Finance Controller

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee is a prominent international organization working in relief, rehabilitation, protection, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. 

With a representation office in Kinshasa and field offices in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tanganyika, the IRC has been responding to humanitarian and developmental needs in the DRC since 1996. Today, the IRC in the DRC concentrates its efforts on providing essential and lifesaving assistance to conflict affected populations in the eastern provinces of the country, notably North and South Kivu, Tanganyika and Haut Katanga. Through carefully designed programs, the IRC aims to save lives, to strengthen Congolese institutions and to reinforce social cohesion. Guided by core principles of capacity-building, partnership, protection and the promotion of human rights, as the IRC focuses today on the following areas of need: health (including reproductive health and nutrition), governance and conflict management, women’s empowerment and the prevention and mitigation of gender-based violence, child protection, education and emergency preparedness and response.

Reporting to the Country Director, the Finance Controller (FC) will be responsible for the efficient and effective functioning of the Finance department to support the DRC program. Specifically, this will include providing technical oversight to the Assistant Finance Controllers (AFCs) and wider finance team to ensure quality, timely and accurate reporting. The FC will have management responsibility to assure proper management of grant budgets and cash flow at the national level.

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Financial Controller has overall policy and management responsibility for the finance and accounting functions for the country program. The Finance Controller’s responsibilities include general controllership, staff training, management, treasury and budget functions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Controllership

• Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and funding source policies, procedures, and requirements.
• As required, establishes finance and supporting function policies, systems and procedures, and directs or performs their development, documentation, and implementation.
• Manages the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by New York HQ and donors.
• Identifies requirements for and develop reporting formats to aid in the management of country operations and grant expenditures.
• Provides country management and program staff with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for all grants and unrestricted funds.
• Ensures  balance sheet reconciliations are completed monthly and on a timely basis and review final reconciliations and trial balances with the Country Director. 
• Closely monitors all financial activities, and proactively keeps the Country Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.
• Directs the preparation of and approval of all donor financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Country Director and Regional Controller prior to submission.
• Develops, schedules and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates necessary actions to correct internal control weaknesses.
• Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits
• Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures.
• Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.
• Is the principal liaison with IRC NY HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management matters

 Training & Staff Management

•  Develops and implements a training program for the country’s international and national finance staff to ensure staff development and minimize IRC’s exposure when staff are absent or depart.
• Maintains current job descriptions for all positions within the finance group.
• Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed on a timely basis and facilitates discussion of performance and career options with all country finance staff.
• Oversees training and technical support to country program, logistics and administrative staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control.
• Ensures strong coordination and collaboration within finance team as well as with other departments.  Ensure roles and responsibilities are well defined, communicated and respected by all finance team to ensure maximum efficiency and balance within finance team.

Treasury

• Supervises all country office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates.
• In compliance with IRC policy, establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings.
• Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations.
• Establishes country policies on advance payments, credit terms, and use of bank payment instruments.
• Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending.
• Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation.
• Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.
• Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables.

 Budget

• Assists with the preparation and revision of program and grant proposals and budgets.
• Assists in the preparation and maintenance of the country’s Operating Budget; including preparation of budget guidelines to assist program managers in formulating budgets.
• In compliance with donor requirements and IRC policy develops the “Field Operations/Overhead” budget and recommends a methodology for allocation of overhead to grant budgets.
• Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding.
• Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers.

 Qualifications

• A Bachelors degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance
• A recognized professional certificate in accounting such as ACCA. CIMA, CPA
• A Masters degree in Accounting or Management will be an added advantage;
• Minimum 8 years’ experience managing the finance functions of a non-profit organization, three of which must be as head of finance.
• Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs;
• Strongly preferred to have excellent knowledge of, and working experience with SUN and Vision
• A good ability to articulate issues and give solutions in remote sites by email or phone calls;
• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support;
• Must be a patient and good communicator who can function in an organizational environment involving a diversity of cultures, languages, and personal interests and agendas;
• Play a good role of facilitator and team player in solving problems;
• Must speak fluent English with strong preference for fluency in French as well
• Be willing to travel extensively to provincial offices

Specific Security Situation/Housing :
The position is to be based in Kinshasa (as fully accompanied) or Goma (as unaccompanied, but with private housing).