Project Finance & Operations Manager

Job Description

Overview

The Finance and Operations Manager reports to the Project Director and works closely with the project home office and field teams to provide programmatic, financial management, operations, and contract management support. S/he ensures that financial and operational functions support the timely and effective implementation of the project’s technical scope of work. S/he provides counsel to help project leadership ensure that resources are allocated and used in compliance with contractual requirements, applicable regulations, and appropriate standards and procedures. S/he will liaise with the project home office and field teams, partners, CDC and MSH’s units regarding any aspects of program implementation, client and donor relations, contractual, risk management, governance and all other matters related to finance, project management and operations. S/he will work together with the project home office and field teams to ensure that all transactions are carried out in accordance with CDC and MSH standards and regulations.

The Finance and Operations Manager is responsible for the financial management for all project activities such as developing and managing the award budget, monitoring expenditures and preparing financial reports for submission to CDC. His/Her responsibilities include coordinating the project procurement, contract, logistics, and human resources in close collaboration with home office and field support teams. He/She ensures the project property management and records systems are set up, regularly maintained and monitored. S/he will implement fraud mitigation practices and ensure systems and processes are implemented effectively to support implementation of the award.

Under the direction of the Project Director, the Finance and Operations Manager ensures that external communications and collaboration with the donor (CDC), partners, NPHIs, and other collaborating institutions are effectively coordinated and followed up.

In close collaboration with PDG and GHSI staff, the Finance and Operations Manager facilitates the work of project teams and consultants, in conducting reviews, analyses, assessments, evaluations, and reports.

Financial Management (60%)

• Lead program annual budget development process that includes managing the annual work plan, life-of-project and activity budgets and ensuring compliance of program expenditures with approved budgets; ensure the consistency, inclusion and accuracy of costs and that they comply with agreed policy and practices, and work with staff in developing budgets for technical activities as necessary. Revise overall and sub-budgets as needed throughout the work plan year.
• Maintain systems for program budget monitoring and tracking that include financial and contractual data. Provide routine pipeline analyses to the Project leadership team and CDC. Provide any ad hoc reports requested by CDC or MSH Leadership. In addition, perform routine financial analysis on program expenditures, documenting and monitoring overall performance, analyzing trends, identifying gaps to ensure efficient and sound project management. In close coordination with the FP&A unit, develop and maintain the project’s coding structure.
• Serve as a business officer with MSH headquarters for preparation of budgets and budget amendments to be submitted to CDC. Submission to the CDC officer shall be reviewed by the MSH Senior Contracts officer prior to submission.
• Monitor adjustments to budgets whenever required.
• Coordinate with country finance and accounting staff for information needed for budgeting, budget monitoring and expenditures monitoring and reporting. Monitor country project funds planning, expenses approvals, financial transactions, and coding.
• Ensure timely submission of financial reports to the Project Director and corporate offices as required.
• In liaison with MSH’s FP&A unit, coordinate the execution of internal/external financial, operations, and program reviews or audits, and ensure timely follow up to review or audit conclusions and recommendations.
• If needed, coordinate requests of funds, based on budget and cash flow projections, to ensure the program has all the necessary funds for the operations.

Project Management (35%)

• Collaborate with the Project Director and home office team (a) to ensure that project activities and management operations are implemented as per MSH Mission, values, and policies, and standard operating procedures, and local laws and regulations, and (b) to safeguard MSH’s reputation - Financial, Contractual and political integrity.
• Support the Project Director in the management of the project, aligning staff, systems, and other resources with the annual work plan and budget to provide timely, cost effective, responsive, and high quality operations and administrative support within the US and local laws and available resources, and in an environment with adequate internal controls, adhering to donor regulations, MSH Policies, and standard operating procedures.
• Manage home office and field support for the project; plan and facilitate communication with the Project Director and home office and field staff. Plan and facilitate project coordination meetings.
• Work with MSH field offices to support the implementation of NPHI project related field activities.
• Facilitate the development and execution of field support and maintain contact with CDC Country Teams and the CDC/Atlanta on field activities.
• Setup, customize and maintain project management tools and trackers to ensure project deliverables are successfully met. Coordinate and support internal reporting such as project reviews.
• Coordinate the engagement and management of consultants, including screening of consultant suitability and availability.
• Ensure that staff providing short-term technical assistance (STTA) and outside consultants comply with MSH project management policies and procedures. Oversee the support provided for consultant logistics and travel.
• Assist in preparation and timely submission of programmatic progress reports to CDC.
• Assist in planning and facilitating communication with CDC, country NPHIs, program partners and collaborators, and other institutions.
• In close collaboration with the Project Director and the Portfolio Director, manage the startup and closeout plans and activities of the project.
• Review and/or approve purchase requisitions and confer with Project Director for approval, coordinate prior CDC approval if applicable, prior to issuance of the purchase orders for program procurement of commercial goods and services within agreed upon thresholds.
• Act as liaison to the assigned MSH Senior Contract Officer to assist with work on matters regarding compliance with donor’s contractual and financial requirements.
• Ensure all program staff is trained on CDC Rules and Regulations and compliance with the Cooperative Agreement.
• Participate in project risk register development and implementation, and take proactive steps to mitigate risks within operational functions.

