Jobs: 2023 Recruitment for British High Commission

We’re looking for a passionate person for this position who has strong qualifications in finance and accounting as well as proficient Excel skills. The selected candidate must be an effective communicator and able to work well with colleagues at varied academic levels.

Job Summary:

With a specific emphasis on Official Development Aid (ODA), as well as more general Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF) and other program financing, the Financial Analyst will oversee efficient financial administration within BHC Accra. As a result, it will be expected of them that they have expertise in financial management and programming for international development. Additionally, they will serve as the main point of contact for a local network of finance managers.

With 9 significant ongoing programs in the areas of economy, education, infrastructure, agriculture, health, and climate change, Ghana has an annual ODA/development budget of more than £10 million. Multilateral organizations, the corporate sector, and local and international NGOs all participate in the delivery of our initiatives. You will be required to assist program teams by enhancing their capabilities to achieve the best possible financial management.

The Development Director and the Ghana Leadership Group will also receive regular, thorough financial information, in-depth analysis, and business insight from you as the finance manager. For the purpose of assisting in efficient planning and decision-making, you will closely collaborate with the regional Africa Finance Business Partner. The position will be crucial to ensuring that financial information is effectively cascaded both up and down the business. The position holder will answer to the cross-cutting team’s leader.

Delivering high-impact and complicated policies, programs, and campaigns across the entire scope of the Africa Strategy is the responsibility of BHC Accra, a sizable job. Every employee embodies the High Commission’s and the new Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office’s approach to cross-departmental teamwork.

Some responsibilities include:

1. Spend management: Prepare and support local scenario-based forecasts, taking into account risk, probability, and contingency planning and support management of pipeline and pre-pipeline budgets in-year and across future years. Lead and conduct challenge meetings with senior local budget holders. Contribute to the production of better forecasting and variance analysis.
2. Lead/ coordinate reporting and returns to HQ: generate quality timely and accurate performance reports, analysis, and recommendations, to facilitate effective decision-making, particularly around ODA and the financial year-end. Lead on month-end returns, central commissions, interim, and year-end accounting packs. Ensure high-quality and accurate financial information is entered on Aries.

1. Strengthen control and assurance processes: Support the maintenance and strengthening of the internal control environment to mitigate risks, by ensuring compliance with key finance processes, highlighting control weaknesses identified through annual reviews, due diligence, and annual audited statements, and making associated recommendations for improvement. Support internal and external audits (i.e. MAP, IAD, and NAO) and report on progress made recommendations relating to finance and control.
2. Counter aid diversion (CAD): Support the implementation of the embassy’s approach to CAD, ensuring that all staff and partners are aware of their responsibilities. Support tracking and following up on any reports of aid diversion on programs with the relevant program teams in the embassy and HQ, to ensure cases are resolved as quickly as possible, and lessons learned and shared with the embassy.
3. Provide ongoing support to program delivery teams: Support Programme Managers and Advisors on financial aspects of program design (including risk mitigation, particularly around counter fraud, corruption, and leakage), implementation, planning & forecasting, monitoring, and reporting.
4. Capability building: Improve the standards of financial awareness and financial management locally, for example, by providing support in understanding and interpreting management information and partner evidence to non-finance staff. Deliver training to all staff and actively facilitate the continuing up-skilling of all staff, as part of the embassy’s L&D offer.

Short-term objectives are likely to include making effective contributions to the merging of FCO and DfID systems, including leading the rollout of new financial systems – HERA and the new finance operating model.

Resources managed: C £11m ODA pa

Essential skills, expertise, and experience:

The Skills and Experience required in this role are:

Relevant Accounting qualification (see below)

• A minimum of 3 years of office experience in a fast-paced working environment in a finance management role.
• Strong people management skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Experience in working collaboratively with business or program managers as well as with other finance staff to provide an accurate financial position, along with robust forecasts.
• Proven experience in managing fraud/fiduciary risks.
• Able to critically review financial management systems and make recommendations that will improve the quality of service received by end users.
• Have the confidence and enthusiasm to present complex financial information to a diverse audience including non-finance colleagues.
• Ability to understand end users’ needs and provide the information in a way that takes this into account.
• Ability to manage conflicting workloads in order to achieve tight deadlines, adhering to the finance annual timetable and responding to ad-hoc requests as required.
• Can demonstrate strong analytical skills with attention to detail to produce financial analysis. Can draw on advanced excel skills in order to produce this.
• Experience of working on international development programs is highly desirable, as well as experience in commercial, risk, and other aspects of program management.
• Able to work flexibly, managing competing demands and under minimal supervision.
• Strong organizational skills and good attention to detail.

• Good team player with strong customer service skills who can communicate financial information to all levels, including senior management.
• Ability to plan ahead and anticipate problems, as well as being able to respond to urgent demands.
• Ability to build highly effective relationships with external organizations.
• Demonstrates discretion and respect for confidentiality.
• It is highly desirable that applicants hold or are studying towards a qualification with one of the five Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies [CCAB] i.e. ACCA, CIPFA, ICAEW, ICAI, ICAS; or CIMA, or AAT; or someone who has undergone a period of equivalent structured training and accreditation in a specialist area of finance.

How to Apply For British High Commission Recruitment

Interested applicants should CLICK HERE to apply

Application Deadline: 24th October 2023.