President Mugabe noted that the economy was facing numerous challenges characterized by declining production levels, high production costs, company closures and high unemployment level. The government will therefore prioritize sustained economic recovery and growth and in particular the implementation of pro-poor economic policies. – Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust newsletter on the First Session Eighth Parliament

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Country Finance Manager: Plan
Deadline: 23 September 2013

Founded more than 75 years ago, Plan has global presence in 68 countries and is one of the world’s largest children’s development organisations. Plan promotes child rights and lifts millions of children out of poverty, particularly the excluded or marginalized, through high quality programs that deliver long lasting benefits. Plan is an independent organization with no religious, political, or governmental affiliations. Plan Zimbabwe has active programs in child rights and protection, education, food security, health, HIV & AIDS and water, sanitation & hygiene sectors.  Plan Zimbabwe is recruiting suitably qualified candidates to fill the vacancy of Country Finance Manager on a renewable 2 year fixed term contract basis.

Job summary
The position is accountable for the development and implementation of financial policies, procedures, strategies and controls to manage the financial resources of Plan Zimbabwe. Also implements Plan Zimbabwe’s finance strategy and solidify financial processes and systems in the country to enable Plan to deliver on its country strategy and accountabilities to children, communities and donors.

Dimensions of role
-Has a country wide financial management responsibility reporting to the Country Director and matrix managed by the Regional Finance Manager
-A member of the Country Leadership Team providing advice on country financial and risk management initiatives
-Leads the financial services provided within Plan Zimbabwe for an estimated country annual budget of US$ 25 million
-Representation of Plan Zimbabwe, its work and values within country forums/networks/conferences
-Leadership, management and development of in country finance staff
-Focal point person for in country risk management processes

Key end results and typical responsibilities
-Guide and facilitate the effective use and management of Plan’s financial resources in the country
-Financial reports & country budgets are prepared according to corporate requirements & guidelines, accurately and on time
-Financial reports are designed, produced and analyzed for internal management purposes and recommendations made
-Financial reporting and cash management is accurate and compliant with established policies and procedures
-Capacity assessments of prospective partners are thoroughly performed for possible cooperation and partnerships
-Provide an oversight and development of an excellent and high performing country finance team
-Budgeting and planning is based on excellent and timely financial data
-Manage Plan Zimbabwe’s general ledger and cash management processes
-Compliance with policies, standards and guidelines is routinely monitored, using audit-rating trends
-Payroll procedures are established and maintained in accordance with local legal requirements
-Support the Country Leadership Team in managing country financial risks
-Ensure country budget expenditures do not exceed approved budget limits
-Provide capacity building trainings for partners

Entry qualifications and experience
-University Degree in Finance or Accounting plus a Professional Accounting Qualification such as CIS, ACCA, CIMA or the equivalent
-Minimum of 7 years experience at the managerial level on a similar position
-Experience in using and managing various accounting packages or applications
-Experience on internal control applications and local taxation
-Experience in risk identification and management
-Excellent communication, problem solving and analytical skills
-Strong team building, strategic thinking and motivational skills
-Extensive travel within and outside the country
-Innovative and results oriented

To apply
Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are required to submit their curriculum vitae & covering letter outlining their suitability for the position to: zwe.recruitment [at] plan-international [dot] org

Plan is committed to keeping children safe from abuse, neglect and any forms of exploitation. Reference & background checks will be performed including clearances on child related offences in conformity with Plan’s Child Protection Policy.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

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Kubatana encourages starting and expanding conversations, personal, social and political.

You add, we multiply!

I am one of the people who believe that the 31 July 2013 election in Zimbabwe was stolen. First, by the obvious facts that all the SADC prescribed reforms have not taken place and for a simple reason that the electronic voters’ roll cannot by now be made available to the general public. The MDC-T leadership has taken the fore front in the fight for justice to capture back the looted vote that was taken from the people. People in return have taken a back seat on the issue and therefore continuously ask the question of ‘what is the way forward’. The MDC to my own understanding does not have the answer to that question; on Saturday during their anniversary rally they failed to answer that question. I was listening to ‘Your Talk’ by Temba Hove on 1st TV and the same question today is being asked by people.

