Rafiou ABOUDOU MOUSSILIMI
Ouagadougou
Summary
With extensive experience in finance and operations management, I bring a strategic approach to delivering impactful programs as Deputy Country Director – Operations at Plan International. My expertise in finance and management control, combined with a commitment to operational excellence and collaboration, enables me to align organizational processes with the mission of empowering communities and creating sustainable change. I am driven to foster cohesive teams and deliver robust operational support for quality programming. As Deputy Country Director – Operations, I lead a multidisciplinary team across finance, supply chain, and ICT functions to ensure seamless program implementation and strategic planning. By prioritizing effective budgeting and operational efficiency, I work closely with program teams to ensure compliance, transparency, and optimal resource allocation. My experience in financial resources management and people development strengthens the organization's ability to deliver impactful outcomes.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Deputy Country Director – Operations
Plan International
03.2024 - Current
- Responsible for leading, managing and developing a team of functional experts, including finance, supply chain & ICT to support the delivery of quality and integrated programming in line with the organizational standards, frameworks and procedures.
- Strategic planning, reporting and support to programmes delivery
- Strategic planning: ensuring that operations are an engaged and effective business partner for Programme departments to carry out quality programmes with excellent operational support in line with established procedures e.g.: procurements, storage, transportation and distribution
- Budgeting: coordinate the preparation, consolidation, analysis and submission of country budgets to the regional office (RO) as per budget instructions and guidelines
- Financial resources management
- Ensure full project costings and maximising cost recovery from donors to ensure fully funded interventions
- Review of financial reporting prepared for submission to donors to ensure it is accurate and on time
- Ensure appropriate financial controls processes, procedures and systems are in place
- Ensure finance related audit actions are implemented and alternative actions taken as required to address weaknesses in financial controls and procedures identified in finance and other forms of audit reports
- Procedures, process and applications support
- Applications and systems support: oversee the in-country rollout of corporate systems and applications including finance systems (SAP) and other corporate applications
- Global and regional policies and procedures: oversee the rollout, including staff training of global policies and procedures in the country
- In-country policies and procedures: develop and maintain up-to-date financial and administrative systems, policies, procedures and guidelines to support in-country operations and ensure compliance of Plan International’s global standards and donor requirements
Country Finance Manager
Plan International
02.2019 - 02.2024
- Implement Plan International Bénin financial action plan and solidify the financial processes and systems in the Country Office and Program Units to enable the organization to deliver on its program strategy and accountabilities to children, communities and donors.
- Leads the financial services provided within Plan International Benin; which has an annual budget of approximately Euro 21,000,000 or more
- Manages 10 staffs in the Country Finance Department at the CO level and 11 staffs in the Program Units;
- Member of the Country Leadership Team;
- Signatory on Country office and Program Unit bank accounts;
- Approver of financial transactions up or as varied by the prevailing financial authorization
- Oversight and development of an excellent and high performing finance team within the country;
- Grants financial reporting and record keeping are thorough, well maintained and accurate;
- Plan International Benin management and teams are supported by effective financial services, financial information and advice;
- Budgeting and planning is based on excellent and timely financial data;
- Financial reporting and cash management is accurate and compliant with established policies and procedures;
- Financial services and business advice provided to the Country Director and CLT
- Country Finance staff performance managed jointly with the Country Director;
- Regular communications and good working relationships maintained with Country Director in order to achieve good quality of services.
Finance Associate
Plan International
10.2022 - 12.2022
- Oversee the accounting system (SAP) of Plan International CAR
- Follow up of countrywide inter-company recharges and ensure accuracy and timely posting of incomes and expenditures
- Assist the grant compliance manager in the analysis and zeroing out of unposted items PII and NO unposted items to date
- Support on the clearing of the balance sheet account
- Test the accrual system to ensure they are being normally and consistently captured and support in its proper implementation
- Follow up of partners and staff advance on long unjustified advances
- Ensure that country office bank reconciliations are timely performed
- Train and assist the finance team in the production of income reconciliation report, monthly period end closure, donor financial report reconciliation logging sheet
Country Finance Manager Acting
Plan International
10.2021 - 11.2021
- This is a secondment opportunity to cover for the role of Plan International Mali Country Finance Manager. For the period of this arrangement, I had provided support to Plan International Mali as follow:
- Assist the outgoing CFM to implement the priority remedial actions to restore and strengthen the internal control on Finance and Working with Partners:
- Assist Plan International Mali in putting in place local procedures (guidelines) relating to partner advance and liquidation process with clear work flow and duty matrix/role definition.
- Review the Mutual Appraisal and Capacity Assessment Tool of Plan Mali and introduce improvements to address gaps identified in the area of finance and working with partners
- Introduce Capacity building plans related to Finance and Administrative Procedures for Partners
- Train finance staff on partner’s review of liquidation reports; system of partner monitoring and preparation and analysis of financial reports
- Strengthen the Turn Around Time on payments to make them more efficient by developing a payment process that will buttress the chain of custody and avoid delays in payment.
