Company Profile

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization (PIO) governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations. The non-profit center focuses on increasing and sustaining food and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

Job Description

Bilingual Projects Management Assistant, IFDC, North and West Africa Division – Ghana

• Type of contract:  Full time
• Duration: Until qualified candidate is recruited
• Indicative starting date: April, 2016
• Location:  Accra, Ghana

IFDC’s North and West Africa Division (NWAFD) operates through 7 country offices, and has 250 staff members in 9 countries. The country offices are managed by Country Representatives who supervise National Administration and Finance Officers. Activities are implemented divided over 20 multi-annual projects which are coordinated by Project Coordinators / Chief of Parties.

IFDC NWAFD is seeking a Bilingual Project Management Assistant to support the Senior Portfolio Manager in the financial management of a number field projects. The Bilingual Project Management Assistant will be supervised by and reports to the Sr. Portfolio Manager. She/He will be in charge of supporting with grants and finances of field projects, and other duties as assigned by the Sr. Portfolio Manager.

The Bilingual Project Management Assistant supports the Sr. Portfolio Manager in the development of key deliverables; communicates regularly with the Senior Portfolio Manager to monitor activities related to grants, budget, finance (donor deliverables) of projects to assist the Sr. Portfolio Manager in submitting project deliverables on time and of good quality.

Duties and Responsibilities

Finance

• Assist with the preparation of annual budgets and monthly and/or quarterly forecasts.
• Review monthly fund requests received from the different projects, work with the projects to finalize them before submission for approval in a timely manner.
• Review financial statements received from the headquarters, ensuring that expenditures are according to approved budgets, including country monthly fund requests.
• Identify and communicate variances and funding gaps, and recommends best working solutions to respective managers.
• Ensure consistent application of donor and IFDC financial policies and procedures.
• Constantly review work practices and financial procedures for better operational efficiency and proactively raise management attention potential issues in accounts, financial processes and controls. This includes doing internal audits at project level on a regular basis.
• Whenever requested, liaise with auditors to ensure compliance with relevant requirements and standards.

Grants

• Ensure that all grants approval requests are in the project work plan and budget for the period under consideration.
• Review grant approval requests from projects to ensure that all IFDC policies, procedures, relevant reporting requirements (financial and technical) and schedules are followed.
• Review grant approval requests to ensure that all required documentation by the donor (USAID/DGIS) are met.
• Report any concerns or issues related to the project grants approval requests to the Sr. Portfolio Manager.
• Keep tracking for all grants in each projects

Others

• Whenever relevant, collaborate with Finance & Administration staff in the Northern and West Africa Division.
• Perform any other duties as deemed necessary for the success of the program management unit.

Duty Location

The Program Management Assistant for the North and West Africa Division will be based in Accra (Ghana) and should be available to travel within and outside the region when called upon to.

Required Skills or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, accounts management, administration or related field, with at least 5 years of relevant professional experience, or Master’s degree with at least 2 years of professional experience. An experience in a similar position with donor-funded development projects is required.
• The successful applicant will have experience in development projects, managing small and medium sized grants.
• Experience with USAID and other donors projects and deliverables
• Familiarity with USAID grants management guidelines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook, and in accounting software
• Organized and acurate person with attention to detail
• Ability to strictly meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Team player, at ease in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment. Ability to interact effectively with a geographically dispersed multicultural team composed of international and national personnel
• Willingness to spend long, highly interactive hours on detailed work that demands accuracy
• Excellent oral, written and inter personal and communication skills in English and French
• High level of initiative and enthusiasm, adaptability and flexibility.