JOB OPPORTUNITY

Director - Finance and Administration

Sesame Workshop Bangladesh is inviting applications for the position of Director - Finance and Administration to be immediately filled. The detailed job descriptions and application process are outlined below. Please read carefully before launching an application.

About Sesame Workshop Bangladesh

Sesame Workshop Bangladesh the country office of Sesame Workshop, a US based not-for-profit educational organization, creates innovative and engaging contents for the young children to realize their full potentials. For more than 50 years of working, the Workshop has been a global pioneer in educating and entertaining children through media and outreach programming. Sesame Workshop Bangladesh (SWB) has been proudly producing the popular children’s television series Sisimpur and making significant differences in the lives of young children in Bangladesh since 2005. In addition to the television series, SWB has been reaching classrooms and communities in Bangladesh through different outreach interventions. With all its current and past achievements, SWB has reached a stage where the future promises enormous opportunities to realize its global vision of helping children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. For more information, please visit www.sesameworkshop.org. 

Position Profile

Sesame Workshop Bangladesh seeks an experienced Director of Finance and Administration to provide leadership and direction to the SWB finance and Administration team with close oversight and monitorization of all financial and accounting systems, policies, procedures, compliance, and internal controls.

Director is based in Dhaka and reports to the Managing Director. As a member of the Country Management Team (CMT), the Sr. Director is responsible for leading and ensuring strategic direction and effective financial management and operations for the Bangladesh country office. The Sr. Director will strengthen and evolve established systems and appropriately manage risk to ensure compliant operations, including the establishment and management of high-functioning reporting, control, and monitoring systems for SWB and its partner organizations (sub-recipients). The Sr. Director will oversee complex day-to-day financial operations; coordination with internal and external partners, donors, and the Sesame Workshop headquarters team based in New York.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Direction:

• Oversee the strategic direction and leadership of SWB Finance and Administration functions
• Effectively identify and manage financial risks and develop mitigation plans
• Be an active member of Country Management Team (CMT) to strategize country program and support the Managing Director in country program operations
• Closely work with fund-raising team with a goal of making organization sustainable

Financial Performance and Standards:

• Develop and manage long-term financial planning in line with organizational policies
• Analyze financial performance of the country operation with regular monitoring, revisions, and updates of in-country financial policy
• Develop capacity building initiatives for the development of SWB finance staff; and set financial performance standards and re-engineering processes for smooth operations
• Provide budget and report monitoring and compliance oversight of all sub-recipients with applicable standards and donor requirements
• Lead financial recording process complying with Bangladesh Accounting Standards (BAS), GAAP and IFRS
• Ensure timely and accurate recording of transactions in the financial accounting system (Tally-ERP-9), while exploring the possibility of transitioning to a new online accounting platform, such as QB Online and/or NetSuite, for improved efficiency and scalability
• Verify daily/weekly posting of transactions as well as month end with overhead allocation, revenue recognition and closing of monthly and annual books of accounts.
• Maintain proper financial files and records for accuracy and accessibility, particularly during audits

Regulatory and Compliance:

• Ensure country operation is fully compliant with NGOAB and grants audit requirements, relevant TAX and VAT laws, GAAP, and relevant partner and donor policies and procedures
• Liaison with NGOAB for taking project approval, fund release and clearance on audit report; Preparation of FD-6/FD-7/FD-2/FC-1 budged submit them to NGOAB and provides clarifications/responses to NGOAB queries
• Ensure compliance with SWB policy procedures, local laws and donors’ regulations
• Ensure deduction of tax and VAT as per Govt. rules and regulations, including USAID, and ensure timely reporting them to relevant authority
• Ensure that NGOAB’s conditions are followed, and requirements are fulfilled
• Review monthly, bio-monthly, quarterly, half yearly and annual tax/VAT returns for NBR and VAT office

Budgeting, Forecasting and Monitoring:

• Develop project budgets and organizational annual budgets, verifying expenses are aligned
• Prepare expenditures forecast as and when required and share with HQ
• Prepare periodic budget variance for the company and projects, understanding underlying drivers, and communicating and developing actions to mitigate shortfalls

Treasury, banking and cash management:

• Ensure effective fund accounting and management functions
• Preparation of monthly cash projections and submit them to SWNY for the fund
• Liaison with SWNY for fund release and the remitter bank for quick deposit of the remittance
• Oversee treasury, banking and cash management of SWB office

