Senior Finance Manager

Background: 

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international NGOs, provides relief, rehabilitation, and development support to vulnerable people and communities in over 30 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in six regions in Ethiopia, implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

Scope:

Under direct supervision of the Assistant finance controller, the Senior Finance Manager will be responsible for the overall financial management of the IRC Ethiopia. The position is mainly expected to coordinate treasury and accounting unit function, maintain IRC, donor, and government compliances, ensure monthly closing of book and report on time SAF report for HQ, follow-up of unrestricted grant and different foundation grants, ensure on-time preparation of bank reconciliation and submit FX report for HQ and prepare an annual financial report for government report and lead the annual closing of IRC Ethiopia fiscal year.

Responsibilities:

1. Compliances – Donors, governments, and IRC policies and procedures

General

Ensure compliance is maintained through quality financial documents review and quality and timely reporting in line with a donor, IRC, and gov’t policies and guidelines. IRC country office and field office authorization matrix updated timely and all signatories timely added for effective workflow. The monthly VAT report is prepared for USG grants and gov’t and followed up with grant focal for USG VAT reimbursement. Develop tracker and ensure timely settlement of PIT, WHT, etc to government authorities.  Audit files maintained and updated (policy documents, internal controls checklists, document review feedback, BSR, DOA, etc)

Specific

• Ensure all PR reviews per the approved budget, donor compliance, and IRC policies
• Review bid analysis and payment requests per the procurement SOP and IRC policy
• Ensure all payment approvals are done based on the approved authorization matrix
• Update authorization matrix regularly are shared for respective staffs after approval
• Ensure all advances are settled per the policy and follow the timely settlement per the IRC policy
• Ensure all monthly SPC costs are charged to grants and make sure to comply with the policy
• Follow-up of USG VAT refund request in a timely manner and follow-up gov’t VAT report
• Ensure segregation of duties per the internal control policy
• Report policy violation to a supervisor
• Provide orientation for new IRC staff and be aware of main financial requirements
• Maintain audit file
• Update internal controls checklist
• Monitor and maintain DOA files
• Prepare BSR and fag any financial exposure monthly
• Timely PIT, WHT, etc settlement
• Timely submission of all internal reports including SAF, ex-pat payroll information, BSR, Cash needs, etc

Main office and field office support and financial reporting

General

Deliver quality financial reports timely and involve in strengthening main and field office financial management and reporting. Develop tools to monitor and manage the unit tasks properly. Ensure the team will effectively discharge their responsibility through close follow-up and confirm timely delivery of the monthly hardcopy and softcopy reports. Provide constructive feedback for any irregularities observed while document review and follow up to ensure corrections have per month. Submit monthly financial reports to supervisor for review and HQ timely. Report any red flag to supervisor observed during quality documentation reviews.

Specific

• Follow up with field offices on delivering both soft-copy and hard-copy financial reports timely.
• Ensure field offices reports are complete by availing all the necessary support documents
• Ensure all field offices submitted their SPC mapping and run field SPC transactions on monthly
• Ensure field offices reports are accurate by ensuring proper Account code, T1, T2, T3, T6, and T7
• Following up low performing field offices and providing the support required for those specific field offices
• Following up with field teams for any variance with their report
• Review comments identified by the Addis team before sharing to field offices
• Arrange a schedule for on job-learning opportunity for all field office staff to update themselves on all finance areas from source document process to SAF report
• Ensure on-time provision of monthly SUN back-up for the field team
• On-time provision of financial pads for field finance and follow up of new pad print based on the remaining balance
• Submit SAF and other internal reports timely
• Report any red flag observed during quality review
• Submission of intercompany transactions for clearance timely
• Develop tools to monitor and manage the unit tasks

Treasury management

General

Ensure the country office treasury (cash, bank, and FX gain/loss) is properly managed through the on-time payment process, receivable/payable management,  ensure the field office and main office cash projection reasonably and realistically prepared, cash transactions are managed daily, and accurate monthly bank and cash reconciliation prepared. New bank accounts are opened, and old accounts are closed as per the organization and local gov’t procedures. Online BVA is closely monitored and paid transactions are marked as paid and BVA clean-up is conducted daily.

