the rationale for all rejected expenses and detailing required improvements. Design an advance management system and follow up with partners and program / project managers to encourage on-time liquidation.
• Ensure timely closure of financial audit recommendations related to donor compliance; participate in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of related action plans.
• Review, communicate and monitor compliance with donor requirements for staffing, purchasing, asset management and reporting. Identify compliance gaps and associated solutions - including differences between donor, CRS and internal NECC policies and procedures, including cost allocation. Monitor the timely reconciliation of project materiel inventories at partner and NECC level through distribution reports. Notify stock status as the end of the grant approaches.
• Design effective budget tracking tools, generate and review monthly reports, and lead regular meetings with program managers to review identified issues and trends. Monitor budgets and expenditures at least monthly and ensure that the overall budget of NECC and local partners is accurately maintained at donor-approved levels throughout the year and that commitments to local partners do not exceed the available budget. Review budget comparison reports to ensure in-line-item flexibility restrictions are met and support follow-up actions to resolve identified issues.
• Through formal training, support and field monitoring, build the capacity of NECC staff and partners in grant / contract compliance to ensure that partners maintain supporting documentation for all financial transactions and records for fixed assets, purchase requisitions, receipts and disbursements.
• Carry out and coordinate with program / project managers on follow-up visits to partner organizations to assess the adequacy of internal controls and provide on-site mentoring and technical assistance. Detail site results and ensure implementation of recommendations / corrective action plan and follow-up requirements to ensure consistent compliance with the terms of their agreements, including financial management and compliance with donor regulations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Experience and Knowledge

• Master's degree in accounting, business administration or other relevant field preferred. Highly preferred accounting or auditing certification.
• Minimum 6 years of professional experience, ideally in an international organization, with progressive responsibility in operations and/or programming. At least 04 of these years include experience in audit, compliance or risk management.
• At least 02 years of previous experience in compliance with US-AID funding.
• Experience in the management of sub-beneficiaries
• Experience in capacity building for stakeholders
• Knowledge of auditing standards and compliance regulations; knowledge of the COSO internal control framework or the Institute of Internal Auditing's International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing.
• Knowledge of data analysis techniques and best practices for process performance improvement
• Knowledge of IFRS/OHADA accounting systems

Personal qualities

• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Good planning and organizational skills.
• Good ability to transmit knowledge.

Required / Desired Language: Must be bilingual with a working knowledge of English and French.

Travel required: 30% of trips within Cameroon.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Supervisor: The Head of Administration and Finance

Internal: All KIDSS Project staff at NECC, the internal controller and the bursar.

External: Finance and compliance staff of CRS, all staff of local implementing partners of the KIDSS Project. 

NECC-wide skills (for all NECC staff):

These are rooted in NECC's mission, values ​​and guiding principles and are used by each staff member to fulfill their responsibilities and achieve the desired results. These are:

• Trust in all relationships
• Professional growth
• Partnership
• Responsibility
• Integrity
• Accountability and stewardship
• Strategic mindset

Disclaimer: This job description does not constitute an exhaustive list of the skills, efforts, tasks and responsibilities associated with the position.

NECC's talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

NECC is an equal opportunity employer.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application files MUST include:

1. Cover letter addressed to the Secretary General of NECC;
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. 03 recommendation letters with one from a leader of a religious/faith-based community;
4. Proof of relevant academic / professional diplomas
5.  Proof of work experiences.

Apply exclusively online by clicking on the following  link (recruitment grants and compliance manager)

Deadline: January 15, 2020 at 5 pm Cameroon time.

Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

NB: By applying for this job, the candidate should understand that NECC protects human life at all cost and will require the candidate to do the same if recruited. NECC also requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation and human trafficking.

Successful candidates at this stage will be subjected to a practical test and an oral interview. A comprehensive background check will be done to the retained candidate.