Country Administration Manager Acting
Plan International
01.2020 - 03.2020
- Ensure that support services are provided with regards to procurement, contracts, assets, fleet towards implementation of the country’s programs and activities without any complaints of inadequate support services
- Ensure that various administrative systems, policies and procedures are established, communicated and adhered to by staff in the implementation of the country’s program
- Formulate & monitor local administrative policies and procedures for the effective procurement of goods, materials and services for the country’s programs and activities without any disruptions of work flow
- Formulate, review and administer contracts for program implementation without any adverse field reports or complaints
- Manage the acquisition, review and disposal of the organization’s assets to avoid any reports of losses or damages
- Ensure the effective and efficient management of fleet (vehicles) to facilitate implementation of the country’s program without any disruptions of work
- Ensure the adequate provision of logistics, utility and client services for the smooth outflow of work/minimization of waste
- Institute measures to ensure that the administrative staff perform effectively on the job to deliver functional administrative duties
- Ensure that adequate security measures are provided to safeguard the organization’s people, property and programs to ensure staff are safe and protected at all times.
- Arrange for the provision of legal advice on various matters to promote the smooth implementation of the country’s program with less legal suits.
Senior Internal Controller
Plan International
06.2013 - 02.2019
- Working in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas, Plan aims to reach as many children as possible, particularly those who are excluded or marginalised with high quality programs that deliver long lasting benefits by increasing its income, working in partnership with others and operating effectively.
- Key End Results and typical Responsibilities:
- I lead, managed a team of 4 staffs, and assumed accountability for Plan’s internal control system in Benin. I conduct more than 20 assurance assignments per year and successfully organize several awareness session against fraud within the organization in order to adequately inform partners and Staffs on Plan procedures, to communicate Plan's commitment to fight fraud and to change the behavior of staff and partners. Specifically, I:
- Undertake financial and/or operational assignments, and ad hoc investigations
- Leads the facilitation of risk workshops
- Coach less experienced staff members
- Assist the Management in monitoring actions taken by management following reviews
- Develop and delivers workshops, training and presentations as required in technical and non-technical areas
- Build the structure of the department (Quality Assurance) in charge of Internal Audit and oversees the organization’s Risk Management
- Defining the department Vision and Missions, drafting the Strategies and Processes, Code of Ethics, audit manual, forms and other tools.
- Manage the Quality Assurance department daily, administratively
- Produce reports and completed working paper files, ensuring that Assurance Quality standards are met;
Country Change Project Manager
Plan International
01.2018 - 06.2018
- This is critical hands-on and practical change project management role for a six-month period to manage Amalgamation of Bornefonden and Plan International’s operations
- Context and Dimensions of Role:
- Change project management in the scope of this position include primarily amalgamation-related deliverables with a focus on the diagnose and design phases of the “to-be organization”.
- The role was a functional support role, assisting with change project development and management and gap filling. The role also provided opportunities to assist with the managing and roll out of key change initiatives undertaken by the Regional Transformation Team.
Principal Investigator
Plan International
07.2017 - 08.2017
- Drawing on its experience in humanitarian response, Plan International moved to the Central African Republic in 2014 following the socio-political crisis and concentrated its activities on education and protection of children in emergency situations in several provinces of the country. In order to strength its internal control, I was deployed in CAR for one month to support the emergency response. Then, from 10/07/2017 to 09/08/2017, I undertook financial and operational verification and ad hoc investigations accordingly with Plan International Guidelines
Assistant Investigator
Plan International
03.2017 - 04.2017
- From 13 March 17 to 13 April 2017, I was deployed as investigator assistant in Plan International Sierra Leone to support the Counter Fraud Unit of Plan International in conducting a complex investigation. The objective of this investigation is to determine:
- Whether any evidence consistent with fraud is apparent in certain additional transactions identified;
- If Plan SLE suffered any financial loss in relation to the transactions identified;
- Which (if any) Plan SLE members of staff were responsible for any wrongdoing identified;
- Remedial internal control (or other) measures to best mitigate against the recurrence of any wrongdoing identified.
Internal Controller
Plan International
01.2008 - 06.2013
- Review all of the component of Plan Benin internal control system, which are:
- The Control Environment (based on Plan’s Code of Conduct and expected behaviours and people practices)
- Risk Management (both the global process and any local practices to aid program delivery)
- Control Activities (covering Program Management, Finance, Procurement and Administration, Sponsorship Management, Working with Partners, Grants Management, Child Protection, Security, Legal Compliance, ICT and People & Culture)
- Monitoring (by management of the key risks, controls and activities)
- Information & Communication (within the Plan team in Benin, with partners and communities, and with other stakeholders
Education
Master's Degree - Finance and Management Control
Université d'Abomey-Calavi
01-2003
Skills
- Team development and people management
- Strategic planning, reporting and support to programmes delivery
- Financial resources management
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Team collaboration
- Verbal and written communication
Certification
- Counter Fraud Unit Certificate, Counter Fraud Unit (CFU) PLAN INTERNATIONAL, DAKAR, Fraud Investigation (November 2017 - November 2017)
- IFACI Certificate
- IRM accreditation Risk Management Certificate
- Plan Academy Plan Certificate in Management (PCIM), Plan Academy, On line course, Management
Timeline
Deputy Country Director – Operations
Plan International
03.2024 - Current
Finance Associate
Plan International
10.2022 - 12.2022
Country Finance Manager Acting
Plan International
10.2021 - 11.2021
Country Administration Manager Acting
Plan International
01.2020 - 03.2020
Country Finance Manager
Plan International
02.2019 - 02.2024
Country Change Project Manager
Plan International
01.2018 - 06.2018
Principal Investigator
Plan International
07.2017 - 08.2017
Assistant Investigator
Plan International
03.2017 - 04.2017
Senior Internal Controller
Plan International
06.2013 - 02.2019
Internal Controller
Plan International
01.2008 - 06.2013
Master's Degree - Finance and Management Control
Université d'Abomey-Calavi