Manager, Finance

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”  The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland. The secretariat is organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Secretariat in Geneva and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

This position is part of the MENA Regional Office’s Finance and Administration Unit located in Beirut, Lebanon.

The Finance Manager is accountable for effectively managing a team of professionals within the finance function at the regional office. She/he will implement the IFRC financial policies, procedures, guidelines, and processes, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and providing quality service, advice, and support to relevant stakeholders. The incumbent is responsible to provide efficient and effective services in accounting, finance, and treasury management at the regional office.

Financial Policies and Procedures

• Have a deep understanding of the secretariat financial procedures
• Advise programme staff in the appropriate interpretation of the financial policies or procedures
• Provide feedback to his/her line manager on how to improve the policies, processes, or procedures

Financial Management and Controllership

• Manage the funds and financial assets of the MENA Regional Office under the overall direction of the Regional Director and the Head of Finance and Administration
• Support project managers in the preparation and monitoring of operating budgets
• Manage the Budgeting Cycle (Funding requirements, Operating Budgets and Project Expenditure Approval Requests)
• Provide advice to managers on financial matters (e.g., budgeting, financial analysis, etc.)
• Manage the day-to-day processing of transactions in accordance with established policies, and procedures
• Supervise the treasury management and the provision of accounting services
• Supervise the month-end close process within the established deadlines
• Provide expertise and advice on project financial management

Financial reporting

• Perform a periodic review of the transactions posted to the projects to ensure accuracy
• Monitor the donor reports list to ensure the submission within the due dates
• Verify that the finance unit processed all the transactions in compliance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), IFRC policies and procedures, and donor requirements
• Prepare and submit the financial reports free of errors or omissions to the Senior Finance Analyst for validation
• Be prepared to provide information about the status of the financial reports during the monthly meetings
• Prepare income or expenditure reallocations to ensure that the reports can be send to the donor with accuracy
• In close collaboration with the Strategic Engagement and Partnership Unit and the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Unit, monitor the pledge/appeal implementation rate, verify the compliance with donors’ requirement and support the timely production of accurate pledge or appeal financial reports

Budget and Outlooks

• Provide technical support and advice to the project managers, programme staff or National Society Staff during the preparation and/or revision of budgets or ceilings
• Prepare budget variance analysis (BVA) with recommendations
• Monitor the level of implementation of the budgets, contributions, and donations and provide feedback to the respective project or appeal managers
• Prepare outlooks to share with the appeal or project managers

Validation of transactions

• Ensure that all the transactions related to his/her portfolio are validated following the policies, and procedures
• Ensure that all accounting transactions are properly authorized and supported with valid supporting documentation
• Provide feedback to the project managers when the finance staff identified findings
• Follow up with the project manager or unit staff the timely submission of the forecasts, journal of expenditures, expense claims and other documents

National Society Development

• To advise, support, and train the National Societies staff
• Conduct ad-hoc training/workshops for National Societies staff in finance-related matters

Treasury management

• Provide support to cash-based initiative, if needed
• Monitor the timely transfers of funds to National Societies, and suppliers
• Prepare and submit the cash request analysis to the Senior Finance Analyst every month
• Ensure that there are sufficient financial resources in the bank accounts, petty cash, and emergency fund
• Ensure there is an appropriate segregation of duties within the treasury function
• Ensure that the treasurer process the payment on a timely manner
• Provide advice on how to minimize foreign exchange losses
• Ensure the timely reporting and invoicing to member National Societies
• Update the Regional office’s treasury policies

Financial Analysis

• Assist the project manager and unit staff in the accurate interpretation of the financial analysis of the projects
• Prepare ad-hoc financial analysis as per demand
• Gather the information for the preparation of the monthly management report (if necessary)
• Present recommendations, highlight risks, opportunities, or identify areas of improvement
• Monitoring of Key Performance Financial Indicators to ensure that there is a sound project financial management’s support
• Analyse the material budget variances, expenditures above budget, or deficits to propose corrective actions

