Finance Controller

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, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.

 

The IRC started operations in Chad in 2004 to respond to the humanitarian crisis caused by the influx of refugees from Darfur to eastern Chad, with intervention in the Ouré Cassoni refugee camp. Assistance to Sudanese refugees has now expanded to the management of the ten camps in the East and one camp in the West with assistance to refugees and local communities in health, nutrition and water, hygiene and sanitation. In 2012, to respond to drought and food insecurity, IRC expanded its geographic coverage in the Guéra region. IRC is currently working in three health districts Mongo, Mangalmé and Melfi and is providing prevention and treatment of malnutrition to the local population. In May 2016, IRC opened an office in the Lac region to respond to the Boko Haram crisis. IRC implements assistance projects in health, nutrition as well as protection and response to gender-based violence.

IRC Chad is committed in its 2015-2020 Strategic Action Plan, to continue to provide essential humanitarian services in health, nutrition and protection / GBV, while improving the economic well-being and building the resilience of beneficiaries, especially women and girls. IRC Chad will continue to work with and closely support states actors/ Ministries for key areas of intervention so that IRC's actions fit into national policies to ensure better ownership of actions taken towards.

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

The Finance Controller will report to the Country director, with close working collaboration with both the Deputy Director for Operations and the Deputy Director for Programmes. The Finance Controller will be based in N’Djamena, but with frequent field visits in all the IRC Chad intervention areas.

a)Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and funding source policies, procedures, and requirements.

b)As required establishes finance and supporting function policies, systems and procedures, and directs or performs their development, documentation, and implementation.  

c)Manages the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by New York and donors.

d)Identify requirements for and develop reporting formats to aid in the management of country operations and grant expenditures.

e)Provides country management and program staff with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for all grants and Unrestricted funds.

f)Ensure that on a monthly basis balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a timely basis and those final reconciliations and trial balances are reviewed with the Country Director.  

g)Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Country Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.

h)Directs the preparation of, and approves 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.

i)Develops, schedules and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates actions necessary to correct internal control weaknesses.

j)Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits

k)Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures. 

l)Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.

m)Is the principal liaison with IRC NY on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management matters

a)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.

b)Maintains current job descriptions for all positions within the finance group.

c)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.

d)Oversees training and technical support to country program, logistics and administrative staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control.

a)Supervises all country office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates.

b)In compliance with IRC policy establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings. 

c)Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliation’s.  

d)Establishes country policies on advance payments, credit terms, and use of bank payment instruments.

e)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.

f)Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation.

g)Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.

h)Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables.

a)Assists with the preparation and revision of program and grant proposals and budgets. 

b)Assists in the preparation and maintenance of the country’s Operating Budget; including preparation of budget guidelines to assist program managers in formulating budgets.

c)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.

d)Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding.

e)Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers.

INTERNAL:

Country Director and other senior country office staff

EXTERNAL:

External to the Country Office: Regional Controller, Regional Director, Internal Audit; IRC’s Program Directors and other key Program Staff.

External to IRC: Banking Managers, Donors and local government staff (taxation and regulation related), External Auditors.

Education:

A Bachelors degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a Masters degree in Accounting.

Experience:

Minimum three years’ experience of managerial experience in the financial area of a non-profit organization or five years of managerial experience in finance in an international commercial organization.

Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs.