Finance Officer

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 Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are 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 Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

This position is part of the Regional Finance and Administration Unit located in Iran.

This post is responsible to ensure the delivery of effective and timely accounting, financial, and treasury services (if required) at the IFRC Regional Delegation based on Lebanon, with special emphasis in the ECHO PPP (Pilot Programmatic Partnership), Egypt and Algeria’s project financial management support.

1. Policies and Procedures
•    Have a deep understanding of the financial and administrative federation policies and procedures 
•    Advise project staff in the appropriate interpretation of the policies, and procedures 
•    Provide feedback to staff on documentation submitted with incorrect coding or inadequate supporting documentation
•    Provide feedback to his/her line manager or the Head, Finance and Administration of improvements in policies, or procedures 

2. Financial Reporting
•    Performs a periodic review of the transactions posted to the projects to ensure they are accurately entered into the accounting system
•    Monitor donor reports list, and submit the complete report prior the due date
•    Verifies that the transactions process occurs according to the IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), the IFRC policies, procedures and they comply with the donor requirements
•    Provide information about the status of reports to the finance analyst 
•    Prepares income or expenditure reallocations to ensure that the reports are ready to submit (when it is necessary)

3. Budgeting
•    Provide technical assistance, and advice to the project managers and / or programme staff during the preparation and/or revision of budgets
•    Provide analysis of actual expenditures vs. budgets with its respective comments of the variances (if there is any) and recommendations

4. Validation of transactions
•    Ensure that all the transactions related to his/her portfolio are validated following the expenditure authorization policy and others
•    Ensure all accounting transactions are properly authorized and documented by original and valid supporting documentation
•    Provide feedback to the project managers when findings have been identified in terms of documentation that does not meet the requirements or transactions that are not within the approved budget
•    Follow up with the project manager or unit staff the timely submission of the forecasts, journal of expenditures, expense claims and other documents

5. Treasury
•    The post will be responsible for the monthly cash request analysis submission (if applicable)
•    Ensure there are sufficient funds 
•    Preparation of bank account reconciliations
•    Conduct petty cash counts (surprise or planned)
•    Ensure that daily, weekly and monthly petty cash counts are being done
•    Ensure that the payments are done on a timely basis
•    Coordinate the opening and closing of bank accounts

6. Supplementary Services (if applicable)
•    Validate the Partner National Societies transactions related to the provision of supplementary services
•    Ensure the accuracy of the booking of these transactions
•    Prepare the draft invoice and ensure the content matches with the supplementary services report
•    Do the necessary corrections if required after the finance analyst has provided his/her feedback
•    Liaise with the PNS in case of technical questions
•    Ensure all the bookings related to services provided have been reflected in the accounting

7. Shared Office and Service Costs (if applicable)
•    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
•    Explain to each project manager of the related function the results of the analysis
•    Book the transactions monthly
•    Coordinate revisions of the budgets or rates when it is required
•    Provide the interpretation of the management report to the Head of the Country Delegation

8. Accounting verification
•    Book all the transactions in the accounting system after the appropriate review

9. Balance Sheet items review and reconciliations
•    Ensure the same amount that was counted match with the amount reflected in the accounting system
•    Provide reconciled account statements of the outstanding balances of staff and / or National Societies
•    Ensure that other balance sheet items are reconciled (e.g., prepayments, guarantee deposits, supplier balances, etc.)
•    Coordinate that corrections are done on a timely basis

10. Month end closed routines 
•    This post will support, if required, the month-end close routines (e.g., currency revaluation, allocation, booking of provisions, etc.) within the deadlines

11. Financial Analysis
•    Prepare ad-hoc financial analysis as per demand of the projects under his/her portfolio
•    Interpret financial key performance indicators to the project managers and provide quality advice to improve the performance or minimize / mitigate risks

12. Others
•    Provide support in case of long-term vacancies, absence, or illness to ensure continuity of the finance and/or administration function
•    Be prepared to deliver training to IFRC staff, or National Society Staff (if it is required)

• University degree on finance or accounting - Required 

• 3+ years of experience in technical area of expertise (finance or accounting) - Required
• Experience in Personnel Management - Preferred
• Experience in Financial Management - Required
• Experience in Budget preparation and control - Required
• Excellent practical knowledge of computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word processing, accounting applications, e-mail, internet) - Required
• Experience in working in an International Organization - Preferred

• Good stress management skills - Required
• Good analytical skills and solution focused person - Required
• Excellent communication skills - Required
• Good management skills - Preferred
• Time Management skills - Required

LANGUAGES

• Fluent spoken and written Persian - Required
• Fluent spoken and written English -  Required
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French or Arabic) or a language relevant in the region or country of assignment -  Preferred

• Professionalism
• Communications
• Diversity
• Accountability
• Teamwork
• Integrity

IFRC ensures equal employment  opportunities.