On 3 September when Morgan Tsvangirai visited the Glenview 29 at Chikurubi, he failed to answer that question and said, “We will be visiting them, we will be visiting the chairman of the SADC, the chairman of the Troika, the Facilitator. Just to say perhaps you arrived at this conclusion erroneously. Whether they are going to review it that’s neither here nor there but what I want to do is to engage SADC, we can’t avoid engaging SADC about the facts on the ground. Whether that will have an effect, that’s a different matter.” This response to me meant that his party is not sure of what they will be lobbying for with the SADC bodies. In fact he has a conviction that their presentations to the SADC arms will be rather persuasive to alter any position that has so far been endorsed by the head of states.

On the way forward by the people in Zimbabwe, a reporter asked if people could expect an Egypt and he said, “Why should we have an Egypt and why should the MDC craft an Egypt style revolution? I have said it before that you don’t act in emotion, you act with conviction. That’s a more sustainable basis than to act with emotion. I believe further consultation with the people will reveal that the struggle has to continue but it has to continue with more conviction. People want instant coffee; they want instant solution to their plight … But unfortunately in the nature of a struggle where we are fighting a dictator using democratic means is not as instant as they expect. And I’m sure that they have to budget for even for a long haul.” The reporter quickly picked it up that there is no tangible plan that the people of Zimbabwe should anticipate from the MDC-T that can stand as indemnity to their lost cause and asked if the people should now wait for the 2018 elections for his party to bounce back with a plan and h said, ” No, no, no, we don’t plan for 2018, we plan for every eventuality.”

I am personally of the feeling that the people of Zimbabwe are all alone in their battles and there is no other way to take what rightfully belongs to them but to just wait for the hand of God to remember the land. The least thing that the MDC should have done is to organise people in the most peaceful way (not the Egypt) like they did on the 14th anniversary and make public illustrations loud enough to reach all SADC countries to show that the people of Zimbabwe are in great mourning.

Politics is for the people, of course they have got leaders but the biggest conveyors of any kind of message in the movement are the people. If the leadership, like the MDC-T’s says they can go it alone without the people like they did, it’s either that they have to have a concrete and fruitful plan or risk to lose the people.

If you’d like to get civic and human rights updates + information on internships, awards, conferences and NGO job vacancies, subscribe to our weekly e:zine. Email: join [at] kubatana [dot] net

Administration Assistant: CARE International in Zimbabwe
Deadline: 26 September 2013

Position Code: AEP-ADA 13
Program: Anticipated Emergency Program
Duty station: Masvingo

Job summary
The Administration Assistant will provide reception and secretarial services and any Administrative functions that may be delegated to her from time to time, under the supervision of the Administration Officer.

Key duties and responsibilities
-Receive telephone calls and visitors in a professional manner, referring them to relevant staff and deals with visitor/caller enquiries
-Ensure that the reception area is clean and presentable
-Record keeping and filing
-Monitoring Usage of Office Machines
-Mail Receipts and Delivery
-Locates and extracts telephone/ cell-usage information from specified sources for use by staff
-Manage stationery in liaison with Administration Officer
-Organise conferences, meetings and functions: booking Boardrooms and ensuring that all required material is available and in working condition

Qualifications and experience
-5 ‘O’ Levels including English Language
-A certificate in administration or secretarial studies
-3 years experience in secretarial or administration position or similar
-Must be computer literate: basic knowledge and experience with WORD, EXCEL, e-mail and Internet services
-Very good organizing skills
-Very good public relations, communication and interpersonal skills
-Must be able to work under pressure and
-Knowledge of switchboard operation.

To apply
Interested and qualified applicants can send their Curriculum Vitae and Application Letters by the 26th of September 2013 quoting the position code on the subject for email applications to:

The Human Resources Manager
CARE International in Zimbabwe
8 Ross Avenue
Belgravia
Harare

Or: vacancies [at] carezimbabwe [dot] org