Finance and Compliance Director - Land Border Programme (National Position)

Finance, Accounting, Compliance

Nairobi,
Kenya

Description

Location Nairobi, Kenya

Position Status Full-time

Risk Level:    x☐ Level 3 ☐ Level 2 ☐ Level 1

(Level 3: Frequent contact with participants, direct contact with children, access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.

Level 2: Some contact with participants; unplanned non-direct contact with children.

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.  In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.  Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps is seeking a Finance & Compliance Director for the anticipated FCDO-funded Land Border Programme.  Irregular migration and associated criminal activity in East Africa remain a complex and escalating challenge which leads to significant exploitation of vulnerable people on the move.  The planned East Africa Land Border Programme will take a multifaceted approach – integrating ‘prevention’, ‘prepare/protect’ and ‘pursue’. An important purpose of this programme is to support the pursuit of human traffickers and smugglers who are exploiting vulnerable populations on the move.  Initial interventions will take place in the Kenya border regions, with planned and phased expansion to Uganda, Ethiopia and possibly Somalia border areas.

General Position Summary

The Finance & Compliance Director will provide leadership and direction to the finance, grants and finance officers, with close quality control and oversight of the programme’s finances, including financial analysis and accounting management. They will be responsible for the sound financial management of the programme and its associated awards, working collaboratively across countries and between organisations to ensure that the programme is delivered on-time, on-budget, and in adherence to Mercy Corps’ and FCDO policies and procedures. The programme is anticipated to start early May 2026 for 3 years and this position will be based in Nairobi.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

  • Lead the multi-year budgeting process at the start of the programme and ensure its detailed updating throughout each fiscal year. Build in inputs from a diverse array of programme stakeholders including outcome leads, country leads, international and local partners, and HQ and regional support teams
  • Establish proactive and robust systems for maintaining oversight of multiple countries, partners and separate awards throughout the duration of the programme.

Financial Management

  • Develop and update annual fiscal year budgets with the Senior Programme Manager and partners, accommodating amendments to the budget ceiling throughout the year.
  • Participate in ABB calls with the donor, maintain a ‘live’ Activity-Based budget for the programme, conduct monthly ABB reviews and provide biweekly reports and forecasts to FCDO, ensuring accuracy of forecasts to budget spend.
  • Review all financial plans and budgets, monitoring progress and changes. Flag issues and work to resolve with senior management
  • Develop and oversee all financial systems, policies, procedures, and internal controls for the programme, adapting them as necessary to meet changing regulations and best practices within each country of implementation.
  • Oversee annual financial audits of the programme and ensure that partners and subgrantees comply with all audit and financial review requirements.
  • Periodically assess the efficiency and effectiveness of finance procedures  and prepare and execute action plans to improve efficiency and effectiveness, to mitigate operational and compliance risks and ensure delivery of technical activities on time and at optimum cost
  • Create and maintain systems to ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with programme, FCDO and Mercy Corps’ needs.
  • Ensure compliance with FCDO and Mercy Corps’ rules and regulations relating to finance, Compliance and sub-grant management
  • Finance reviews of the payment requests and financial vouchers within the approved authority matrix limits.

Grant Management

  • Provide Management to grants and finance officers, ensuring grants and sub-contracts are issued and managed in line with Mercy Corps and FDCO policies
  • Review all RFAs and liaise with Senior Programme Management, and Implementation and Partnership Manager, and MCE for approval.
  • Oversee the grant management function, ensuring timely submission and approval of reports and advances to partners.
  • Oversee the development of sub-partner grants and contracts, advising on the most suitable grant/contract mechanism for each partner.
  • Ensure activity or milestone budgets are developed and implemented accurately and maintain a master collation of partner budgets.
  • Provide leadership during grants close out and partner’s asset disposition.

Admin and Compliance

  • Respond to urgent client requests, including budget scenarios, scope of work development, and other tasks as needed.
  • Work with the Senior Programme Manager and MCE to draft/review FCDO deliverables – including Quarterly Financial Report, Inventory and Asset Report, Annual Value Added Tax Report.
  • Perform other tasks as requested by the Senior Programme Manager
  • Review and/or prepare regular and ad hoc requests for reports to FCDO, including inventory disposition, local taxes, activity budgets, etc.
  • Provide leadership during donor spot checks and in addressing any identified issues.

Team Management

  • Supervise the day-to-day performance of direct reports, ensuring that they understand their roles, coaching them to succeed and providing them with feedback and technical and administrative support that they require in meeting their performance objectives.
  • Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on one and performance reviews.
  • Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
  • Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

Safeguarding responsibilities

  • Actively learns safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
  • Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
  • Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility

Grants and Finance Officers

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Programme Manager with a dotted line to the country’s finance lead.

Works Directly With: Implementation and Partnership Manager , Programme Outcome leads; Programme partners and sub-awardees; HQ and Regional Finance teams; HQ and Regional Compliance teams;

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

  • A BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance required; advanced degree preferred.
  • CPA(K) or equivalent.
  • At least 15 years of progressive financial management experience, including supervisory experience required.
  • At least 4 years’ experience in grants management as well as a strong understanding of FCDO grant and contract regulations required.
  • At least 3 years’ international experience required; international INGO/PVO field office experience is preferred, with experience on programmes operating in remote, high-risk settings
  • Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting preparation and presentation and the proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports. Experience of ABB format budgeting is preferred.
  • Prior management experience and strong organizational skills.
  • Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
  • Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
  •  Excellent oral and written English skills required
  • Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
  • Previous experience in insecure environments

Success Factors

The successful Finance & Compliance Director will combine strong technical skills and excellent coordination and management abilities. S/he will have an outstanding ability to develop, implement and manage complex financial and administrative systems, and support adaptive, responsive programming across a number of partners, whilst minimizing risks .S/he will have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. S/he will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact effectively with internal and external stakeholders on sensitive and confidential matters, and the ability to navigate difficult circumstances with a calm demeanor, in an analytical and methodical manner. A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing programme activities is necessary. A broad understanding of humanitarian and development programmes coupled with the ability to analyze financial operational data and clearly present conclusions and recommendations is essential. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations

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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.