USAID Finance Lead

TITLE: USAID Finance Lead

POSITION LOCATION: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full Time (40 hours/week)

About the organization

American Councils for International Education is a premier, international non-profit organization creating educational opportunities that prepare individuals and institutions to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. Through academic exchanges, overseas language immersion, and educational development programs. American Councils has designed and administered innovative programs that effectively broaden individual perspectives, increase knowledge, and deepen understanding for more than 40 years across more than 80 countries.

Position summary

The Finance Lead will be actively engaged in the USAID Uzbekistan Youth Employment Skills (YES) Activity that is focused on preparing youth to be successful entrepreneurs, while also supporting youth, girls and women, and disability empowerment in Uzbekistan. The Finance Lead’s role will be to conduct financial and accounting processes for the ongoing activity and for the organization. The Finance Lead will work closely with Operations Lead in executing proper financial transactions and providing documentation and reporting to the Chief of Party when requested. Additional tasks may require liaising with government officials, local expert groups, private sector entities, and other interested parties. This position directly reports to the Chief of Party (CoP).  

Responsibilities

Finance Lead’s specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

· Facilitating frequent bank transfers and wire transfers to vendors, subcontractors, and partners of the activity.

· Maintaining fiduciary responsibility over the activity, its budget, and its financial impact on the organization.

· Compiling, generating, and finalizing monthly expense reports for internal reporting and donor reporting purposes.

· Collecting monthly requisition requests from activity partners; liaising with the Washington D.C. office for financial transfers and wires.

· Tracking spending against program budgets, ensuring compliance with the organizations’ and program funder’s regulations.

· Managing the project subcontractors ensuring that they meet the project goals and objectives.

· Advising management on compliance with local laws and regulations through detailed reports.

· Ensuring all legal, approval, and regulatory documents are filed and monitor in compliance with local laws and regulations.

· Ensuring regular preparation of accurate financial reports for program funders and the head office, as well as monitoring reports as needed.

· Manage staff levels, wages, hours, contract labor to revenues.

· Review and approve all operational invoices and ensure they are submitted for payment.

· Monitor and liaise with vendors/service providers to ensure all payments and invoicing program cash flow and budgeting information is current and accurate, including any advances.

· Overseeing the recording of financial transactions in accordance with donor requirements (USAID) and ACIE/Uzbekistan policies and procedures.

· Ensure compliance with donor contractual terms and conditions for reporting requirements, including tracking cost-share requirements, maintaining all receipts for expenses, and other requirements as determined by the donor.

· Prepare employment contracts for staff and annual updates for them.

· Ensure all staff records are maintained and updated with new hire information or changes in employment status.

· Traveling within the country to contact key target audiences, key partners, implement program events, monitoring, and/or training.

· Other related duties as assigned and when needed.

Qualifications

•  Master’s Degree strongly preferred in one of the following study areas: Business Management, Accounting, Economics and Finance, Law or related field.
• Written and spoken fluency in Russian and Uzbek are required; Excellent English strongly recommended.
• Minimum 7-10 years’ experience in finance, accounting, and/or compliance with an international organization or implementing agency.
• Strong knowledge of 1C, Microsoft Office Software Suite, Google Workspace, and common social media platforms.
• Previous USAID experience strongly recommended.
• Excellent understanding of finance and budgeting, including profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash-flow management.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to accurately interpret complex policies.
• Experience cooperating with government institutions, authorities, and representatives is essential. Private sector contracting and procurement strongly recommended.
• Ability to maintain a high level of professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, and to delegate the responsibilities properly.
• Extensive experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring of results.
• Excellent understanding of Uzbekistan labor law/procurement policies and financial reporting.
• Ability to quickly adapt to unfamiliar situations and come up with unorthodox solutions to the arising challenges.
• Demonstrated excellence in communication, multicultural, and interpersonal skills.
• All applicants should be able to provide and maintain work authorization in Uzbekistan.

Compensation

· American Councils for International Education offers a competitive international salary based on Tashkent, Uzbekistan cost of living standards.

Starting Date: As soon as possible

TO APPLY:

· Please send to yes.uz@americancouncils.org your resume/CV as well as a cover letter that includes the following: (i) why are interested in the position, (ii) why you are well suited for the position, and (iii) what you would expect as a monthly salary (final take-home salary amount per month after taxes).

· Your resume/CV should be saved as follows: LAST NAME OF APPLICANT – resume.doc (for example, if your last name is Kayumov, the file should be Kayumov-resume.doc).

· Your cover letter should be saved as: LAST NAME OF APPLICANT – letter.doc (for example, if your last name is Kayumov, the file should be Kayumov-letter.doc). File extensions of .docx and PDF are also acceptable.

· Write LAST NAME OF APPLICANT – Finance Lead in the subject line of your email.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY – American Councils is committed to taking affirmative steps to enhance employment opportunities for minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities, and strives to ensure that meaningful employment and promotional opportunities are maintained for everyone. American Councils’ commitment to equal employment opportunity is based not only on federal requirements, but also on a longstanding commitment to maintaining a diverse workforce reflective of the communities in which we operate.

PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION – The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information

ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED