Finance & Admin Manager 254 views1 application

Department: Finance & Administration

Reports To: National Director

Direct Reports: Finance Officer; Procurement and administrative Officer

Grade / Level: To be aligned to Buzz Women Gambia salary structure (TBD)

Location: Banjul, The Gambia, with field and programme-related travel as required (TBD)

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent (subject to funding availability)

Job Purpose
The Finance & Admin Manager leads the finance function of Buzz Women Gambia and is responsible for financial planning and budgeting, accounting and financial reporting, treasury and cash-flow management, internal controls, donor financial compliance and audit. The role provides sound financial advice to the National Director and management team, safeguards organizational resources, ensures that donor and statutory obligations are met, and supervises and develops the finance team so that programmes are supported by reliable, timely and accountable financial management.

3. Strategic Context

Buzz Women Gambia works to empower women and girls through skills development, entrepreneurship and community leadership. As the organization grows its programme portfolio and donor base, it requires strong financial leadership to plan resources, manage multiple funding streams, maintain robust controls and give management and the Board confidence in the financial position. The Finance Manager translates organizational strategy into sound financial plans, builds the systems and capacity of the finance function, and ensures that every fund is used transparently and in line with donor and statutory requirements.

4. Key Accountabilities

4.1 Strategic Support – Financial Planning, Budgeting and Analysis

● Serve as a member of the management team and advise on the financial implications of strategic, programme and operational decisions.

● Support the National Director in presenting financial matters to the Board and its committees.

● Lead organizational and programme budgeting and provide financial analysis for decision-making.

● Lead the preparation of the annual organizational budget and consolidated programme budgets in consultation with the National Director and programme leads.

● Develop budgets and budget narratives for funding proposals, ensuring full cost recovery and realistic costing of activities.

● Monitor expenditure against approved budgets, analyse variances and recommend corrective action or reallocations.

● Prepare financial forecasts, scenario analyses and cost analyses to inform management and Board decisions.

4.2 Financial Accounting and Reporting

● Ensure accurate, complete and timely accounting and financial reporting.

● Oversee the maintenance of the general ledger, chart of accounts and accounting system in line with approved policies and applicable accounting standards.

● Review journals, reconciliations and month-end and year-end close to ensure accuracy and completeness.

● Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual management accounts and financial statements for the National Director and the Board.

● Prepare donor financial reports in the required formats and within agreed deadlines, reconciled to the accounting records.

4.3 Treasury, Cash-Flow and Banking

● Manage cash resources to ensure liquidity and safeguard funds.

● Prepare and monitor cash-flow forecasts and ensure funds are available to meet programme and operational needs.

● Manage bank relationships, bank mandates and signatory arrangements in line with Board-approved policies.

● Review and approve payments within delegated authority and ensure payment runs are properly supported and authorized.

● Oversee petty cash, advances and mobile-money arrangements and ensure timely retirement and reconciliation.

4.4 Internal Controls, Compliance and Risk Management

● Maintain a robust control environment and manage financial risk.

● Develop, update and enforce the finance manual, policies, procedures and delegation-of-authority framework.

● Ensure segregation of duties, authorization limits and documentation standards are applied across all transactions.

● Identify, assess and report financial and fraud risks and implement mitigation measures.

● Investigate irregularities, losses or control breaches and report findings to the National Director.

4.5 Donor Financial Management and Grant Compliance

● Ensure donor funds are managed and reported in accordance with grant agreements.

● Review grant agreements and brief programme teams on financial conditions, eligible costs and reporting obligations.

● Set up grant budgets, cost codes and tracking in the accounting system and monitor burn rates.

● Ensure procurement, expenditure documentation and cost allocation comply with donor rules and organizational policy.

● Coordinate donor financial audits, spot checks and verification exercises and ensure timely closure of findings.

4.6 Audit and Statutory Compliance

● Ensure clean audits and full compliance with statutory obligations.

● Plan and coordinate the annual external audit, prepare the audit file and financial statements, and manage the response to audit findings.

● Ensure timely and accurate filing and payment of PAYE, social security, withholding tax and other statutory obligations to the relevant Gambian authorities.

● Maintain the organization’s statutory and regulatory registrations relating to finance and ensure compliance with applicable laws.

● Track implementation of internal and external audit recommendations and report progress to management and the Board.

4.7 Team Leadership and Capacity Building

● Lead, supervise and develop the finance team and build financial capacity across the organization.

● Supervise, coach and appraise the Finance Officer and other finance staff, setting clear objectives and work plans.

● Build the financial literacy of programme and operations staff through training and practical guidance on budgets, documentation and compliance.

● Ensure adequate cover, succession and knowledge transfer within the finance function.

4.8 Financial Systems

● Develop a financial systems strengthening action plan

● Strengthen financial systems and contribute to organizational strategy and governance.

● Lead the selection, configuration and improvement of accounting software, templates and reporting tools.

● Contribute to resource mobilization by providing financial data, costings and value-for-money analysis for proposals and donor engagement.

● Plan shared-services readiness for the 2028–29 hub role: multi-currency accounting, intercompany recharges, and data-protection controls for francophone country data.

5. Decision-Making Authority

The Finance Manager operates within delegated authority as defined by Buzz Women Gambia’s policies and will:

● Approve payments, journals and reconciliations within the limits set out in the delegation-of-authority framework.

● Sign off management accounts, donor financial reports and audit schedules for submission to the National Director, donors and auditors.

● Recommend budget reallocations, virements and cost-recovery arrangements to the National Director for approval.

● Determine finance work plans, allocate tasks within the finance team and approve leave and routine administrative matters for direct reports.

● Suspend or hold payments that do not meet policy, documentation or donor requirements pending resolution.

● Escalate transactions, commitments, risks or decisions exceeding delegated authority to the National Director and, where required, the Board.

6. Key Working Relationships

Internal National Director, Board and Board Finance/Audit Committee, Programme Manager, Finance Officer and finance support staff, Programme and Operations staff, M&E staff, Human Resources External Donors and funding partners, external auditors, banks and financial service providers, Gambia Revenue Authority and other statutory authorities, suppliers and service providers, legal and tax advisers

7. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

8. Qualifications and Experience

Essential

● Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field.

● Membership of a recognized professional accounting body (e.g. ACCA, CPA, CIMA or ICAG).

● Minimum 7–8 years’ progressively responsible experience in accounting and financial management, including at least 5 years in management role.

● Demonstrated experience managing donor-funded budgets, grant reporting and donor compliance requirements.

● Experience preparing financial statements, managing external audits and dealing with statutory authorities.

● Strong working knowledge of QuickBooks accounting software and advanced Excel skills.

● High level of integrity and proven ability to safeguard confidential financial information.
Desirable

● Experience working with NGOs or development organizations in The Gambia or the West Africa sub-region.

● Familiarity with the financial rules of major institutional donors (e.g. EU, UN agencies, USAID, FCDO) and with Gambian tax and labour legislation.

● Experience implementing or upgrading accounting systems and financial policies.

9. Technical Competencies

10. Behavioral Competencies

11. Approval

This job description has been reviewed and approved as an accurate reflection of the role’s requirements. It will be reviewed periodically and may be amended to reflect organizational needs.

12. Application Process

To apply, send your application via email to communication.gambia@buzzwomen.org and clearly indicate the position being applied for.

For enquiries :  +220 3440244