Helen Keller Intl. Bangladesh

JOB DESCRIPTION

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl. partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty.  By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives.  Working in more than 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.
 
We are currently seeking a Dhaka-based  Finance Officer for USAID’s Bandarban Agriculture and Nutrition Initiative led by Helen Keller Intl.
 
COUNTRY PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Starting in 1978 by promoting and implementing Nutrition programs, today, Helen Keller Bangladesh is implementing large scale food and health systems program work in Dhaka, the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Sylhet, Sathkhira, Bogura, Pabna and Narayangonj through and with the government of Bangladesh, as well as national and international partners and NGOs, academic and research institutions, and the private sector.
 
Since its beginning, Helen Keller Bangladesh has worked with over 150 local, international and government partners to establish Enhanced Homestead Food Production (HFP) programs benefiting over 4.5 million people.  We are currently implementing programs to prevent blindness and Neglected Tropical Diseases alongside to programs to improve nutrition and food security that integrate gender-sensitive approaches.

Job Title: Finance Officer

Job Location: Helen Keller Intl. Dhaka Office

Project name: Bandarban Agriculture and Nutrition Initiative (BANI)

Reporting to: Manager- Finance and Administration

Duration : Up to March 2025

SCOPE OF Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Manager- Finance and Administration-BANI, the Finance Officer for USAID’s BANI led by Helen Keller Intl. will be responsible to support for developing budgets, support for overseeing the management of project subawards and ensuring donor requirements are met for smooth and compliant implementation of the program activities throughout the five-upazila intervention area. S/he will support that project financial transactions, financial information, analysis, and budgetary controls are carried out in accordance with donor and government regulations and organizational policies. S/he will provide support in case of audits and support follow-up actions to ensure that all corrections/requirements have been met and/or are undertaken accordingly. The Finance Officer for BANI will be responsible for ensuring proper documentation and compliance for sub-awards including agreements, modifications, budgets, reports, etc., as required and as defined by the organization's operating procedures, donor requirements and/or GoB requirements.

Responsibilities include working closely with the operations and finance team including the Deputy Manager – Grants for BANI, as well as liaising with the Bandarban based staff, partner organization staff, and Helen Keller Intl. country office and headquarters Grants & Finance staff to ensure that all financial activities including grant-related transactions are carried out in accordance with organizational policies and procedures, and donor and government regulations. Regular travel to project areas including the Bandarban district office and Upazila-based offices, and/or partner offices is required.

