VACANCY TITLE Controller

LOCATION Rotterdam, the Netherlands

TERM Initial contract duration 1 year with possibility of extension

INTENSITY 40 hours per week, 5 days per week

ANTICIPATED START DATE As soon as possible

APPLICATION DEADLINE 27 November 2021; 10 pm CET

ABOUT GCA

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization with the vision of helping countries adapt to climate impacts. We will achieve this vision by working as a solutions broker to catalyse action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future.

GCA is a fast growing organisation with its headquarters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with a Research and Innovation hub in Groningen and with regional offices in Abidjan, Bangladesh and Beijing. GCA’s global strategy is implemented under three pillars of Knowledge, Programs, and Advocacy.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Overview

The Financial Controller is a member of the finance unit headed by the Finance Manager in the delivery of the organisation’s financial objectives and is expected to contribute to the financial culture, strategy and development of the organisation. You will support in the management of the organization’s statutory accounts and the processes, policies and procedures that underpin GCA’s financial control framework; and take a lead role in ongoing financial improvement work, bringing professional financial management to the financial accounts team and the wider organisation.

The controller will help to orient both finance and non-finance staff on the implementation and procedural financial compliance. You will also support the teams in handling budgets, external reports to institutional donors, accounts management, internal control and partner due-diligence and reporting. The controller will also contribute to improving the integrity and reliability of GCA’s financial systems by coordinating financial activities, upholding fiduciary responsibilities, ensuring effective stewardship of donor funds and contributing towards the further development of policies and procedures and orienting and mentoring staff with finance functions.

Areas of responsibility

Controlling

• Ensure quality control over the financial transactions, monthly review ledger activities, check sample documents, confirm reconciliations from the banks, petty cash, payable, payroll, incomes to receivable accounts, post in the ledger correcting entries when needed;
• Maintain effective control over budgets and planning: support teams in annual planning development, control budget spending, anticipate budget variances or funding gaps and provide program teams, country managers and regional directors with valuable recommendations and timely remedial actions;
• Coordinate with the finance manager, program teams and the regional directors on reporting and responding to donors: review all donors budget proposals and financial reports prior to external submission, review all grant documents for signature;
• Maintain a strong system of internal control and continuously improve compliance with policies, procedures, processes and regulations;
  
• Develop budgets for funding proposals that comply with (donor) guidelines, including the identification and assessment of financial risks;
• Review and monitor contractual commitments, including the timely reporting of project costs for partners and to donors
• Supports the implementation of the risk management policy, risk management procedures and identifying potential problem areas therein, proposing mitigation actions and preparing risk reports as required;
• Manage project financial close-out preparation and documentation;

Reporting

• Prepares timely, complete and accurate project reporting to donors and, when applicable, prepares project related audit files according to requirements and deadlines;
• Prepares the monthly, quarterly and yearly financial project reporting – including financial risk assessment – for internal organisational monitoring purposes. A financial risk assessment on projects is reported to the Finance Manager;
• Generates timely, complete and accurate information and financial project reporting in cooperation with FM in agreement with reported project performance;
• Prepares, in cooperation with program teams, project budget forecasts;
• Support the development of financial annual plans, strategic plans, budgets, forecasts, reports and analyses;
• Prepare and present financial reports and project overviews to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that all supporting documents for donor reporting are made available according to donor requirements;
• Supports the finance manager with the reporting cycle. Performing reviews to ensure the quality of accounting records and justification documents; Perform final checks on financial and year-end closures;
• Supports the finance manager prepare annual statements and coordinates statutory and project audit ensuring a high quality for accountability material. Ensure that recommendations from in- and external audits are implemented and disseminated throughout the organization;

Project administration

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of Financial Systems and General Ledger.
• Coach and train financial and non-financial staff on financial management and internal control.
• Supports and advises the program/project managers in checking and invoicing in relation to reports from consultants, partners and subcontractors. Monitors instalments and balances on project contracts and sub-grants.
• Facilitate the provision of information to external or internal auditors: maintain effective and secure financial records (electronic and paper) and ensure financial data of countries are easily accessible.
• Play an active role in the implementation of audit recommendations.