Company Profile

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.  

Job Description

• Job Status:  Full-time Contract
• Anticipated Start Date: July 2022
• Location: Tamale or Wa, Ghana

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Finance and Grant Officer to join our dedicated and talented team in Ghana on our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org. 

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Finance and Grant Officer supports the Finance Manager in the financial operations of the GROW2 office, to ensure that all financial activities are performed according to MEDA and donor policies and procedures. The Officer also provides key support during the planning, implementation, and evaluation of grants and sub-grants to Key Facilitating Partners (KFPs), and recipients of the project’s Loan Guarantee Fund, Innovation Fund, and Matching Grant initiatives.  

He/she will assist in monitoring grantee compliance over the life of the project and provide support and assistance as needed, monitor and document KFP budgets, and ensure that grant documentation and financial records are accurate. The Officer is expected to work closely with the technical team members (including the Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, and Value Chain Manager) to ensure that the project’s relationships with all grantees are coordinated and harmonized with all programming components.   

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
Specific responsibilities in relation to finance

• Manage all aspects of day-to-day accounting operations and petty cash 
• Assist in the implementation of finance policies, procedures, and systems 
• Ensure compliance with MEDA procedures and guidelines and that all transactions are properly documented and stored (physical and electronic copy) 
• Process payments to suppliers, partners, and others in a timely fashion (through direct payment/operational advances/banks transfers) 
• Conduct a timesheet audit for the project periodically 
• Maintain the accounting books (for operational advances, salaries or advances to suppliers, receivables, and payables, and ensuring that the advances are paid back within the given timeframes with validation and justification) 
• Verify completeness and accuracy of all accounting documents 
• Maintain an accounts ledger for each account and record incomings and outgoings daily 
• Receive invoices and receipts, ensuring their coherence and conformity, checking they are approved by the concerned department 
• Receive invoices, receipts, and financial reports from implementing partners, ensuring their coherence, conformity, and adherence to signed agreements, checking they are approved by the Finance Manager before processing payments 
• Closing the monthly accounts within the timeframes given and preparing monthly financial reports for MEDA HQ, in collaboration with the Finance Manager 
• Record the staff payroll, and ensure that all payments are accurate and legitimate 
• Execute Social security and income tax payments to authorities 
• Ensure internal control procedures are followed for all cash disbursements, exchange exchanges, receipts, and transfers 
• Obtain monthly bank statements in the first week of each month for all bank accounts, reconcile the bank statements, and highlight any cheques not cashed during the month. 
• Support and participate in project audit audit both internally and externally.  

Specific responsibilities in relation to grants and sub-grants

• Support the Finance Manager and technical staff to ensure that MEDA’s rules and regulations are followed in a timely manner 
• Support the Finance Manager in the annual budgeting process and development of proposal budget as may be required. 
• Support the analyses and evaluations of all proposed work plans and budgets submitted by partners to ensure adherence to the contract terms, Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and MEDA grant management policies and regulations  
• Assist in the financial due diligence of applicants for The Loan Guarantee Fund, Innovation Fund, and Matching Grant programs 
• Monitor sub-grant agreements through contracts developed and signed between MEDA and KFPs, as approved by MEDA’s signing authorities 
• Support in the regular review of partners’ recordkeeping processes to ensure that all expenses claimed to the project are accurately documented according to the financial policies of MEDA and GAC;  
• Support the timely release of funds to KFPs, and recipients of GROW2 Special Funds (i.e The Loan Guarantee Fund, The Innovation Fund, and The Matching Grants Fund) for the effective and smooth execution of project activities 
• Support the Finance Manager to identify capacity building needs of KFPs in grant management and ensure that these needs are addressed in a timely manner  
• Support the Finance Manager to develop a database system to track the flow of grants to KFPs, The Loan Guarantee Fund, The Innovation Fund, and The Matching Grants Fund and disbursements to ensure effective use of funds 
• Collate quarterly financial reports of grant mechanisms and submit them to the Finance Manager for consolidation into the project financial reports 
• Conduct field visits to grantee sites for verification and follow up purposes or as required 
• Support the Finance Manager to ensure that the project adheres to Ghanaian laws, including financial reporting, tax, labor, and proper registration with all relevant authorities as required 
• Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned 

Required Skills or Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or another relevant field.
• Accounting certification is an added advantage 
• Experience: Minimum of 3 experience in accounting, finance, and sub-grant management  

Additional Qualifications: 

• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s faith, vision, and values  
• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development, and MEDA’s approach to creating business solutions to poverty  
• Strong grants management, financial and audit experience 
• Knowledge of Global Affairs Canada regulations, systems, and procedures an asset 
• Knowledge of financial systems software, computer skills in Excel, Word, etc.   
• Fluency in English and the local language is an added advantage.