Junior Finance Officer, Field Support

Organizational Context

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is ministry of the Society of Jesus, incorporated as an international non-governmental organisation with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The organisation was founded in November 1980 and now has a presence in over 56 countries. JRS undertakes services at national and regional levels with the support and guidance of an international office (IO) in Rome. The style of JRS service is human and spiritual, working in situations of greatest need, seeking the long-term well-being of refugees and displaced people while not neglecting their immediate or urgent needs.

The main services provided are in the field of education, reconciliation, livelihood activities and psychosocial support. Currently, more than 677,000 individuals are direct beneficiaries of JRS projects.

Key Responsibilities

The Junior Finance Officer will be responsible for providing operational and financial support remotely and on site to Regional and National offices. He/she will provide assistance in implementing and interpreting financial processes and policies related to accounting, budgeting, reporting and auditing. The position will require travel to field sites in anglophone regions, as there will be a need to closely coordinate with Country Offices. In particular, she/he will:

Field Support

o Provide technical assistance, training and development on JRS financial tools and systems to Finance staff in the regions

o Support remotely and/or onsite financial reviews in close collaboration with the field office’s Finance team

o Assist staff in determining allowable and allocable costs for a particular award

o Gather, review and summarize financial information to support the Finance Director in decision making and recommendations for improvement processes

o Support the revision of in-country expenditures and make recommendations for improvement in financial reporting, budget adjustments, and other cost improvement measures, as required

o Review assigned projects, assessing cash burn rates, funding requirements, sub-grants, and contract and financial commitments

o Monitor and check actual expenditure levels against budgets and funding obligations and proactively work with the field offices to ensure spending is within obligated amounts

o Support Field Offices in preparing for and conducting annual external audits

General Support 

o Support the Program and Innovation Department to create proposal budget for diverse donors/sponsors

o Provide accounting and financial support to the International Office when required

o Perform any other duties as requested by the supervisor

Qualification and Competencies

o University degree in Accounting, Finance, Business and Administration, Project management or related areas

o At least three (3) year of relevant experience working in an accounting or finance-related role

o Knowledge of and / or experience with concepts, practices and procedures relating to accounting, financial controls and financial information systems

o Understanding of service centre, fringe, and indirect rate application and allocation methodologies

o Good knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel and Access

o Excellent written and spoken English

o Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multi-cultural, international, professional environment

Desirable

o Experience in a similar capacity with international, non-profit organizations

o Working knowledge of other languages (French, Spanish, Italian)

o Knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics Navision

Core values and ethics

o Commitment to JRS’s mission, vision and values; ability to convey with enthusiasm JRS’s role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and to advocate for their right to protection and a life in dignity

o High integrity, honesty and confidentiality; ability to deal tactfully and discreetly with people, situations and information

o Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value

Terms and Conditions 

Please note that this position is only open to candidates who possess EU citizenship or other legal authorization to work in the European Union.

Contract is for one year, renewable with an initial probationary period of 3 months. The JRS remuneration policy is aligned with the JRS ethos to offer effective and professional services and at the same time express solidarity with the people served. Benefits and compensation package will be discussed with short-listed candidates. The salary range starts from Euro 25.000 per annum.

How to apply

All applicants are requested to submit the following documents through JRS Careers web page by clicking the link below, no later than 16 January 2020:

1. A cover letter describing the candidate’s desire and motivation to work for JRS and how her/his qualifications and experience are a good fit for this position

2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English, including three (3) professional references with contact information, phone and email address.

Consideration of candidates and interviews will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Thank you for your interest in joining JRS