Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

PHILLIP CHIBWANA

Lilongwe

Summary

Holder of MBA Strategic Management obtained from University of Bolton (UoB) in 2020, Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) obtained from Dublin Business School in 2012, and Accounting Technician (AAT) obtained from NIEC School of Business Management Trust Zambia in 2006. Vast experience as a Finance officer, Finance and Operations Manager, Projects Accountant, Senior Auditor, Finance Associate and Finance Assistant. I am mature, confident and sociable professional with highly developed capabilities to deal with responsibilities and challenges.

I am energetic and courageous with a positive mindset, able to work with people of different backgrounds and in multi cultural settings. I am an efficient, organized, hardworking, dependable with absolute discretion, and excellent attention to detail. In addition to that, I am well-disciplined, focused and self-motivated with good interpersonal and communication skills and I am able to work under pressure. Furthermore, I am a team Worker, logical thinker and I am able to learn, adapt and promote new ethical standards while maintaining high levels of integrity and professionalism.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

Deputy Head of Finance - Global Fund

Global Fund & Gavi PIU
Lilongwe, Malawi
03.2019 - Current
  • Responsible for the implementation of financial policies and management of Program and Treasury Accountants for both Global Fund and Gavi, ensuring team members have set their priorities and meet their deadlines through performance appraisal and providing support for them to fulfill their potential.
  • Led in preparation of budget from compiling of assumptions to assisting departments preparation of budgets and consolidating the total budget for submission to The Global Fund as part of grant application for two cycles.
  • Appraisal of performance against both financial (budget v actuals) and non-financial indicators (assumptions v implementation) and work with stakeholder including senior management in projecting and determining compliant budget adjustments in-country, requesting and defending adjustments to The Global Fund where necessary as per The Global fund regulations.
  • A member of the management team providing guidance to senior management on applicable laws and regulations to ensure both country and donor requirements are adhered to ensuring that expenditure incurred is per grant agreement and there are no non compliant expenses.
  • Conducting risk assessment and updating the risk management register in liaison with the Internal Audit department.
  • Conduct capacity assessment and make recommendations on capacity building for sub grantees. Reviewing reported expenditure for budget compliance before it can be posted in the grant financial reporting system.
  • Preparing and presenting reports to both donor and government oversight bodies during scheduled and ad-hoc meetings, management of relationships with stakeholders like banks and suppliers.
  • Negotiating and managing staff and supplier contracts, reviewing and approving payroll and ledgers for posting.

Acting Head of Finance Global Fund and Gavi Grants

Global Fund & Gavi PIU
Lilongwe, Malawi
08.2022 - 07.2023
  • Responsible for the implementation of financial policies and management of departmental HR.
  • A member of the management team providing guidance to senior management on applicable laws and regulations to ensure both country and donor requirements are met.
  • Conducting risk assessment and updating the risk management register.
  • Preparing and presenting reports to both donor and government oversight bodies during scheduled and ad-hoc meetings, management of relationships with stakeholders like banks and suppliers.
  • Appraisal of performance against both financial and non-financial indicators.
  • Ensuring team members have set their priorities and meet their deadlines through performance appraisal and providing support for them to fulfill their potential.
  • Negotiating and managing staff and supplier contracts, reviewing and approving payroll and ledgers for posting.
  • The Global Fund policy required an international Head of Finance hence only worked on this role as acting head of finance.

Finance and Operations Manager

Girl Effect Malawi
Lilongwe, Malawi
12.2016 - 02.2019
  • Formulating and implementing policies for Operations, HR and Finance sections.
  • A member of the Leadership Team (LT) responsible for organization’ strategic direction in line with global thematic areas, choice of investment areas and implementation of strategies.
  • Providing advice to management on program implementation and funding areas.
  • Lead, coordinate and consolidate budgets, forecasts, budget revision in liaison with departments.
  • Preparation of reports including donor reports, (annual, periodic and adhoc) within provided reporting deadlines and oversee and coordinate the month-end process with a 5 day hard close.
  • Ensure statutory compliance with financial reporting, legal and governance requirements, Human Resources and tax regulations, reporting to the board during scheduled and ad-hoc board meetings.
  • Appraisal of performance both financial and non-financial against specified indicators.
  • Coordinating workflow within the finance and operations section, ensuring staff have the right capacity, training or arranging training where gaps in capacity are identified.
  • Negotiating and managing contracts and all major projects ensuring budgets and completion dates are well respected, coordinating external and internal audits and enforce internal controls.