Financial reporting, audit, and MIS:

• Review monthly project wise cost report for SWNY and financial statements/reports for auditors, donors, NGOAB and others if required
• Review monthly bank reconciliation statement and reconciliation of petty cash balance/statement
• Manage internal and external audits and reviews, providing timely and accurate information and documentation
• Act as the point contact for conducting audits, escalating matters as necessary, and provides clarifications/responses to audit queries
• Ensure that the recommendations of the audit are closed as per the timeline of the corrective action plan
• Provide timely and accurate information for various stakeholders and review reports as may be required by management from time to time

Review payments, accounts payable and receivables:

• Review vendors /suppliers’ bills/invoices, supporting documents and ensure procurement process followed and then recommend for payment
• Ensure that costs are allocated to appropriate cost objectives
• Oversee the invoicing for all accounts receivables for fees for services and other receivables to maintain the requisite cash flow for the organization
• Ensure that all advance, prepaid, accruals are recorded and liquidated in a timely manner

Human resource management and payroll:

• Review the payroll statement and ensure that salary is disbursed/transferred to employees’ accounts per policy manual
• Oversee staff Level of Effort (LOE) and appropriate allocation among the projects
• Lead the process of recruitment, staff retention, motivation, performance management, staff development, induction to new staff etc.

Procurement, security, asset and inventory management:

• Oversee the procurement of goods and services and ensure compliance with the policy procedures and donors’ regulations; Ensure periodic physical verification of inventory and assets and document them properly; Also, ensure that the inventory records are updated regularly
• Ensure security management of local staff and international staff and prepare the security plan when needed
• Ensure support on emergency response to all staff

Representation:

• Represent SWB’s Finance and Administration department inside and outside of the organization
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with relevant government ministries, departments, UN agencies, donors, and NGOs, to strengthen coordination and collaboration generating additional interest and funding for SWB programs

Supervision:

• Lead and supervise the project finance and operations team in SWB
• Supervise implementing NGO partners and ensure spendings are made as per budget and workplan with proper regulatory compliance

Key Qualifications:

• M.Com in accounting/finance/management or MBA major in finance or accounting; (Qualified CA or ICMA is preferred)
• 10-12 years of working experience in a senior level management position with INGO/development organizations
• At least 5 years’ experience managing USAID-funded project is required; additional experience with other Donors (EU, GIZ, GAC, UN, FCDO) preferred
• Experience working with Govt. and local fund would be a plus
• Demonstrate knowledge of advanced accounting, finance procedures, BAS, IFRS and GAAP
• Thorough understanding of financial, accounting, reporting and financial management processes
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience applying USAID rules and regulations, 2 CFR 200, Auditing Principles and local laws
• Strong analytical and result-oriented skills
• Skills on budgeting, accounting and financial reporting including donors
• Ability to establish new systems, SOP, processes and procedures
• Ability to work with a team
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Excel and Word and good skills at using financial software applications (Tally, NetSuite, QuickBooks)
• Ability to implement and complete tasks independently and on time
• High standards of ethics and integrity
• Ability to handle multiple priorities, and work under strict deadlines
• Must be fluent in written and spoken English and Bangla

Salary:

Competitive Salary package with other admissible benefits including annual festival bonus, provident fund, gratuity fund, reimbursable medical allowance, health insurance, and communications allowance. Tax will be applicable as per Bangladesh Government rules.

Application instructions:

Please send your updated CV, properly filled-out SWB Employment Application Form along with a cover letter mozammel.khokon@sesame.org. The deadline of the application is May 16, 2024.  SWB Employment Application Form is available here. When applying mention the title of the position “Application for Director - Finance & Administration” in the subject line of your email. We will only invite you for an assessment if you are on our shortlist. Good luck!

“Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply”

Note: There is no cost involved with applying for positions at Sesame Workshop Bangladesh. Any solicitation of fund / money from job applicant should be regarded as fraudulent.

Disclaimer

Sesame Workshop Bangladesh is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on the business needs, job requirements, suitability of the candidate and funding approval by the donor. Sesame Workshop Bangladesh strictly follows the Child Safeguarding Policy, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of program participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of SWB staff, consultants, visitors to the program and partner organization, and the standards of behavior expected from them.