The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.


The IRC in South Sudan

The IRC has worked in South Sudan since 1989, through the decades of conflict that preceded independence in July 2011 and in the years since. The IRC South Sudan program is registered as an international NGO. It is led by a country office in Juba and delivers services through field offices in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, Unity and Central Equatoria states.


Through emergency and longer-term programming, the IRC supports people affected by conflict and displacement in areas including health (such as primary health care and community case management of childhood illness), nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, and economic recovery and livelihoods.


The Malualkon field office

This position is based in Malualkon, in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. The field office delivers services close to the communities the IRC serves, including through nutrition centers that the Finance Assistant visits to pay staff. The office works in close coordination with the Juba country office, which receives its cash records, supporting documents and bank information and which provides oversight of field finance.


Why field finance matters

Every service the IRC delivers depends on funds being handled responsibly. Donors, government authorities and the people we serve trust the IRC to account for every payment and receipt. In a field setting, where cash is used for many transactions, accurate records, clear authorization and complete documentation protect that trust. They also support the IRC’s commitment to fiscal integrity, which is one of the policies every IRC worker must follow.


Main purpose of this job

Under the supervision of the Finance Officer (FO), the Finance Assistant handles all cash payments and records transactions in the cash book daily.


In practice, the Finance Assistant is the first line of control over cash in the Malualkon field office. The role ensures that every payment and receipt is authorized at the right level, supported by complete documents, recorded promptly in the correct currency, and traceable from the cash book to its supporting document and on to the Juba office. The Finance Assistant also keeps the field office’s banking, filing and statutory payment obligations on schedule.


How this role contributes

  • Safeguards funds: strong cash controls reduce the risk of loss, error and misuse of IRC and donor resources.
  • Enables program delivery: staff and field activities, including those at nutrition centers, are paid accurately and on time.
  • Supports compliance: payments follow the IRC delineation of authority, and documents are stamped, filed and archived in line with IRC and donor requirements.
  • Keeps records audit-ready: well-organized, sequential and scanned records allow the FO, the Juba finance team, donors and auditors to verify transactions quickly.
  • Supports the Juba office: timely, complete cash records and supporting documents allow the country office to close its books and report to donors on schedule.

Scope of the role

The Finance Assistant works under the direct supervision of the FO and works closely with the Field Coordinator (FC). The role has no decision-making authority. Any exception, such as a missing approval, a cash difference or a request outside approved limits, is referred to the FO.


Key responsibilities

  • Each responsibility below is followed by a short explanation of what it involves in day-to-day work.

  • Cash and bank payment processing

  • Maintain both the SSP and USD cash books within the set limits and take responsibility for any cash differences that arise.
  • Keep a separate cash book for each currency and record every receipt and payment daily. Keep the cash balance within the limit set for the office. Because the Finance Assistant is accountable for any difference between the cash book and the cash on hand, compare the two regularly and raise any difference with the FO promptly.
  • Ensure that all cash payments are properly supported and duly authorized, in line with the IRC delineation schedule, before disbursement.
  • Before releasing any cash, check that the payment has the required supporting documents and the required approvals. The delineation schedule sets out who may approve which type and amount of expenditure. Do not release a payment if documents or approvals are incomplete.
  • Ensure that authorizations on payment requests are within the approved limits in the delineation chart.
  • Check the approver’s name and signature against the delineation chart for the amount requested. Return any request that has been approved by someone who does not hold the authority for that amount and inform the FO.
  • Prepare the cash spreadsheets for uploading, ready for review by the FO before they are uploaded to the SUN system.
  • Compile the cash book entries into the cash spreadsheets used for uploading to SUN, the IRC accounting system. Check amounts, currency and coding so the FO can review the spreadsheets without having to correct basic errors. Nothing is uploaded until the FO reviews it.
  • Perform cash counts every Friday with the FO and the Field Coordinator (FC), and ensure that all cash count sheets are signed, filed and shared with the Juba main office.
  • Count the physical cash every week with the FO and the FC and compare the result with the cash book balance. All three parties sign the count sheet. File the signed original and send a copy to the Juba main office so the count is independently verified.
  • Maintain the receipt book and ensure that authorized receipts are issued when money is received.
  • Keep the receipt book secure and use it in sequence. Issue an official receipt whenever money is received, so there is proof of every receipt, and no money is received without being recorded.
  • Ensure that all cash received is duly receipted and coded and promptly banked or recorded in the cash book.
  • Give a receipt for all cash received, assign the correct accounting code, and either bank the money or record it in the cash book without delay. Prompt banking limits the amount of cash held in the office and reduces risk.
  • Each month, stamp original documents “PAID” or “RECEIVED BY IRC” (or with the relevant donor stamp) before sending them to Juba.
  • Before the monthly document package goes to Juba, stamp the original documents so they cannot be used to support a second payment. Use the donor-specific stamp where the donor requires it.
  • Maintain the bank information file for both SSP and USD accounts.
  • Keep one organized, up-to-date file for each account, including, for example, account details and correspondence with the bank, so that information is easy to find for reviews and audits.
  • Act as the bank agent for the field office.
  • Carry out the field office’s banking transactions, such as deposits and withdrawals, and follow IRC security procedures when carrying out cash. Hand over bank documents to the FO promptly.
  • Collect bank statements from the bank each month.
  • Collect the statement for each account every month and give it to the FO, so that bank balances can be reconciled to the cash records.

