Country: Iraq
Closing date: 08 May 2019
Job Description
CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND
Iraq and northeast Syria are both emerging from over three years of fighting against the Islamic State and remain two of the most complex operating environments in the world. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades and the destruction of communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair. Over 4 million Iraqis have returned in the past year, but 1.9 million remain displaced. 230,000 Syrians continue to seek refuge in the Kurdish region. Over one million people in northeast Syria are suffering from drought, years of civil war, and the fight against ISIS. Nearly 300,000 people have returned to parts of Deir ez-Zour and Raqqa City, but hundreds of thousands remain displaced, and needs are high across all populations.
A lead responder in Iraq since 2003 and in northeast Syria since 2013, the IRC delivers aid and services that help communities survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The IRC is providing robust programming in Iraq and in northeast Syria through women’s protection and empowerment, child protection and protection and rule of law programming; cash distributions and livelihoods programming in support of economic recovery and development; and integrated early childhood development programming. In northeast Syria, the IRC also implements large primary health care programs, while in Iraq, the IRC is implementing education programs.
Scope of Work:
The Finance Controller has overall policy and management responsibility for the finance and accounting functions of the country program. The Finance Controller’s responsibilities include general controllership, treasury and budget functions as well as staff management and training and is a member of the Senior Management Team. The position is based in Baghdad with travel to field sites in Iraq and northeast Syria.
Responsibilities:
• Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and donor policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Establishes in-country finance policies, systems and procedures, and directs their implementation.
• Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Country Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.
• Ensures monthly balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a timely basis and that those final reconciliations and trial balances are reviewed with the Country Director.
• Provides country management and program staff with monthly financial reports and analysis for all grants and unrestricted funds.
• Manages the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by headquarters and donors.
• Identifies requirements for and develops reporting formats to aid in the management of country operations and grant expenditures.
• Directs the preparation of, and approves all donor financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Country Director and Regional Controller prior to submission.
• Develops, schedules and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates actions necessary to correct internal control weaknesses.
• Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits and financial reporting.
• Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures.
• Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.
• Is the principal liaison with IRC HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management matters.
Treasury
• Supervises all country office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates.
• In compliance with IRC policy establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings.
• Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations.
• Establishes country policies on advance payments, credit terms, and use of bank payment instruments.
• Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending.
• Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation.
• Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.
• Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables.
Budget
• Oversees the preparation and revision of grant proposal budgets.
• Prepares and maintains the country’s Operating Budget; including preparation of budget guidelines to assist program/field managers in formulating budgets.
• In compliance with donor requirements and IRC policy develops the “Shared Program Costs” and “Overhead Costs” budget and recommends a methodology for allocation to grant budgets.
• Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding.
• Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers.
Training & Staff Management
• Establishes a finance department roles and responsibilities matrix; outlines relevant job descriptions; recruits and maintains adequate numbers of qualified staff to perform finance functions.
• Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed on a timely basis and facilitates discussion of performance and career options with all country finance staff.
• Develops and implements a training program for the country’s international and national finance staff to ensure staff development and minimize IRC’s exposure when staff are absent or depart.
• Maintains current job descriptions for all positions within the finance group.
• Oversees training and technical support to country program, logistics and administrative staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Internal
• Reports to the Country Director and supervises the finance team
• Works closely with the grants team and the technical team to ensure proper financial management of projects and donor relations.
External
• Communicates with the Regional Controller
• Represents the country office with Banking Managers, local government staff (taxation and regulation related) and External Auditors.
REQUIREMENTS
Education
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, and/or a Master’s degree in Accounting.
Experience
• Minimum six years of managerial experience in the financial area of an international non-profit organization. with demonstrated track record of meeting donor requirements
• Extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs.
• Experience managing a multiple grant portfolio and addressing competing priorities in a high-pressure environment.
• Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs (SUN System and Vision are preferable).
Skills and Abilities
• Good written and verbal skills in the English language.
• Arabic language skills a plus.
• Comfortable in being a proactive member of the top-management team. Must seek to identify and communicate potential problems and propose solutions to the appropriate level of management.
• Able to function effectively in a complex work environment and to set appropriate priorities and deal effectively with numerous simultaneous requirements
• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support.
• Good communication skills that function across a diversity of cultures.
• Good at role of facilitator and team player in solving problems.
• Committed to staff training and development.
The position will be based in Baghdad, Iraq, with regular travel to field sites. Accommodation is in shared housing.
Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
Working Environment: The position will be based in Baghdad with travel to field sites across Iraq and northeast Syria. The situation in Baghdad is currently calmer than it has been in many years, though the situation in Iraq is only recently beginning to stabilize and remains somewhat unpredictable.
IRC has programming across the country and implements robust security management plans enabling movements and operations.
The IRC country office in Baghdad is located in a modern professional building. Accommodation is in shared housing, which includes basic modern amenities including internet, water and electricity. Access to health care is readily available.
How to apply:
Applications to be submitted on: https://rescue.csod.com/ats/careersite/jobdetails.aspx?site=1&c=rescue&id=4142