Finance and Administrative Assistant

jobsCareers, Careers - Nigeria, Careers - West Africa

JD Unique ID: 83002
Job title: Finance and Administrative Assistant – Youth in Work Project
Company: Self Help Africa
Location: Abuja
Contract type: Fixed term contract, full-time (local recruitment)
Period: 12 months
Remuneration: ₦4.8m to ₦6.5m annual gross
Reports to: Finance and Administrative Officer

About Self Help Africa

Established in 1984, Self Help Africa is an international development organisation that works through agriculture and agri-enterprise development to address hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impacts of climate change. We believe that equitable economic development is key to lifting communities out of long-term poverty, empowering them to take control of their futures and improving their quality of life. 

In early 2023 we launched a new five-year organisation strategy, which defines shared mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise- focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.

Our wider organisation also includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, which provides ethical auditing and consultancy services, and CUMO, Malawi’s largest micro-finance provider.

Our three core values are:

  • Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
  • Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing World.
  • Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.

Project description

SHA is partnering with the World Food Programme to implement the Strengthening Food Systems to Promote Increased Value Chain Employment Opportunities for the Youth in Nigeria-Northwest (Sokoto and Zamfara). The project aims to strengthen food systems that promote increased value chain employment opportunities for the youth; sustaining and improving on-farm and off-farm job opportunities for 25,000 young women and young men engaged in the different nodes of sorghum, millet, soya bean, groundnut, and horticulture value chains.

The project will focus on capacity building interventions for existing enterprises, using this as an avenue to create employment opportunities for youth and women in Sokoto and Zamfara states.

Job purpose

The Finance Assistant will support the day-to-day financial operations of the project including bookkeeping, verification of transaction documents and ensuring that all daily financial transactions are conducted in line with established guidelines. S/he will work as part of the finance team and be responsible for providing financial assistance to programme field staff. The candidate will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records of the project, effective control systems and producing proper financial database.

Key Responsibilities

Payment Processing and Documentation

  • Responsible for making payments, accounting correctly for expenditures, accruals and repayments. Checking that applicable payment procedures have been followed in accordance with donor regulations.
  • Advising the project field staff on correct financial policies and procedures to be followed during implementation of activities.
  • Ensure all payments are made in compliance with SHA’s policies & procedures e.g. that they are correctly authorized in accordance with the scheme of delegation, coded per relevant budget lines, and are supported by relevant forms and documentation.
  • Issue and monitor the programme advances, ensuring they are settled/liquidated in a timely manner.
  • Monitor and liaise with staff and partner organisations to ensure that financial receipts and payments are valid, accurate, timely and appropriately handled.

Financial Transactions Records Management

  • Responsible for checking that entries are complete, accurate, appropriately authorized and auditable before entering them on the financial system.
  • Enter project’s financial transactions into the General Ledger on regular basis.
  • Provide spending information to the programme team on a monthly basis and giving update bi-weekly.

Financial Reporting and Budget Management

  • To support proposal budget realignment where necessary.
  • Support in preparation of project financial report to donors.
  • Review and ensure that trip expense reports are reviewed and duly signed by the relevant staff supervisors and filed appropriately.
  • Assists in and organizes relevant documents for the annual audit both internal and external
  • Travel to project sites when necessary.
  • Conduct any other task assigned.

Administrative and Logistics Function

  • Support project administration whenever requested by the project team and day-to-day running of the project office.
  • Oversee and support the Project drivers in conducting his/her duties.
  • Ensure that SHA complies with project location Internal Revenue Service obligations, making sure that PAYE tax is remitted promptly.
  • Maintain updated records of office and project assets.
  • Support the procurement of project and office materials.

Transparency, Compliance and Safeguarding

  • Employ the highest standards of openness, transparency and accountability to ensure good financial management in line with SHA’s zero-tolerance approach to fraud, bribery and corruption at the LGA level.
  • Demonstrate commitment to safeguarding, protection, gender mainstreaming and inclusion of vulnerable population including people with disabilities.
  • Provide support to establish feedback, complaints and response mechanism across communities of implementation to ensure programmatic and operational decisions are informed by local perspectives and priorities and contribute to the protection of programme participants at the LGA level.

Accountability 

In line with Self Help Africa’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), the job holder will: 

  • actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E).
  • work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed.
  • work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CFRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Key relationships

Internal: Programme, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning, Finance & Admin, Procurement, HR & Admin, Security and Communications teams.

External: Banks, FIRS, Suppliers/Vendors, Service Providers and other external stakeholders.

Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements

Educational qualifications and requirements

  • A bachelor’s degree in accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance. ACCA/ACA will be an added advantage.
  • Skills on ICT operation, and proficient in using MS Office.
  • Excellent coordination skills.
  • Effective communication, problem solving and decision-making skills.
  • Respect to cultural diversity and gender sensitivity.
  • Ability to work under pressure.

Experience and Skills

  • At least 2 years’ project finance experience in an international organisation.
  • Experience in the development cooperation sector will be an added advantage.
  • Extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems and standard spreadsheets.
  • Auditing experience is desirable.
  • Experience in working with culturally diverse teams.
  • Safeguarding (child protection, PSEA, GBV prevention & response).
  • Financial Accounting
  • Donor Reporting
  • Expenditure Verification.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of WFP rules and regulations.
  • Flexible work attitude, proactive and demonstrated creativity: the ability to work productively in a team environment and the ability to problem solve creatively with minimal guidance.
  • Must seek to identify and communicate potential problems and propose solutions to the level of management appropriate to effect solutions.
  • Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support from within the programme organisation.
  • Must be a patient and good communicator who can function in an organisational environment involving a diversity of cultures, languages, and personal interests and agendas. Good at role of facilitator and team player in solving problems

Language Requirements:

Excellent written and oral proficiency in English and relevant local language is required.

Application Procedure:  

Fill and send the attached Self Help Africa application form and also send your cover letter and CV in a single document (of not more than 6 pages) to this link.

Job description is available for download here.

The deadline for this application is 3rd December 2025 . You are advised to apply early, as applications will be treated on roll-in basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

All candidates offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign our Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.  Specific roles may require Police/DBS/ [relevant police authority] vetting.

Self Help Africa strives to be an equal opportunities employer