Country Financial Controller – Surge Team

Job Title: Country Financial Controller, Surge Team

Reports to: Head of Emergency Operations overall and between deployments, and Country Director while on deployment, liaising with the International Financial Accountant in relation to non-Surge postings. While on deployment in-country reports to Country Director.

Terms: This is a 24-month full-time unaccompanied role. 8 weeks annual leave increasing to 10 weeks after first year. R&R where applicable. 3 weeks when the employee will work from home.

All Surge team members must be available to deploy overseas within 24 hours of being requested to deploy. While not on Surge deployment or not otherwise required by the Head of Emergency Operations the Surge CFC may be assigned to support the Overseas Finance Team either in HQ or in an overseas programme.

Salary: GB7 – €66,156 to €75,607

Requirements:

About Concern: Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Role Purpose: As a member of country management team (CMT), the Country Financial Controller (CFC) is responsible for the effective management of the finance function. This will include ensuring internal controls are in place, managing the finance team, partner finance oversight, training, treasury management, financial planning/budgeting, and reporting. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring proper financial management and reporting on all grants received by Concern country of assignment. Maintaining and managing controls & procedures to safeguard and account for all assets, funds and interests of Concern’s operations is a crucial part of the role. The CFC will undertake staff training & development. The CFC as a member of the country management team and will participate in all key decisions relating to all programmes in accordance with organizational policies and the Country Strategic Plan.

Responsibilities:

Financial Systems and Controls

• Ensure that country financial management systems and records are adequate in order to identify and protect the assets and interest of the organization.
• Ensure that the systems and procedures in place enhance, as far as possible, the efficiency and effectiveness of the manner in which assets are utilised.
• Maintaining and monitoring an effective and efficient system of internal controls (i.e. ledger, cashbooks, balance sheet reconciliations, cash and bank management etc.) which comply with Concern Worldwide’s financial guidelines and minimise the risk of fraud or misappropriation.
• Ensuring financial systems of the country programme are operating in line with standard Concern procedures and they meet the monitoring and reporting requirements of the Country Management Team, Donors and National Authorities
• Ensure that the country financial operations comply with legal and statutory requirements e.g. audit and financial reporting to all relevant national authorities.
• With the support of the finance team, keep up to date with donor regulations and ensure that all controls are in place to meet donor compliance.
• Support the SD in ensuring there is a complete record of capital assets and that they are adequately safeguarded
• Organising and supporting financial assessments, reviews, monitoring and training of local partner organisations;
• Undertaking regular field visits to assess the financial systems in place & implement improvements wherever needed
• Closely monitor all financial activities, and keep the CD/Senior Management Team advised of all situations that have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial management performance.
• Accepting, advancing and pursuing any new objectives or responsibilities that may be assigned by the Country Director including transfer of existing duties and/or re-assignment to other responsibilities should the organisation so require
• Undertaking financial assessments & evaluation of partners, in line with Concern’s standard financial procedures
• Participating in the review, monitoring and capacity building of partners
• Assist the Shared Service Accountant (SSA) based in Dublin to ensure that the global accounting package (Microsoft Great Plains) is maintained in a proper manner and utilised in an appropriate and effective manner.
• As the field general ledger will maintain be maintained by the SSA, the CFC is responsible for maintaining all financial documents and back up at field level so that all transactions must pass the audit trail. The CFC should also provide all back up details to SSA related to the support cost allocation, donor reporting and quarterly and year-end reporting.

Financial Reporting and Donor Reporting

• Assist the CD and budget-holders in preparing budgets and revisions in line with strategic plans and organisational objectives. This involves supporting, facilitating and consolidating the financial budgets.
• Ensure proper recording of income and expenditure to comply with Concern and donor regulations.
• Provide all financial information ( Cash/bank /Journals) to SSA timely so that he/she can produce monthly management accounts (budget vs. actual) on time and work with the programme teams and department managers to understand their expenditure reports (management accounts) and budgets. Also analyse the major variances and collate the comments from budget holder on major variances and present it to SMT.
• Prepare journals with accurate backing documentation for entry into Microsoft Great Plains by the SSA
• Assisting the SSA to produce monthly management accounts (budget vs. actual) and working with the programme teams and department managers to understand their expenditure reports (management accounts) and budgets
• Overseeing the accurate preparation of financial reports and ensuring both organisational and donor requirements are met within agreed timeframes
• Overseeing the process of for new project/programme budgets and reviews
• Maintaining a donor financial management system in order to optimize funding and to ensure efficient and accurate reporting to donors, including donor compliance
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial reports for Concern’s Head Office (Financial Reporting Pack) with the assistance of the SSA
• Review and complete the financial reporting pack prepared by Shared Services Accountant including country commentary and CMT approval and dealing with feedback from Dublin jointly with Shared Services Accountant. Support the timely & accurate preparation of donor reports for external donors / agencies.
• Ensure all balance sheet items are reconciled on a timely basis, in accordance with Concern Worldwide policies & procedures
• Finalise year end accounts for the external auditors and provide any ad-hoc financial reports for Concern’s Head Office with the assistance of the SSA
• Provide financial analysis where necessary especially on maximizing available funds and advice to CD.