Projects Accountant

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Malawi
Lilongwe, Malawi
01.2016 - 12.2016
  • Planning and coordinating project audits and make follow-ups on audit points.
  • Enforce internal controls, take part in VSO self-audits and assist with internal audits.
  • Prepare project proposals, budgets, forecasts, budget revision in liaison with project managers and presenting them to VSO management and donors, coordinating institutional and donor external audits.
  • Management of relationships with banks, vendors and other financial institutions.
  • Identify fraud, financial and operational risks of VSO partners and manage the risks and recommend to VSO senior management on the next course of action, reviewing and posting of payroll and ledgers.

Senior Auditor

AMG Global Chartered Accountants
Lilongwe, Malawi
01.2013 - 09.2015
  • Planning and performing external audits engagements and assurance services.
  • Capacity building of internal audit departments for clients.
  • Conducted verification exercises for the EU and UN on compliance with expenditure, policy, procedures and accounting standards and presenting reports.
  • Design internal control systems and recommend improvements to existing internal control systems.
  • Conduct forensic audits to identify fraud and identify changes that improve fraud prevention for clients.
  • Managed audits of various District Councils under donor special engagement.

Finance Assistant

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Lilongwe, Malawi
11.2007 - 12.2009
  • Processing of payments to suppliers as per payment guidelines and petty cash management.
  • Initiating payment of allowances, salaries and petty cash ensuring vouchers are charged to the relevant chart of accounts and conform to original authorization.
  • Addressing internal and external customer queries.
  • Submitting vouchers and cheques for authorized signatures according to hierarchy and thresholds and safe custody of the cheque book.
  • Processing payment to and rebates from the revenue authority.
  • Computing general ledger journal entries for approval and maintaining a filing system.
  • Perform reconciliations of local UN representative bank account, 2 projects bank accounts, Bank of America (USD) account and petty cash, in time for senior management team meeting and upload in Atlas for head office use.
  • Management of advances and liquidations by individual program units and implementing partners including project staff and government departments, ensuring funds are refunded for non-compliance and suspicions of fraud are dealt with and reported as per agreements.
  • Management of project budgets and analysis of the projects' expenditure and report on any foreseen funding gaps.
  • Processing payroll and conduct monthly payroll reconciliation in liaison with the payroll office in Copenhagen.
  • Participating in meetings with donors, making presentations on financial reports and proposals where extra funding is required.
  • Responsible for the operation of electronic funds transfer payment system and its controls, coordinating relations with banks, coordination of internal and external audits and asset management.

Education

MBA - Business Managemenet

The University of Bolton
United Kingdom
01-2020

Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) - Accounting And Finance

Dublin Business School
Dublin, Ireland
01-2012

Accounting Technician (AAT) - Accounting And Finance

NIEC School of Business Management Trust
Ndola, Zambia
01-2006

Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) - School Leaving Certificate

Dedza Secondary School
Malawi
01-1998

Skills

  • Microsoft Office
  • SAGE, SUN, ATLAS, Financial Force and SAP ERP
  • Planning, organizing and prioritising
  • Client Orientation
  • Teamwork and Good interpersonal skills
  • Timeliness
  • Contingency Awareness and Strong analytical skills
  • Multi-tasking, Self-starter and
  • Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
  • Able to learn, adapt and promote new ethical standards
  • Maintaining high levels of integrity and professionalism

Languages

English
Chichewa

Affiliations

Member: Malawi Accountants Board

Member: Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi

Member: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

Member: Association of Accounting Technicians

Timeline

Acting Head of Finance Global Fund and Gavi Grants

Global Fund & Gavi PIU
08.2022 - 07.2023

Deputy Head of Finance - Global Fund

Global Fund & Gavi PIU
03.2019 - Current

Finance and Operations Manager

Girl Effect Malawi
12.2016 - 02.2019

Projects Accountant

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Malawi
01.2016 - 12.2016

Senior Auditor

AMG Global Chartered Accountants
01.2013 - 09.2015

Finance Assistant

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
11.2007 - 12.2009

MBA - Business Managemenet

The University of Bolton

Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) - Accounting And Finance

Dublin Business School

Accounting Technician (AAT) - Accounting And Finance

NIEC School of Business Management Trust

Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) - School Leaving Certificate

Dedza Secondary School

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PHILLIP CHIBWANA