Specific

• Ensure on-time payments of approved payment requests to suppliers and IRC staff
• Working with the team to ensure daily updates for bank and cash journals across all offices.
• Ensure all bank account reconciliation is prepared every month and ensure clearance of outstanding checks timely
• Ensure on-time transfers of cash to all IRC field offices based on their cash projection
• Ensure all field offices submit on-time cash projection, compiled by the team and submitted for AFC review.
• Provide a cash analysis report for DDF to decide the next cash transfer for the country office
• Ensure new bank account opening and closing per the approval
• Ensure the clearance of all balance sheet accounts promptly
• Ensure proper amortization of all prepayments and on-time report for supervisor for any variance
• Ensure on-time BVA clearance for all paid transactions
• Ensure all Addis staff salary payments are on time
• Following up on timely and surprise count
• Conduct regular weekly cash counts
• Ensure BVA cleanup is done daily for paid payments.
• Manage FX gain/loss by monitoring receivable and payable accounts.

Risk management and Audit

General

Ensure the monthly pension, Income tax, and withholding tax are paid to the respective gov’t office on a timely schedule. VAT payments are regularly tracked and reported to USAID and gov’t office on monthly bases. Prepare financial reports for government yearly audits and closely work with CHSA auditors and manage any questions or concerns efficiently. Develop audit plan, coordinate the team in providing sampled documents to auditors, and address audit queries. Ensure good relationships with banks, government tax, and pension authorities. The country office monthly financial documents are scanned and filled in easily traceable sequence in the box. Identify potential risks and develop a plan to prevent them.

Specific

• Ensure monthly pension settlement for all eligible IRC staff before the deadline
• Ensure monthly settlement of I/Tax and WHT for all IRC offices.
• Ensure the timely process for CHSA audit and avail all
• Ensure all soft copy and scan copies of IRC financial documents are maintained as per the IRC standards
• Prepare financial reports for government audit and develop an audit plan
• Ensure on-time delivery of audit documents for all grant audits and government audits by liaison with the archivist.
• Identify potential risk areas, develop a plan to prevent/mitigate. When it happens, report immediately to your supervisor for the next action.
• Report red flags to your supervisor immediately.

Financial Management – Accounting and reporting

General

Ensure quality SAF report shared with HQ by 11th of every month unless any special circumstance.   Be proactive and a team player in bringing the team together and providing support. The country office monthly and quarterly balance sheet reports are prepared, and close follow-up and timely corrections are made in consultation with the supervisor and DDF. Monthly gain/loss and balance sheet projections are analyzed and shared with HQ per the given deadline. TR and U series grant monthly spending are checked and reported to DDF per deadline. Monthly ex-pat payroll information updated and shared with HQ.

Specific

• Prepare donner reports for the assigned grants and follow-up with grant unit for any issues
• Prepare monthly JV for ex-pat payroll and tax.
• Submit monthly ex-pat payroll information before the 15th of every month for HQ
• Ensure monthly submission of SAF file for HQ before the deadline
• Prepare monthly balance sheet projection report before 18th of every month
• Following up monthly submission of gain/loss report
• Following up monthly preparation of payable and receivable to share for respective staffs
• Prepare monthly analytical balance sheet report and share for DDF on 18th of every month.
• Prepare monthly u-series and TR grants reports and share for DDF/AFC o the 16th of every month.
• Ensure timely update of SUN database update and changes
• Ensure quality controls on each and every accounting transaction to be processed and uploaded to the system.

Job Requirements

• 7 years of relevant experience with the first degree.
• 3 years of relevant experience plus a postgraduate degree.
• NGO experience is a plus
• Knowledge of the SUN system is a plus
• IPSAS based financial statement report knowledge is a plus

Skills Required

• Proven management skills
• treasury and grant management experience
• report preparation skills
• staff management skill
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

How to Apply

Candidates who meet the above qualifications; please send your CV and application letter only through the IRC career site:

External → https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/25300?c=rescue.

Internal → https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/2/home/requisition/25300?c=rescue.

Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information:

• Name of the position you have applied for
• Date of application
• Summary of your qualifications and experience
• Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job
• Please include at least 3 references from current and former supervisors.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. 

Gender Equality: We are 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

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.