Finance & Admin Director for USAID-funded SMPQA Activity

Summary of the Position

The Finance & Admin Director is a key leadership role for the anticipated USAID-funded program, “Strengthening Medical Product Quality Assurance System Activity” (SMPQA). The SMPQA opportunity, forecasted to be released in December 2024 and awarded in May 2025, represents the next iteration of USAID’s flagship program, Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus, which is currently being implemented by USP.

The SMPQA is anticipated to focus on advancing access to quality medical products and advancing pharmaceutical supply chain resilience through provision of technical assistance and policy and planning support to governments, regional and continental bodies, manufacturers, regulatory authorities, and quality control laboratories in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The Finance & Admin Director, which is contingent on award, is responsible for high level financial management and operational stewardship to include contracts and grants/sub-awards management and oversight of procurement (goods and services) for SMPQA globally, to enable the timely and effective implementation of the program’s technical activities. (S)he oversees and approves budget development for annual workplans, and leads regular financial monitoring, reporting, and analysis of those budgets. (S)he ensures that resources are allocated and disbursed in compliance with contractual requirements and USAID and USP regulations. (S)he is the primary liaison with USAID on F&A matters and serves as a key liaison between SMPQA and USP Global Finance resources to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of financial management and procurement processes. (S)he builds appropriate and effective relationships with USAID stakeholders and is responsible for responding to requests from the AOR as well as Health Element Offices/Missions. (S)he proactively manages risk, putting in place policies, procedures, and clear escalation guidelines to ensure compliance to USAID and USP regulations.

The Finance & Admin Director is based at USP’s US headquarters in Rockville, MD and works closely with a team of resources based in Rockville, regional hubs and country offices. (S)he is part of the USP SMPQA leadership team and is instrumental in guiding and executing the SMPQA strategy and implementation.

Roles and Responsibilities

Finance and admin oversight (70-80%):

• Provides overall high-level leadership and management of SMPQA finance and administrative functions, including procurement, contracts and grants management, and sub-awards

• Responsible for overall global program financial management, including all annual budgets

• Oversees regular (i.e., monthly) monitoring and reporting on program expenditures, analyzing trends and performance against budgets

• Routinely analyzes pipeline reports, developing estimates of financial commitments and projected expenditures

• Ensures proper preparation and submission of required financial reports, including ad hoc reports as requested by the AOR or other USAID stakeholders

• Oversees management and monitoring of sub-award implementation to ensure timely deliverable submission, identify needs for contract amendments, and monitor expenses and payments in compliance with all USAID and USP requirements

• Oversees procurement of all SMPQA goods and services, in accordance with all USAID and USP requirements and in line with program budgets and workplans

• Provides strategic and technical leadership to SMPQA finance and admin resources based in HQ and the field

Risk management (20-30%):

• Establishes policies, processes, tools, and procedures to ensure necessary compliance controls to accurately monitor funds and track expenditures in accordance with USAID and USP regulations

• Provide training and capacity building of program staff in Rockville and in regions

• Oversees routine risk assessments and ‘spot checks’ to ensure processes and procedures are being implemented, and to monitor for potential compliance risks

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, or related field

• 8-10 years relevant experience leading financial and operational management of large USAID- funded programs at regional and/or global level

• Significant experience managing all aspects of finance, grants, contracts, sub-awards and procurement on USAID-funded programs and strong knowledge of USAID rules and regulations and reporting requirements

• Demonstrated strong people management and supervisory skills, including of virtual and matrixed teams

• Excellent client and stakeholder relationship management skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or MPA in Finance strongly preferred

• Substantial experience overseeing administrative/operational aspects of a global program, including developing and managing large budgets, contracts & grants, subawards, and procurement

• Substantive 3-5 years management experience of virtual teams based in low- and middle-income countries

• Extensive experience leading financial and operational management of complex donor-funded (particularly USAID-funded) global health or international development projects

• Strong management, planning, analytical, and organizational skills

Supervisory Responsibilities

4-6 Rockville-based Finance and Admin staff