Job Vacancies @ Emerging Public Leaders – 3 Positions

Emerging Public Leaders is recruiting to fill the following positions:

1.) Programs and Learning Associate
2.) Country Director
3.) EPL Sierra Leone Senior Accountant

See job details and how to apply below.

1.) Programs and Learning Associate

Job Title: EPL Sierra Leone Senior Program and Learning Associate

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Commitment: Full-Time

Contract length: 1 year ( renewable subject to availability of funding)

Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) exists to accelerate good governance and equitable prosperity in Africa. Achieving that vision requires talented, ethical, energetic government professionals. With our in-country partners, we rigorously select diverse cohorts of public service professionals who are committed to practicing and promoting good governance throughout Africa. With EPL’s support throughout their career journeys, these leaders influence and strengthen their country’s infrastructure for delivering government services with care, innovation, and integrity.

EPL’s competitive recruitment process, continuous and responsive training, professional development, and mentorship motivate highly qualified, University-educated young professionals to pursue careers in the civil service.

By supporting government institutions with new innovative, diverse, and ethical talent, EPL aims to improve government capacity and performance, strengthen countries’ democratic governance, and accelerate sustainable growth in the countries where we operate. We bring an inclusive and accessible approach across lines of class, ethnicity, ability, and geography because we believe that governments who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, better meet the needs of those citizens. Additionally, EPL ensures that the recruitment, retention, and promotion of young women in public service is prioritized; women and men are equally represented in the Fellowship program.

EPL has built strong partnerships with funders, government partners, and local implementing partners in Liberia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and now in Sierra Leone. The organization’s business model involves managing a significant amount of restricted funding and targeted international grant-making, which underlines its need for a strong and strategic operational infrastructure.

Position Description

The Senior Programs and Learning Associate, reporting to the Country Director, will be the EPL Sierra Leone Program lead, and as such s/he plans, oversees, and coordinates all aspects of program implementation with EPL Sierra Leone program team and Sierra Leone Public Service to ensure the objectives of the program are accomplished within the prescribed timeframe and funding parameters. This includes but is not limited to, monitoring progress toward deliverables, providing necessary reporting and documentation, quality assurance of activities, careful financial and administrative management, and adherence to EPL policies and procedures and Mastercard Foundation rules and regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the development of concept notes, proposals, and internal/external reports through the availability of the data emerging from the reporting structures
• Lead successful implementation, planning, monitoring, and reporting of EPL Sierra Leone programs by agreed-upon budgets and plans
• Prepare review and evaluate donor proposals and reports;
• Finalize policy documents, briefs, and other strategic papers/ materials for use in the development and presentation of policy and programmatic positions
• Analyze and ensure alignment of project budgets with logical framework matrices and work plans
• Oversee program quality control and identification of potential challenges
• Review and develop partnerships and resource mobilization strategies
• Prepare and communicate top-level learning/analysis reports and monitoring data to ensure that EPL Sierra Leone’s management is able to make informed decisions on a timely basis to scale up and face operational challenges
• Document lessons learned, recommendations, good practice examples, and challenges faced in program implementation to enhance the delivery of outstanding program results
• Work to ensure that lessons learned and best practices are incorporated into new program design
• Conduct reflection and review meetings
• Ensure effective information flow, communication, and coordination between EPL Sierra Leone, Country programs Teams, and EPL Global
• Monitor and manage any strategic risks/issues facing EPL Sierra Leone's project/s
• Manage stakeholder expectations and participate in communication activities to inform stakeholders of progress and issues
• Lead the process of knowledge creation and dissemination related to national, regional, and global know-how
• When required, represent the project with donors, government, and national and international forums
• Ensure that all program activities comply with the Government of Sierra Leone policies and procedures and EPL’s organizational policies, regulations, and rules
• Maintain critical program records and documents on the EPL Shared Drive.
• Perform other related duties as assigned
• Ensure all projects have robust MEL plans are developed and implemented
• Support in submission of quality periodic data and reports as required for each project

Key Qualifications and Experiences

• Relevant university degree in Project Management, Development Studies, or Monitoring and Evaluation, Master's degree in a relevant field is preferred
• Experience in Human Resource development and management
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Senior Project Management roles in the NGO sector with an INGO
• Experience in training and providing capacity-building support on M&E
• Experience in working with government-funded projects.
• Excellent data analysis, both quantitative and qualitative
• Demonstrable financial, planning, and budget management and proposal writing skills

Key Competencies

• Excellent communication skills both written and spoken
• Teamwork
• Strong interpersonal skills
• A high degree of flexibility and adaptability including managing competing priorities and delivering results at pace
• High degree of integrity and trust
• Communication skills with: excellent interpersonal, oral, and written skills
• Leadership skills with big-picture thinking and vision

Application Instructions

If you are interested and meet the qualifications, please apply via this LINK.