Partner Sub-Awards Management (5%)

• Responsible for coordination of sub award management activities. Work with program and contract staff, and partners to manage and monitor implementation of sub awards. Provide routine progress reports to the program management team.
• Coordinate as necessary with partners including monitoring compliance with the terms and conditions, providing technical assistance, etc.
• Keep abreast of, interpret, and provide training and guidance to project staff and partners on all donor regulations and policies.
• Conduct financial review of sub awards’ invoices and ensure these are reviewed and approved by technical supervisor and payments are made.
• Work with the Sr Contract Officer to develop the sub award(s) risk monitoring and mitigation plan(s) and ensure they are regularly implemented throughout the life of the project.

Knowledge and Skills

• Thorough knowledge of USG, more specifically CDC financial reporting and compliance requirements.
• Track record in developing and managing budgets, analyzing spending against budget, and internal and external reporting is required.
• Strong management, planning, analytical and organizational skills demonstrated by ability to work both independently and within a team, assess priorities, and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.
• Overseas project management experience in headquarters of international organizations or in a developing country.
• Demonstrated good judgment for decision making.
• Strong interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability in consensus building, and to constructively manage a team.
• Excellent analytical, oral and written communication skills with fluency in English. Fluency in French as well is preferred.
• Proficient computer skills.

Competencies

• Assessing, Managing, and Measuring Work - Ability to set clear objectives, coordinate resources, people, and processes, and manage feedback loops to adjust approaches as necessary

• Problem Solving / Decision Quality - Ability to weigh information and options, and make quality decisions based on a mixture of analysis, evidence, and experience to arrive at the most appropriate, high impact solutions.

• Teamwork - Ability to work effectively and contribute to positive strategic work relationships with people at all levels both within and outside the organization.

• Flexibility - Ability to accept the unexpected and adjust to what the situation now requires rather than what was planned

• Communication - Able to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles. Can get messages across that have the desired effect

About the Organization

Management Sciences for Health, an international nonprofit organization, is dedicated to closing the gap between what is known and what is done about public health problems. MSH saves lives and improves health by helping public and private organizations throughout the world to effectively manage people, medicines, money, and information. Working from more than 30 country offices and our US headquarters, our staff from 65 nations is highly regarded for its technical expertise, integrity, and commitment to making a lasting difference in health.

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is a nonprofit international health organization composed of more than 2,000 people from 73 nations. Their mission is to save lives and improve the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health. Together with their partners, they are helping managers and leaders in developing countries to create stronger management systems that improve health services for the greatest health impact.

EXPERTISE

MSH takes an integrated approach to building high-impact sustainable programs that address critical challenges in leadership, health systems management, human resources, and medicines. Simply put, they support stronger health systems for greater health impact.

Their expertise in these areas falls into the broad categories of management functions—for example, leadership and governance or pharmaceutical management—and health areas like tuberculosis or maternal, newborn, and child health. They apply their expertise by

• Partnering with governments, local organizations, and communities in developing nations to build their own capacity for long-term health impact;
• Providing global leadership in critical areas of health management and health care delivery;
• Bringing the best of MSH from around the globe to the people we serve, working as One MSH with a focus on lasting health system improvements.

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Leadership, Governance, & Management

They work with in-country partners to build stronger health systems to improve:

• the management and leadership of priority health programs, health organizations, and multisectoral partnerships such as The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, developing a critical mass of managers at all levels of the health system who can lead and inspire teams to achieve results;
  
• the management systems of health organizations in the public and private sector, transferring practical approaches and skills to ensure that management structures contribute to sustainable organizational success;
  
• the governance and management of health organizations and multisectoral partnerships, facilitating change and transferring knowledge to enable organizations to administer their resources efficiently and scale up their services.

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Health Service Delivery

MSH combines extensive public health expertise, proven service delivery approaches, and evidence-based interventions in five critical areas:

• HIV & AIDS
• Tuberculosis
• Maternal, newborn, and child health
• Family planning and reproductive health
• Other communicable diseases, including malaria and pandemic and avian influenza

Human Resources for Health

MSH helps governments develop multisectoral strategies and policies to plan and manage their health workforces. We use a comprehensive approach that addresses all the facets of human resources for health needed to achieve an adequate supply of well-trained and motivated health workers. MSH offers capabilities in leadership, human resource management, education, partnerships, policy, and finance to achieve these goals.

Pharmaceutical Management

Vital to our success is a participatory approach to project design and implementation, which cultivates broad-based support from all stakeholders. We also build and improve infrastructure and local capacity to effectively purchase, store, deliver, and use quality essential medicines.

Health Care Financing

MSH helps governments and NGOs assess their current financial situation and systems, understand service costs, and develop initiatives to use existing funds more effectively and generate additional revenue—all with the goal of supporting a nation’s health priorities.

Health Information

MSH has developed proven methods for rapidly strengthening the analysis and use of existing health data—normally at the province, district, and facility levels—without revising existing recording and reporting requirements. With an emphasis on learning through action, district teams undertake assessments of health services, identify gaps in performance, and design solutions to support better decision-making and, therefore, better management of improved services.

MSH has worked closely with the Health Metrics Network of the WHO to develop a comprehensive approach for enhancing the performance of health information systems and data by employing a practical, strategic planning process that can be carried out by national working groups.