Finance & Administration Manager - Malawi Activity

Support the Chief of Party in achieving contractual milestones, performance targets, and client acceptance criteria under the firm's fixed-price, performance-based contract by proactively managing risks, monitoring progress, and ensuring timely delivery of assigned functional responsibilities. 

Attend country team milestone-progress reviews to confirm that performance is on track to meet milestones. 

Manage competing priorities while maintaining full compliance with the negotiated statement of work and other contract requirements. 

Supervise the Procurement Manager to ensure a procurement supply plan is submitted at least 6 months prior to vector control campaign start, and monitor and track the purchase orders (POs) issued against the procurement plan, ensuring all POs are issued in accordance with the timelines established. 

Actively follow up with vendors and suppliers to ensure goods are delivered on time and invoices are processed timely. 

Escalate potential milestone failures, scope growth, material budget variances, and other contract-impacting issues promptly.  

Maintain project bank accounts to include requesting to open new accounts, modify signatories, or close accounts as needed.  

Ensure controlled cash management of bank and mobile accounts as well as petty cash                

Ensure timely completion of week-end, month-end, and year-end accounting closes, with appropriate supporting documentation for all accounting transactions uploaded to Abt’s accounting system.  

Ensure all expenses and supporting documents are compliant with Abt and US government policies and procedures  

Prepare monthly site funding requests and forecasts  

Review and approve travel expense reports and ensure all advances are cleared within 30 days of travel per Abt policies  

Ensure all government taxes are paid and filed timely in accordance to local law  

Prepare and initiate site payroll by applying the appropriate deductions  

Develop, manage, and monitor project budgets and annual workplans in collaboration with global support team to provide data measurements on financial performance and recommend cost cutting and compliant strategies to implement the project with less resources  

Lead monthly forecasting and budget monitoring, proactively identifying variances, cost overruns and cost-saving opportunities to support successful milestone achievement within budget 

Collaborate with procurement team to ensure international and local purchases are within the approved budget  

Develop and implement systems to streamline financial practices and procedures 

Provide ongoing financial administration to the project, including the processing of approvals for procurements, consultant agreements, and vendor invoices.  

Support the startup, general operations, and closedown of the project  

Provide costing as needed for new business department  

Lead recruitment, orientation, and training of new administrative or accounting staff 

Lead and continuously develop and strengthen the field office finance, accounting, and operations team. Organize the orientation and provision of continuous training / skills building for all relevant field staff on financial and operations policies and procedures, and finance, accounting, & project management and operations 

Inform and ensure global support team is updated on all contractual, financial and legal issues affecting the project  

Update government property asset registry with new, broke, or lost items; report any incidents of stolen or lost equipment; perform random audits of inventory to ensure accuracy 

Assist with the clearance of international procurements including working with clearing agent as needed  

Support global support team preparing corporate and client financial deliverables such as the cost study, VAT, NXP, and accrual reports  

Prepare budgets and administrative and logistical arrangements to support project activities, including travel arrangements and visa requirements 

Ensure that contractual and internal approval requirements (e.g., waivers, approval memos) are met, and prepare justifications supporting these actions in coordination with project leadership and business support groups 

Coordinate financial audits and ensure timely resolution of findings and implementation of corrective actions.  

Perform any other related activities as assigned by immediate supervisor 

Bachelor’s + 12 years of experience, Master’s +10 years of experience

Professional proficiency in English 

Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or other relevant field. 

At least 10 years experience managing finance and contractual aspects of international development projects, preferably U.S. government funded projects 

Excellent analytical and computer skills, with strong experience in Excel and enterprise resource planning software such as Deltek’s Costpoint 

Well-developed and effective organizational skills, including to ability to multi-task and work in a high-pressure environment 

Significant experience managing and supervising financial and procurement management personnel. 

Familiarity with US Government Cost Accounting Standards. 

Experience in logistics, procurement, and supply chain management highly desirable. 

Fluency in English is required.