Job Description:

The Fleming Fund is a 10-year, large scale (+£235m) and complex fund management programme which operates in up to 25 LMIC countries and runs until 2026. Reporting to the Regional Coordinator – West Africa, and working closely with the UK Finance Manager, the Regional Finance Officer will be responsible for financial aspects of the Fleming Fund Grants Programme in the region including: conducting grant application financial reviews, oversight of financial monitoring and spot checks of grants, the provision of accurate financial forecasts and financial reports. This includes monitoring financial expenditure of grantees, providing oversight of the implementation of financial controls in the processing of grantee payments, and the substantiation of costs under grants.

The Regional Finance Officer is a member of the regional hub team supporting the end-to-end process of grant management and will assist the Regional Project Manager and Regional Coordinator to manage, monitor, forecast and report on all aspects of the financial position of the Fleming Fund Grants Programme in the region. The role will help ensure a consistent approach and a high level of financial compliance is maintained across the region. In order to do so the Regional Financial Officer will work closely with the rest of the regional team and with the UK Finance Manager.

Key Responsibilities include:

Grant Management

• Reviewing grant applications for quality and risks, making recommendations for funding based on grantee financial submissions.

• Monitoring and reviewing grantee financial reports and reconciliations of grantee expenditure to substantiate appropriate costs are being claimed in line with grants, including regular travel to carry out spot checks of hard copy receipts and grantee financial reports.

• Assisting the WA Regional Coordinator to monitor and review grant payments to ensure claims are valid and ready for approval.

• Assisting the UK Finance Manager to prepare reconciliations between the grant management software (MatsSoft) and the grant disbursements recorded in the Project and Group financial systems.

• Preparing regional grant forecasting figures, as required by the UK Finance Manager.

Programme Accounting

• Responding to financial audits of the programme (internal and external).

• Ensuring that timely, accurate, and appropriate information is available to the programme management team and local financial returns are prepared in a timely fashion and with integrity.

• Supporting the Regional Project Manager and the local Mott MacDonald Limited Ghana finance team as required.

Financial Management

• Working closely with the Regional Coordinator and UK Finance Manager to enforce appropriate and sound internal controls to protect programme and company assets, and maintain sound financial systems and policies in line with GAAP, MML policies (including fraud), local policies, client requirements, and local laws.

• Providing oversight of timely completion of invoice and expense tracker for the Regional Hub.

• If required, provide support to EY for grantee audits.

• Staying informed of the “best practices” around funds management and recommend improvements to programme systems and procedures in relation to applications and appraisals and fund management processes.

Special relationships and contacts

Establishing and maintaining good working relationships with the UK Finance Manager, Regional Hub staff members and grantees.

Note: This job description reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder.

Candidate Specification:

Education:

Essential: Higher education; Accounting qualification

Training: Applicants should highlight any relevant training or professional development

Experience:

Essential:

• Experience in implementing grant/ fund management programmes in low and middle-income countries

• Experience in managing the finances of complex programmes

• Experience of financial monitoring and reporting of grant expenditure, including sampling, validation, and compliance checking

• Experience in implementing finance processes and policies and templates for internal controls and counter fraud measures

• Understanding of value for money, ethics, and transparency

Desirable: Experience of due diligence, financial assurance, and/or fiduciary risk assessments

Key Skills:

Essential:

• Demonstrable ability to work accurately and to deadlines

• Excellent written and spoken English

• A good communicator with strong relationship building skills, reliable and a team player

• Pro-active to raise issues with management and resolve identified problems

• Able to undertake periodic travel to overseas offices and locations.

• Evidence of advanced Excel skills

• Pro-active to raise issues with management and resolve identified problems

• Able to travel regularly to Fleming Fund grantees in the region

Desirable: Written and spoken French would be considered an asset

Job Profile:

Drug-resistant infections pose a grave threat to health and wellbeing across the globe. Bacterial causes of infection are becoming resistant to an increasing number of antibiotics, with consequent reductions in the effectiveness of treatment. Estimates indicate that up to 10 million people could die each year from illnesses that are resistant to antimicrobials by 2050.[1] The UK Government is playing a leading global role in addressing this problem and has launched the Fleming Fund as a major component of the UK’s response. This programme is currently in Phase 2 of implementation and covers the time period 2023 to early 2026.

The aim of the Fleming Fund is to address critical gaps in surveillance of antibiotic resistant bacteria in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries in these areas are set to bear the highest burden of antibiotic resistant infections. Led by the UK, political action against the problem has resulted in a roadmap for global response - the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).[2] This is the blueprint for a multi-stakeholder global response to averting the burden of AMR.

The Fleming Fund Grants Programme is designed to align with the objectives of the Global Action Plan and to support the Global AMR Surveillance System (GLASS). The objectives of the Fleming Fund Grants Programme are:

• Laboratory infrastructure enhancement

• Human resource strengthening and work force reforms

• Surveillance systems strengthening

• Greater alignment between human and animal surveillance systems

• Building foundations for AMR surveillance data use

• Promoting rational use of antimicrobial medicines in humans, animals and crops

• To provide value for money in grant funding

The Fleming Fund Grants Programme assists LMICs by providing the technical support, grant funding and other support necessary to improve surveillance and use of data on antibiotic resistance. Several funding streams are delivered in selected countries and regions in Africa and Asia. Most funds are invested to support the implementation of individual country’s National Action Plans for AMR to ensure country ownership, alignment of approach with stakeholders, and sustainability. The Fleming Fund uses a One Health approach by promoting cross-sectoral approaches to surveillance of resistant organisms and the drivers of resistance development (e.g. use of antibiotics in agriculture, animal health, and in human medicine). Additional funding is available for the Fleming Fellowship Scheme to provide professional development and improved awareness and advocacy. This is complemented by funding streams to provide Regional Grants to improve surveillance and the use of data, operational research, online learning, and for strategic investments in collaboration with other donors.

For further information about the Fleming Fund, please see www.flemingfund.org

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