Deputy Chief of Party- Finance and Operations– Ghana – Ghana Youth Activity

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.  

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.   

Project Description

The purpose of the USAID/Ghana Youth Activity is to improve the socioeconomic status of youth in northern Ghana through youth-led and youth-serving organizations, among others, to generate cross-sectoral, positive youth development outcomes, allowing them to make better life decisions and influence policy.

The Ghana Youth Activity will have the following objectives/intermediate results:

• Increased High quality economic opportunities for youth
• Increased Appropriate, high-quality, timely health care for youth
• Strengthened youth engagement in communities.  

Position Description

Deputy Chief of Party – Finance and Operations (DCOP) is responsible for compliance with USAID and EDC policy and the overall financial administration of the project, including: administration of project operations, forecasting and tracking field office expenditures, overseeing daily financial management and human resources.  Additionally, the Director of Finance will oversee administrative and procurement staff. Responsibilities include:

Finance and Operations

• Direct and support the Finance, Administration, Operations and Procurement staff to manage all financial and operational issues of the project, to improve procedures, increase efficiency and provide the means to accomplish project goals; 
• Monitor project spending, including quarterly analysis to identify over or under spending, bring any issues to the attention of the Chief of Party for action; 
• Serve as a liaison with EDC Home Office Accounting to facilitate financial management processes including: contributing to preparation of cost to complete projections, providing guidance and oversight on project financial management, and participating as appropriate, in resolution of financial issues; and    
• Ensure compliance and adherence to donor regulations and procedures including maintenance of internal controls, accountability of EDC resources for all financial and operational issues. 

Management  

• Take on role of  activity lead during any absence of the Chief of Party.
• Mentor local personnel to develop capacity of staff and partners, including provision of regular feedback and training; and
• Ensure that finance and operations staff work smoothly with technical teams to accomplish project goals in a manner consistent with policies and procedures; models collaboration with technical leaders;
• Strong communication skills and demonstrated ability to support donor, partner and stakeholder needs.

Organizational Capacity Development

• Support activity partners to strengthen finance and operations systems
• Provide technical support to activity partners in evaluating and refining current partner financial and operations management
• Support activity partners to ensure compliance and adherence to donor regulations and procedures including maintenance of internal controls, accountability of activity and organizational  resources for all financial and operational issues. 

The candidate for the position of Deputy Chief of Party, Director of Finance shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Master’s degree (or Bachelor’s degree with equivalent professional experience) in business, accounting, finance, international development or another related field.

Skills and Experience:

• At least eight years of experience (10 years with Bachelor’s degree) with increasing responsibility in accounting and/or financial management, including the management and oversight of multimillion-dollar, USAID-funded project budgets and financial reporting;
• Extensive knowledge of and financial management experience with USAID funded-programs;
• Experience working with sub-grantee partners to build financial and operational systems
• Experience managing grants highly desired;
• Previous financial management experience on development projects with significant procurement components is preferred;
• Demonstrated and detailed understanding of financial management and accounting principles; and
• Proven ability to manage a team and corresponding workflow.

Language:

Fluency in English is required.

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified.  No phone calls, please.

EDC is committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.