Job Responsibilities

  • Support for Preparing and drafting the project budget in Donor/Helen Keller Intl. templates and updating and/or revising the budget to incorporating feedback
  • Drafting the budget narrative for each project-related budget and updating/making revisions as needed
  • Support the Deputy Manager – Grants in preparing/assisting Implementing Partners with budget development including drafting notes/narratives
  • Prepare budget vs actual (BvA) variances and prepare reports for internal/external audiences
  • Ensure all transactions are properly recorded with correct monitoring and initiative codes
  • Prepare ad-hoc reports from NetSuite/Solver as required
  • Prepare Income Statement (IS), Financial Statement (FS) and other related documents for FD-4 audit and facilitate FD-4 audit
  • Prepare budgets and other necessary documents for FD-6 related submissions
  • Support to prepare response on any queries of FD-6 related revised documents
  • Prepare Tax Schedule as required by Auditors
  • Support for ensuring justification for over/under expenditures
  • Prepare/draft audit response against audit issues/findings for review by supervisor
  • Budget appropriate level of effort for staff, share information with those concerned and track and report actuals
  • Collect and arrange all bills/invoices and take necessary measure for payment
  • Support for ensuring all the requirements of NGOAB as per approval of NGOAB
  • Prepare/draft monthly/quarterly/annual financial reports for Donors/GoB
  • Prepare/draft pipeline budget/forecast budget for Donors/GoB
  • Coordination to ensure monthly VAT coupon usage report submission to Donor
  • Coordination to ensure monthly reconciliation of VAT coupon usage report
  • Check all finance and grant-related submissions from Bandarban team including the draft partner agreements, modifications, fund disbursements, liquidations, financial monitoring reports, audit reports/findings and provide support for capacity building of partners;
  • Support to ensure all subaward information is properly included in the master budget, track/ and update/provide guidance on necessary adjustments, etc.  as needed
  • Support for the development, documentation, implementation, and monitoring of internal control processes for project finances most notably those applied in the field offices;
  • Analysis budgets and Modifications of implementing partners and provide necessary support to both implementing partner and operation team for approval from Helen Keller Intl.  HQ;
  • Prepare and maintain trackers to receive all financial and programmatic reports from implementing partners on due time as agreed by Sub-Award Agreement;
  • Analyze budget vs. expenditure variances, including Sub-awardees’ financial records based on monthly overall financial reports and Sub-awardees’ reports to ensure that all transactions are properly recorded with correct monitoring and initiative codes and report to Supervisor if any reclassification required in the system; 
  • Support for the BANI fund payment request process of implementing partners including review, approval and coordination with Country Finance Manager;
  • Manage funds within the obligated amounts, including funds transferred and reported expenditures of implementing partners. Maintain close elaboration with Country Finance Manager with all financial records and reconcile immediately if any discrepancy noted;
  • Check the timesheets of direct and shared staff charged, and coordinate with Supervisor on submissions to country office HR and Finance Manager, if needed;
  • Assist to develop training materials on USAID rules and regulations as needed and lead the facilitation of training to the targeted project or partner staff as outlined in Detail Implementation Plan (DIP);
  • Provide support and communicating to program and technical staffs to build their understanding of the terms and conditions of grants and contracts to ensure that programs are delivered with minimized compliance risk;
  • Analyze Pre-award assessment reports, determine the level of risk, develop a risk based monitoring visit plan and ensure to reduce the risk level and resolve the findings through monitoring visits and proper follow-up;
  • Conduct desk review/physical visit as per plan to ensure expenditures are within the budget and are in compliance with USG and commitments made in project work plans and in the operating budget;
  • Assist to ensure reported findings from monitoring visits are properly addressed and provide follow-up on a regular basis until resolved. Report to senior level management if any issues of implementing partners are not addressed in a timely manner;
  • Follow-up any additional terms and conditions applied for the implementing partner based on pre-award assessment;
  • Ensure compliance with all Tax VAT acts, including new changes and provide necessary support operation teams and implementing partners, if required;
  • Facilitate both internal and external project audit as well as respond to internal and external recommendations in a timely manner. Provide necessary support to implementing partners in case of Audit and follow-up the audit observation(s) through Grants monitoring visits;
  • Prepare financial documentation for grants close-out, amendments and cancellations of grants.
  • Ensure monitoring codes for activities
  • Follow chart of account as per Helen Keller Intl manual
  • Attend meetings with HQ scheduled inside/outside of normal office hours as per time-difference
  • Coordinate with Country Office Finance/Grants colleagues and as well other colleagues to perform responsibilities
  • Perform any other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Required Qualifications

Education and Aptitude

  • Master’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Management, MBA, Major in Accounting, Finance
  • Partial Professional qualifications will be given additional preference.

Job related experience and knowledge:

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in Finance, Grants, Sub-grants and Contracts’ management with the development sector or INGOs;
  • Knowledge about financial software (NetSuite) will be considered an added advantage;
  • High ethical and moral standards;
  • Fluent in speaking and writing English & Bangla;
  • Proficiency in use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) are essential;
  • Ability to cohesively work with various team members, flexibility to adapt to different work conditions; 
  • Good understanding of the financial system of the project;
  • Excellent finance and administrative capabilities and management skills regarding official documents;
  • Self-motivated, energetic and team player;
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;

To Apply: Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to Bangladesh-Recruitment@hki.org by July 09, 2024 “Application for the Position ” in the subject line.
        

In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller is dedicated to
building an inclusive workforce where diversity in all its forms is fully valued.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, caste, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Should you need to request an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact us at the email above.