Please submit your application by 28th February 2025.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview.

Emerging Public Leaders is an Equal Opportunity Employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Click here to apply

2.) Country Director

Job Title: Country Director

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Commitment: Full-Time

Contract length: 2 years (renewable subject to availability of funding)

Emerging Public Leaders is seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and experienced leader to be the driving force behind our newest initiative - Emerging Public Leaders in Sierra Leone. This is an exciting time to join our fast-expanding network of EPL partners across Africa and launch, develop, and establish a successful youth leadership fellowship program in Sierra Leone in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone.

Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) exists to accelerate good governance and equitable prosperity in Africa. Achieving that vision requires talented, ethical, energetic government professionals. With our in-country partners, we rigorously select diverse cohorts of public service professionals who are committed to practicing and promoting good governance throughout Africa. With EPL’s support throughout their career journeys, these leaders influence and strengthen their country’s infrastructure for delivering government services with care, innovation, and integrity.

By supporting government institutions with new innovative, diverse, and ethical talent, EPL aims to improve government capacity and performance, strengthen countries’ democratic governance, and accelerate sustainable growth in the countries where we operate. We bring an inclusive and accessible approach across lines of class, ethnicity, ability, and geography because we believe that governments that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, better meet the needs of those citizens. Additionally, EPL ensures that the recruitment, retention, and promotion of young women in public service is prioritized; women and men are equally represented in the Fellowship program.

Position Description

The EPL Sierra Leone Country Director, reporting to the EPL Sierra Leone Board Chair, has the overall responsibility for the strategic leadership and direction of the EPL program in Sierra Leone including programmatic implementation, operational management, and resource mobilization to achieve the organizational vision, mission, and objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Country Vision and Strategy

• Provide vision and direction for the country program as well as effectively lead a high-performing Senior Management Team to deliver against EPL’s strategy
• Spearhead the development of EPL Sierra Leone’s annual plans and budgets in accordance with set guidelines and procedures
• Develop the Country Strategy and ensure ongoing review progress against key country and organizational level objectives, indicators, and targets.
• Work closely with EPL Sierra Leone Senior Program and Learning Associate and EPL Programs and Learning Director to ensure projects are technically sound, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of the country and donors
• Ensure EPL Sierra Leone’s strategic vision and direction align with EPL’s global strategy
• On an ongoing basis ensure that project expenditures are in line with implementation plans so that early detection of under or over-expenditure is appropriately addressed and projects end on- budget.
• Stay up to date on socio-economic and political changes in the country related to EPL’s mandate and undertake a timely strategic review of EPL Sierra Leone’s program strategy.
• In close collaboration with EPL Global management, participate in the negotiation of contracts and agreements with donors, ensuring both programmatic and financial relevance.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Oversee monitoring and evaluation of EPL Sierra Leone country strategic plan, partnership, and program activities
• Ensure proactive documentation of learning and best practices within various projects to guide future project designs
• Provide ongoing support, monitoring, and evaluation of EPL Sierra Leone in-country programs and existing projects, coordinate program reviews, and evaluations, and follow up on the implementation of evaluation findings
• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are implemented in line with donor and EPL’s policies, systems, and guidelines