Staff Management and Capacity Building

• Providing leadership and direction for the in-country Finance Team
• Develop a second layer of staff who can fill the gap whenever any position is vacant in the finance team
• Undertake specific training, capacity building and other relevant initiatives to ensure national staff perform their roles and responsibilities with accuracy and professionalism and also create the space for national staff to develop into credible candidates to fill vacant positions in the finance team and to provide strong cover for leave.
• Providing training and support to financial and non-financial staff regarding Concern’s financial procedures and internal controls
• Undertake financial training of budget-holders, to assist them in enforcing financial controls and making decisions based on financial reports.
• Ensuring Concern’s values and policy commitments, including accountability and equality, are reflected in the work of the Finance Team/Department;
• Ensure that Job Descriptions of field finance are up to date
• Ensure that PDRs are completed for all country finance staff at least annually

Donor Management

• Ensure that necessary donor reporting deadlines are met
• Ensure that donor reports tie back to the general ledger from GP and donor original budgets
• Ensure staff positions are mapped to donor funding, ensuring that gaps are identified and included in future donor proposals, with decisions made on eliminating positions if there isn’t sufficient funding for the role in consultation with CMT
• Ensure all relevant donor guidelines, policies, proposals, periodic reports and other communications are readily available, categorized by grant, and documented in soft and hard copy filing
• Review of prepared donor budgets

Other Duties

• Facilitate internal, external and donor audits and associated reviews of field systems
• Ensure that all statutory deductions & taxes in respect of national staff are complied with & to liaise with relevant authorities in this respect.
• Review and established an effective monitoring system for the donations in Kind (DIK) so that all items received from donor as DIK and distribute to beneficiaries are recording properly and a reconciliation procedures need to develop to pass the audit trail.
• Assist Country Director to update the delegation of authority document in line with fundamental changes (New project/ closed project/ staff structure/emergency response/ etc.)
• Implement the finance systems related feedback provided by Regional Accountant or internal auditors.
• Assist in the development and implementation of the Country’s Strategic Plan
• Contribute to the development of the country’s strategic direction and to the overall leadership of the country programme
• Any other finance-related assignments

Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies

• Ensure adherence to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies
• Ensure finance staff understanding and adhere to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies

Confidentiality

• Ensure the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever acquired in the course of duty, relating to the practices and business of Concern Worldwide, to any other person or Organization without authority, except in normal execution of the above duties
• Ensure strict guardianship and security of financial data and documents at all times, including secure storage, accurate & complete filing and limiting access to the finance office to authorised personnel only

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E);
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed;
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Your skills and experience will include:

• Accountancy Qualification (e.g. CPA, ACA, ACCA)
• 3 years’ experience at senior management level in Concern or a similar organization preferably as international staff.
• Excellent staff capacity building and people management skills
• Experience managing large and multi donor (especially USAID, ECHO, DFID, etc.) programme budgets
• Proven leadership and excellent communication skills
• Must be fully fluent in English.
• A good understanding of computer applications i.e. Microsoft word, Excel, communications systems and basic trouble shooting skills.

We would also like:

• Demonstrated flexibility and ability to work effectively in short term missions
• Knowledge of development issues and concepts.
• Experience working with national and local organisations.
• Be proficient in working French.
• Academic background of or strong practical experience in macro-economic and/or fiscal policy.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
• Good team worker
• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Empathy with Concern’s goals and a commitment to capacity building, protection and participation
• Good communication and training / capacity building skills
• Proven organization, planning and management skills
• Ability to work on own initiative and lead diverse teams
• Flexible and adaptable to a changing environment