Delegate, Finance

Job Purpose

The Finance Delegate is responsible for providing accounting services, ensuring sound internal control, financial reporting, training, and providing advice and support to relevant stakeholders within a comprehensive financial management structure related to the country/cluster's operations.

The Finance Delegate will be responsible for budgeting, financial planning, financial management, and monitoring income and expenditures for all the IFRC operations in the country of deployment in close cooperation with the country/cluster's finance team and the regional finance and administration unit.                                           

In addition to the accounting and administration services, the post holder will provide general support and advice to programme managers on all programme-related financial issues to ensure efficient and effective financial management.

The position will provide training and support to relevant stakeholders to ensure a rigorous internal control environment in compliance with standard operating procedures and key performance indicators.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Risk Management and Internal Controls

• Provide support in the design, development and dissemination of policies, processes and procedures.
• Oversee the application of finance and administration policies, processes, and procedures.
• Provide support to initiate policy, process, and procedural reviews, with a view to maintaining a sound internal control environment while creating an enabling environment for the program.
• Ensure that a rigorous internal control environment is maintained.
• Monitor for relevant regulatory changes in the program area.
• Continuously ensure regulatory compliance in program areas, particularly as it pertains to banking, taxation and other financial regulations.
• Ensure that all spending is within the project expenditure approval, and no cases of expenses above budget or expenditure ceiling occur at the project/account group level.
• Ensure that all spending is valid and complies with the IFRC procedures.
• Support the implementation of internal and external audit recommendations.
• Ensure that a financial risk assessment is conducted for project proposals.
• In corporate risk management framework and control mechanism in the day-to-day work and provide training and disseminate the procedure on Fraud and Corruption prevention and control policy.

Financial Management and Controllership

• Coordinate the timely/quality preparation of the program budgets.
• Manage the day-to-day processing of transactions under established procedures.
• Support the month-end financial close process for the Program in compliance with policies and procedures.
• Support the program's year-end financial close process, ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of account closings in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards.
• Manage the funds and financial assets of the field operation. This will include managing cash flow and cost control as well as managing payments, cashiers, and banks.
• Manage the monthly financial cycle, within the deadlines, without significant error and maintain the accuracy of the numbers, resulting in satisfactory audit reports and positive evaluations of the financial aspects of the operations.
• Provide an analysis of actual expenditures against budgets with their respective comments on variances (if any) and recommendations.
• Provide expertise and advice to project management on an ad hoc basis as required on financial management matters in operations and programmes.
• Monitor financial key performance financial indicators monthly and provide advice and/or instruction to managers on improving.

Financial Reporting

• Prepare timely quarterly and ad hoc financial reports for management purposes.
• Provide clear oral reports to internal and external stakeholders to enable understanding and decision-making.
• Prepare donor financial reports, on an ad hoc, as required basis.
• Support programme and year-end audits.
• Monitor the rate of implementation of appeals, monitor compliance with donor requirements, and support the timely production of financial reports.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Treasury Management

• Support effectively management of the funds available for the program consistent with organizational policies and with a view to minimizing risk of loss.
• Maintain awareness of regulatory/sanction environment and ensure compliance.
• Monitor field bank account balances and ensure monthly bank reconciliations are completed in a timely manner.
• Review and submit accurate and timely cash requests for the program ensuring sufficient cash flow to the program;
• Ensure timely reporting/invoicing and collection of receivables.
• Manage bank account balances to minimize foreign exchange volatility on cash held for the program.

National Society Development

• Support the affected National Societies’ development in matters of expertise (Record keeping, accounting, financial reporting, financial management, etc.), including:
  • Supporting NSs with assessment of their capacities (in coordination with Country Offices and Regional Finance teams).
  • Leading in the identification and agreement with National Societies on areas for relevant direct support.
  • Providing expert advice on key policies, procedures and processes.
  • Conduct and coordinate training on financial management matters.
  • Sharing relevant information on international standards and norms, good practice, etc. in key areas of financial management and accountability.
• Provide expert advice to the Country Operations team and program managers on all financial risk, management, reporting and compliance matters.
• Monitor, and report on key performance indicators and advise Program Managers on actions to be taken to improve delivery of the program while minimizing risk of loss (i.e. due to funding gaps and/or potential deficits);
• Review Shared Office and Services Costs budgets and expenditures quarterly and advise Country Senior Management and Program Managers on improvements to ensure cost efficiency and value for money.
• Monitor outstanding pledges, and with a view to matrix management initiate follow-up with Appeal Managers and Partnerships and Resource Development to ensure timely collection.
• Support timely/quality preparation for all Appeal, donor, and contract audits, as well as annual audits.
• If necessary, support coordination of field-based audits with internal/external auditors and finance management teams.
• Follow-up on implementation of Control Deficiencies/Performance Improvement Observations resulting from external and internal audit reports and provide timely reports of update.
• Advise internal auditors on areas that deserve focus due to high risk. In support of the implementation of internal and external audit recommendations.

Education

Relevant university degree (Master in Business Administration or equivalent)(Required)

Professional qualification in accounting (Chartered accountant, CPA or equivalent)(Required)

IMPACT or equivalent knowledge(Preferred)

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience. (Required)
• Minimum of 5 years in finance and administration management position.(Required)
• Minimum of 2 years work experience with an International Organisation, international non-governmental organization, NGO and/or government development agency.(Preferred)
• Experience working with the International Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement.(Preferred)
• Experience in planning & budget, financial analysis & statements, reporting & treasury management, external financial audit.(Required)
• Experience working in multicultural environment.(Required)

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required

• Service minded, ability to lead, delegate and manage.
• Result-oriented, ability to lead transitions within a matrix management structure.
• Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality, acting as a model of highest integrity in personal capacity and at team level.
• High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity with internal and external stakeholders.
• Good ability in representation, negotiation, networking and communication.
• Advanced skills in computer productivity applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
• Advanced knowledge of accounting concepts.
• Knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards or equivalent.
• Advanced knowledge of financial management and reporting applications (e.g. CODA and Business Objects).
• Understanding of internal control and treasury management concepts.
• Ability to effectively provide training on finance and administration management matters, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and engaging partners.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual and cross-functional context.
• Fluent spoken and written English

Preferred

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic).

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.