Programs, Operations, and Compliance Management

• Take the lead, with program management team, in sufficiently early identification and diagnosis of off-track projects and actively determining feasible strategies to correct such problems
• Ensure that all project modifications, adjustments, or no-cost extensions are fully justified and appropriately communicated and agreed by donors
• Oversee project finances, planning, administration, compliance, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and overall learning
• Manage relationships with implementing partners and host organizations
• Ensure that operations in support of projects, in particular procurement and logistics, are efficiently and effectively carried out
• Participate in EPL Country Directors meetings providing country updates and supporting the advancement of EPL Global strategy
• Ensure compliance of program expenditure as per donor guidelines and EPL’s policies and control procedures
• Examine and verify all key expenditures for which the Country Director's signature is required.
• Ensure preparations and timely submission of all programmatic and financial reports to EPL Sierra Leone’s - Board of Directors, Country Director, EPL Global and donors
• Work the EPL Sierra Leone country Finance Manager in the annual statutory audit and other donor compliance project audits for the Country Program
• Ensure periodic verification of inventory and management of assets in line with relevant policies
• Perform a periodic review of accounts for accuracy and adherence to policies
• Oversee implementation of human resource policies and procedures in the country program
• Ensure effective financial budgeting and management systems, processes and controls are in place and are fully compliant with Sierra Leone’s operating standards and legal requirements
• Ensure follow-up on recommendations arising out of audits of operations and take appropriate actions where necessary
• Ensure all donor contractual terms and conditions are fulfilled in line with EPL’s project funding management guidance and procedures
• Oversee program operations and reporting, ensuring compliance with EPL’s policies and procedures, donor regulations, and local laws

Fundraising

• Lead the team in responding to new opportunities; ensure the development of high-quality concept notes and proposals
• Ensure donor landscape assessment and in coordination with Senior Management Team members develop and implement donor engagement strategy and plans
• Network with donors in the country and represent EPL at donor events
• Develop, implement, and monitor a country-specific resource mobilization and fundraising strategy and lead in fundraising efforts for the country
• In liaison with EPL’s Sustainability and Communications Director identify fundraising opportunities and guide in the development of quality proposals to build and diversify the country’s resource base
• Keep abreast with trends within the region and Sierra Leone to guide fundraising initiatives and donor profiling
• Meet and establish relations with existing and potential donors to build strong fundraising networks
• Facilitate and coordinate donor visits, donor meetings, discussions, and evaluations as necessary
• Maintains a clear understanding of donor compliance and adheres to those standards

Human Resource

• Ensure human resource needs are fully identified, assessed, described and communicated
• When required, recruit key positions with the assistance of the Country Finance and Operations team and EPL Global’s Hr and Operations Lead
• Ensure EPL Sierra Leone adheres and operational practices EPL Sierra Leone policies, including, but not limited to, the code of conduct, gender policy, Employee handbook, Finance policy, safeguarding policy, and any other policy that will be adopted for EPL Sierra Leone
• Provide leadership support to country staff and promote best practices in human resources management
• Maintain effective and appropriate staff recruitment, orientation, appraisal, remuneration, and development practice at all levels ensuring optimum utilization and development of EPL Sierra Leone’s human resources
• Act as a Point of Contact for Safeguarding (Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Harassment, and Code of Conduct policies), and train staff and beneficiaries on reporting misconduct mechanisms
• Ensure all HR personnel practices, contracts, taxes, compensation, registrations, residence permits, and departures are in accordance with local laws and EPL’s policies
• Provide coaching and mentoring advice to staff when necessary and lead initiatives to develop staff capacity

Qualifications and Experiences

• Master’s Degree in Development Management or related field or equivalent
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in a similar position

Competencies

• Knowledge and experience with financial management as demonstrated by the ability to, Manage a complex budget and Effectively follow up on internal and external audit recommendations
• Knowledge and experience of fundraising from and dealing with bilateral and multilateral donors
• Solid experience in grant programmatic and financial management.
• Proven track record of success in fundraising (including developing program ideas, securing program funding, and managing relationships with donors).
• Proven track record of working with INGOs in Sierra Leone
• Substantial experience and knowledge of effective budgetary control and grant management
• Experience developing successful, replicable, and sustainable projects in Africa
• Significant experience of the political, social, and cultural context in Sierra Leone and the broader Africa region and the dynamics therein
• Experience leading teams to implement and monitor programs

If you are interested and meet the qualifications, please follow this link to share your application

Please submit your application by 28th February 2025.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Click here to apply

3.) EPL Sierra Leone Senior Accountant

Job Title: EPL Sierra Leone Senior Accountant

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Commitment: Full-Time

Contract length: 1 year (renewable subject to availability of funding)

Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) exists to accelerate good governance and equitable prosperity in Africa. Achieving that vision requires talented, ethical, energetic government professionals. With our in-country partners, we rigorously select diverse cohorts of public service professionals who are committed to practicing and promoting good governance throughout Africa. With EPL’s support throughout their career journeys, these leaders influence and strengthen their country’s infrastructure for delivering government services with care, innovation, and integrity.