Payment release

  • Record payments sequentially, keeping SSP and USD payments separate to maintain each sequence.
  • Record payments in the order they are made, using a separate sequence for each currency. An unbroken sequence makes a missing or duplicated payment easy to spot.
  • Follow up diligently to ensure that payments are made against fully signed and approved vouchers.
  • Chase missing signatures and approvals before payment, not after it. Only release payment once the voucher is complete.
  • Update the supervisor promptly on the reasons for any delayed payments.
  • If a payment is delayed, for example because an approval is outstanding or a document is incomplete, tell the FO early and explain why, so that staff, vendors and the FO can plan accordingly.

Filing

  • Before filing, ensure that all documents are stamped “PAID”, including the check number details.
  • Stamp every paid document and write the check number on it. This links each payment to its supporting documents and prevents the documents from being reused.
  • Maintain an organized, well-documented and sequential filing system for all cash disbursement vouchers, with every file clearly and visibly labeled.
  • Label every file so that any voucher can be found quickly by someone who did not file it. Keep vouchers in sequence so reviewers can trace each payment without assistance.
  • Arrange all files sequentially, in separately designated filing locations for SSP and USD checks.
  • Keep SSP and USD check files in separate, clearly marked locations, each in sequence, to match the separate payment sequences.
  • Archive prior years’ finance documents as instructed by the FO and the FC.
  • Box, label and store earlier years’ records in the location the FO and the FC specify. Keep an index of what is archived so records can be retrieved for audits and donor reviews.
  • Scan documents on a weekly and monthly basis.
  • Scan documents each week and complete a fuller monthly scan, so that an electronic copy exists if the paper originals are lost or damaged and so that copies can be shared with the Juba office.

Other duties

  • Be willing and ready to participate in field staff exchange programs organized by the FC.
  • Be open to short assignments or exchanges with other field offices, which build skills and strengthen collaboration between teams.
  • Attend and participate in trainings identified or organized by your supervisor.
  • Take part fully in training that supports the role, and apply what is learned in daily work.
  • Follow all new procedures and guidelines issued in circulars from the Country Director.
  • Read circulars when they are issued, follow the new procedures from the stated date, and ask the FO if anything is unclear.
  • Ensure that Personal Income Tax (PIT) and National Social Security Fund (NSSF) liabilities are paid to the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) by the 30th of every month.
  • Work with the FO to make sure the amounts due are confirmed and the payments are made on time every month. Late payment can lead to penalties and compliance problems for the IRC.
  • Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor.
  • Take on reasonable additional tasks that support the work of the finance team and the field office.

Key contacts and working relationships

Internal

  • Finance Officer (supervisor): gives day-to-day direction, reviews cash spreadsheets, takes part in weekly cash counts and receives bank statements.
  • Field Coordinator: takes part in weekly cash counts and gives instructions on archiving and staff exchange programs.
  • IRC staff from all departments and field offices: maintains regular and open communication to process payments and respond to queries.
  • Juba main office: receives cash count sheets, stamped original documents and other records from the field office.

External

  • Bank representatives: for banking transactions and the collection of monthly statements.

Qualifications

Education

  • Degree or diploma in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance.
  • A recognized professional accounting certificate, such as CPA Part 1 (Sections 1 and 2), is an added advantage.

Experience

  • Minimum of 3 years’ experience in the financial area of a non-profit organization.
  • Extensive experience working with computerized accounting systems and standard spreadsheet and database programs, preferably the SUN system and Q&A.

Skills and abilities

  • Good written and verbal skills in English.
  • Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support.
  • Good communication skills that work across a diversity of cultures.
  • Ability to facilitate, and to work as a team player in solving problems.

Work environment

  • The position has a programmable workload, with field travel to the nutrition centers to pay staff.

Decision-making authority

  • None.

Core values and critical competencies

  • Excellent communication skills
  • Initiative
  • Caution and attentiveness
  • Improvement mindset
  • Teamwork
  • Proactivity and reliability
  • Firmness
  • Stress tolerance
  • Planning and organization skills
  • Partnership building
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to work with limited supervision
  • Professional behavior and strong character

Professional standards

Standards of professional conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender equality: The IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce, including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Equal opportunity employer: The IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The IRC considers all applicants based on merit, without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.


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