Risk Management

• Keep informed the relevant stakeholders of the level of financial risks
• Provide feedback to update the regional office’s risk register
• Follow up on the implementation of the mitigation's actions identified in the risk registers related to the finance function, and ensuring compliance within the due dates
• Provide advice on how to manage or treat financial risks

Internal Controls

• Ensure that there is a rigorous internal control environment
• Ensure that all the expenditures are within the approved operating budgets or ceilings
• Ensure that all the expenditures are following the IFRC policies, and procedures
• Recommend how to improve the existing internal controls, if required

Audit or Evaluations

• Provide direct input to these reviews, clarify queries, and follow up on outstanding matters
• Follow up on all the recommendations and ensure the timely implementation

Effective managing and development of staff

• Build and maintain a structure that delivers quality services to all the related stakeholders
• Develop a culture of problem-solving mindset, accountability, and integrity among the team members
• Facilitate the deployment of staff to missions
• Ensure that the Regional Finance Unit staff delivers their tasks with the expected quality, timeliness, and within the budget
• Recruit, supervise, train and coach the finance team members on finance matters
• Pursue the professional growth of the staff (e.g., delegate positions)

Shared Office and Service Costs (SOSC)

• Provide technical support to the project managers during the preparation of the shared office and service costs budgets
• Gather the required information to fill in the calculation spreadsheet and budget template
• Explain to each project manager of the related function the results of the analysis
• Coordinate revisions when needed
• Provide interpretation of the SOSC management report to the project manager

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (CONTINUED)

Relationships with other stakeholders

• Liaise with project managers and unit staff to provide effective services to contribute to the achievements of the plan and budget
• Liaise with the assigned finance analysts to get advice, orientation, support on technical matters and provide feedback to the findings observed during the monthly review (e.g., checklists)
• Liaise with the finance staff to accomplish the tasks, overall objectives
• Liaise with the Head of Finance and Administration to highlight urgent matters, provide solutions, and ensure compliance with the IFRS and IFRC policies, and procedures
• Provide clarifications or supporting documents to the auditors
• Liaise with the Risk Management Delegate to monitor the identification of risks, and implementation of mitigation actions
• Liaise with the member National Societies on financial related matters
• Conduct briefing and debriefings

Balance Sheet items review and reconciliations

• Ensure there is a timely validation of the transactions
• Ensure that the finance staff provide account statements of the outstanding balances of staff and National Societies every month
• Ensure that other balance sheet items are reconciled (e.g., prepayments, guarantee deposits, supplier balances, etc.)

Month end close routines

• This post will be responsible to supervise that all the routines related for the closing of the month have been successfully run
• This post is responsible for the completion of the month-end close routines within the deadlines
• This position will conduct the preparation of the required checklists and review of the exception reports

Others

• Aid in case of long-term vacancies, absence, or illness to ensure business continuity
• Be prepared to assist during emergency operations

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals 
2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles
3. Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

Education

A university or professional school degree in an accounting or finance related area -Required
Qualification in business administration or auditing -Preferred

• 7+ years’ professional experience in a finance or accounting department -Required
• Effectively managing and supporting staff -Required
• 2+ years of field experience in a humanitarian organisation -Preferred
• Red Cross / Red Crescent movement, other international organization, large NGOs, and governmental development agencies -Preferred
• Working in a change management situation, as an active participant in that change -Preferred

• Self-supported in computing systems (e.g., accounting software and MS Office) -Required
• Excellent communication skills -Required
• Good analytical skills and solution focused person -Required
• Time Management skills -Required
• Skills in training and developing staff-Required
• Writing skills (i.e., able to write reports, policy, procedures, guidelines, etc.) -Required
• Organization and coordination skills (i.e., able to organize and delegate tasks) -Required
• Supervisory and coaching skills (i.e., able to identify areas of improvement and collective well-functioning) -Required

LANGUAGES

Fluently spoken and written English and Arabic -Required
Good command of another IFRC official language (French) -Preferred

• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Professionalism
• Communication
• Accountability
• Judgement and decision making

IFRC ensures equal employment opportunities!