RECRUITMENT NOTICE 

Finance and Operations Director, CARE international Mali

The Candidacy of Women is strongly encouraged

Job Summary

CARE Mali, operational since 1994, employs approximately 123 staff members to implement projects in Gao, Mopti, Sikasso, and Tombouctou. The Director of Finance and Operations, based in Bamako, leads CARE Mali’s finance and operations functions, ensuring alignment with CARE’s strategy and vision. The role involves developing a responsive, efficient team and overseeing finance, administration, ICT, Supply Chain, Security, and sub-office operations. The Director collaborates closely with the Country Director and Regional Business Services Director, providing strategic oversight and ensuring integration of finance and operations with programming.

Key responsibilities include capacity building for staff, promoting a values-based organizational culture, and ensuring performance management systems are effective. The Director must possess advanced finance and business management skills, excellent team-building abilities, and a deep understanding of administrative processses. As a member of the CO Senior Management Team, the Director participates in strategic decision-making and deputizes for the Country Director when needed.

The Director is also responsible for grants and financial management, ensuring compliance with CARE and donor regulations, and maintaining accurate financial operations and reporting. This includes managing PeopleSoft operations, accounts payable, treasury, and cash functions, as well as overseeing general ledger and accounts receivable modules.

The role requires developing and implementing operational policies and procedures, ensuring CO compliance with donor rules, and providing in-house legal advice. The Director also ensures the CO’s operational budget aligns with donor requirements and leads the development of operational risk analysis.

As a member of the SMT, the Director provides strategic business advice, ensures cooperation within regions and with the wider organization, and maintains relationships with relevant government institutions and network organizations. Additionally, the Director oversees safety and security measures for CARE’s operating areas.

Job Responsabilities

Job responsability 1: Strategic and Operational Management and Vision

• Set the direction and take responsibility for providing overall strategic management across all operations functions, including procurement, logistics and distribution, administration, ICT, security, and field/sub-office operations.
• Provide strategic leadership and advice to the operations team, develop and organize timely and effective support for country programs to ensure objectives are met, and fostering links between programs, finance, operations, and People & Culture for seamless coordination and support for program management.
• Ensure finance and operations strategies are integrated into the overall CO strategy, working with the senior management team to ensure CARE has appropriate staffing structures, management systems, and support systems to implement high-quality programming. Lead business process improvements for the Country Office to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, manage staff performance, development, and talent management, and build the capacity of the Operations team and the Country Office.
• Influence the ways of working within the program support team to positively impact the efficiency of different units and add value to the Country Office. Work closely with and manage the operations focal point in designated field locations to ensure support systems and structures are in place and compliant with relevant internal and external policies and procedures.

Job responsability 2: Grants and Financial Management

• Develop, manage, and administer the Country Office’s award management system and financial system maintenance, ensuring proper recording, documentation, control, monitoring, and reporting of financial operations in compliance with CARE and donor rules and regulations.
• Provides oversight of day-to-day financial operations at the CO level and is accountable for organizing and providing high-quality financial services to CO programs, projects, and unit staff.
• Ensure partnerships are developed and nurtured between finance, program, and other program support units in the CO.
• Ensures efficient process flows and controls over finance and accounting functions, accurate financial data processing and reporting, and timely reporting to donors, management, and other partners.

Job responsability 3: CO Policy and Operations Systems Development, Review, and Implementation

• Responsible for the overall direction and coordination of all regions and field offices
• Identify needs and ensure efficient implementation and monitoring of all existing projects in the regions, providing sound operational support and ensuring weekly CO coordination meetings between programs, finance, and operations take place.
• Initiate new and revise existing operations policies, systems, and procedures in line with legal and donor requirements in Mali, ensure effective implementation of initiatives under the ongoing supply chain transformation project and the newly issued procurement policy and manual, and ensure the key performance indicators for the supply chain are met and reported timely.
• Ensures CO compliance with donor rules and regulations in all PS functions, works with the Head of Finance and Regional Audit and Compliance Coordinator in preparing for audits, supports the CO response to audit findings, and plans and implements audit recommendations. Ensure sound internal control systems are in place and functioning to adhere to policies and procedures and ensure the consistent and uniform implementation of policies and procedures throughout the CO.
• Provides in-house legal advice, coordinates with CARE USA legal, AMS, and the RO, and provides operational support during emergency scale-up to ensure efficient and effective field office setup and smooth running of satellite offices. Work closely with and supervise field office operations focal points to ensure support systems and structures are in place and compliant with relevant internal and external policies and procedures.

Job responsability 4: Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring, and Reporting/ Safety and Security

• Coordinate the development of the CO’s operational budgets in line with agreed plans and requirements, approve and ensure spending of the operational budget is in line with donor requirements, monitor monthly operational budget versus actuals, and ensure compliance of processes for projects under existing and new donors.
• Lead the development of the operational risk analysis and provide recommendations to the Country Director and SMT related to operations spending and the effectiveness of CO reporting and planning syst
• Ensure the annual budget incorporates safety and security issues for CARE’s operating areas, manages the Safety and Security Officer and CO Field Office Safety and Security focal point, and ensures field office operations are run safely.
• Ensure CO administrative policies and procedures for designated emergencies are well-defined, clearly understood, and practically designed, and timely revisions are made in line with any guidance from CI.

Other responsabilities as assigned

Assists the CD and other senior staff in the development of project proposals and CO staff development plans and the review of contracts and other financial commitments; performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications (Know How)

• Master on Finances / Administration  or equivalent
• 10 years of leadership and management work experience in a large and complex INGO or organization, with at least 4 years in a senior position, preferably in Francophone Africa.
• Broad experience in all dimensions of operations (procurement and logistics, HR, administration, IT),
• Demonstrated leadership ability to inspire and empower others
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies
• Strong initiative
• Self-motivation
• Strong commitment to teamwork and humanitarian principles
• Fluency in French / conversational level in English
• Excellent skills in the use of computers (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Demonstrated capacities on teamwork, gender equality, and transparent and participatory management.
• Fluency in English
• Proven experience in strategic planning of human resource management
• Previous work experience in the West Africa Region, preferably in an NGO setting
• Experience working in a complex, fast-paced work conflict environment
• Experience working with humanitarian donors

The application dossier should hold the following mention on the envelope or in the subject line of your email message : « Position: Finances and Operations Director, CARE Mali ».

The application comprising a detailed curriculum vitae, a letter of motivation, certified copies of the candidate’s degrees /diplomas and certificates of work and 3 professional references must be sent throught its email address: mli.recrutement@care.org no later than close of business on December 20, 2024. 

NB: ONLY APPLICATIONS WITH A MENTION « Finances and Operations Director, CARE Mali » WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

CARE Mali has an excellent national and international reputation for its seriousness and professionalism, and actively combats any form of fraud or attempted fraud and any sort of corruption or attempted corruption.