Job Description

POSITION: Director of Finance and Operations

LEVEL OF EFFORT: LTTA, 260 days per year

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: On/about September 15, 2018 – September 28, 2019

BASE OF OPERATIONS: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Background

The Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project (SDGAP) is a three-year USAID-funded effort designed to improve transparency, accountability and effectiveness of national, provincial and local governance structures. The primary aim of the project is support democratic and economic reforms, governance reform, and accountability in Sri Lanka through the strengthening of country systems and processes in the areas of public accountability and public financial management and policy reform and implementation. Through supporting the ‘supply’ side (government actions/performance) with targeted assistance to support the ‘demand’ side (citizen awareness/need) of accountability SDGAP will achieve its goals. The project will strengthen the linkages between different branches/levels of government and increase public participation in and public information about key governance systems to ensure greater accountability.

Purpose

The Director of Finance and Operations will be based in Colombo and be responsible for the overall operations, security, administration, and finance. S/he will work closely with the technical team to ensure that operational and technical activities are aligned, thereby contributing to the timely and smooth execution of project activities. S/he will be the operations, administrative, and financial point of contact with the Home Office.

Tasks:

The Director of Finance and Operations will be responsible for the following:

• All operations including but not limited to administration, logistics, procurement, grants, budgeting, finance, and property management. Provide overall supervision of operations, finance, and HR/administration
• Supervise the Finance Manager and Operations Manager, Operations and Procurement Officers, IT Specialist, and Grants Manager.
• Supervise the daily financial operations of the contract, which include cash flow management, time sheet recording, reporting to USAID on the financial aspects of the project, and daily monitoring of obligations, budgets, and expenditures
• Manage the SDGAP project budget, including overseeing all pipeline projections and necessary realignments, in close coordination with the COP
• Oversee project procurement processes and assure the most reasonable, expeditions, and appropriate procurement choices were made pursuant to DAI’s Field Operations Manual
• Maintain all personnel policies to ensure compliance with local labor law, tax law, and USAID regulations
• Ensure compliance with the SDGAP contract and USAID regulations, including grants administration
• Ensure procurement, administrative and personnel files are properly documented, well-organized, updated and closed upon completion of an activity
• Conduct regular training to SDGAP staff on Finance, Procurement and Ethics
• Periodically update Security Plan and Field Operations Manual as necessary
• Support preparation of USAID contract deliverables such as quarterly reports, quarterly financial reports, accruals, short-term consultant reports, and workplans
• Ensure that the SDGAP program’s registrations with relevant government institutions are up to date

Level of Effort/Timeline:

The Director of Finance and Operations position is based in Colombo, with travel to the SDGAP target programming areas. The level of effort is 260 days per year until the close of the project on September 28, 2019.

Supervision:

The Director of Finance and Operations will work under the direct supervision of the Chief of Party and in close coordination with the Deputy Chief of Party.

Qualifications:

• At least seven (7) years of experience working on donor-funded projects in a related role
• Demonstrated supervisory experience
• Fluent in USAID policies and procedures in regards to procurement processes and financial compliance
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to manage a diverse range of professional relationships
• Experience with grants management a plus
• Regional experience a plus
• University degree in international development, economics or related field; Masters degree strongly preferred

About the Organization

DAI is an employee-owned global development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 60 countries. Our integrated development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines—crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS and disease control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.