EPL’s competitive recruitment process, continuous and responsive training, professional development, and mentorship motivate highly qualified, university-educated young professionals to pursue careers in the civil service.

By supporting government institutions with new innovative, diverse, and ethical talent, EPL aims to improve government capacity and performance, strengthen countries’ democratic governance, and accelerate sustainable growth in the countries where we operate. We bring an inclusive and accessible approach across lines of class, ethnicity, ability, and geography because we believe that governments who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, better meet the needs of those citizens. Additionally, EPL ensures that the recruitment, retention, and promotion of young women in public service is prioritized; women and men are equally represented in the Fellowship program.

EPL has built strong partnerships with funders, government partners, and local implementing partners in Liberia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and now in Sierra Leone. The organization’s business model involves managing a significant amount of restricted funding and targeted international grant-making, which underlines its need for a strong and strategic operational infrastructure.

Position Description

The senior Accountant, reporting to the Country Director, will support the daily financial activities and functions required for the successful implementation and functioning of the Sierra Leone program. The senior Accountant position holder will provide overall leadership for the Financial Accounts function within the EPL Sierra Leone program, leading the budgeting and Reporting function. He/she will be responsible for ensuring financial controls and management as prescribed by IFRS and GAAP Standards for EPL Sierra Leone program– including capacity building; implementing efficient & effective processes; improving and ensuring compliance with internal control systems. S/he will ensure that EPL Sierra Leone Financial Policies, requirements, and procedures comply with the EPL policies, donor requirements as well and the Government of Sierra Leone laws and policies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Timely provision of financial information for reporting to EPL Sierra Leone Board of Directors, Management, EPL Global, and donors. These include;
• Monthly country reports
• Annual budgets including program budgets, forecasts, and audits
• Monthly and quarterly management accounts
• Preparation and presentation of annual financial statements and year-end reports.
• Other financial reports as may be requested from time to time either by the EPL Sierra Leone Management or by the EPL Global Finance Unit
• Partner with the Executive Director on planning, developing, and recommending annual budgets to the Board of Directors
• Working closely with the Board of Directors Finance Committee to coordinate and lead the annual audit process by preparing annual financial statements and audit files for internal and external auditors;
• Design and manage financial systems and processes for budget management, forecasting, and financial controls
• Ensuring the EPL Sierra Leone is compliant with EPL’s financial procedures and appropriate accounting standards and also with the local regulatory system, with particular emphasis on payroll taxes, withholding taxes, pension liabilities, and VAT
• Implement and establish financial internal controls
• Prudent cash and bank management and monitoring of bank and cash balances on an ongoing basis
• Provide the required support during proposal development and ensure that the developed budgets meet the prevailing needs in EPL Sierra Leone in collaboration with program teams.
• Overseeing implementation of Operations, logistics and procurement, IT and communication systems, structures and policies
• Any and all such reasonable additional tasks that the Country Director may assign.

Key Qualifications and Experience

• University degree in Accounting or other relevant Business Degree
• ACCA/CPA certification is preferred but not mandatory
• 5 and above years of experience in a senior accounting role, including experience in managing, reconciling, and reporting budgets for large donor-funded programs
• Knowledge of Sierra Leone's local law in taxation and local regulatory reporting procedures.
• Experience with financial systems such as QuickBooks Online will be an added advantage
• Knowledge of the relevant donors’ reporting and regulations

Key Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to work with international and/or remote teams.
• Strong organization and prioritization skills.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Excel and MS Word
• Accuracy in working with large amounts of data.
• Excellent communication skills both written and spoken
• Teamwork
• Strong interpersonal skills
• High degree of integrity and trust.
• Leadership skills with big-picture thinking and vision.

Application Instructions

If you are interested and meet the qualifications, please apply at https://emergingpublicleaders.bamboohr.com/careers/25

Please submit your application by 2nd March 2025.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview.

Emerging Public Leaders is an Equal Opportunity Employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Click here to apply