Finance Manager (ME/EBL/055/102021)

[Erbil,Iraq ]

Background: 

Mission East, founded in Denmark in 1991, is an international humanitarian and development organisation undertaking disaster relief and development programmes in Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

In Iraq, Mission East provides assistance for both urgent basic needs for those displaced by violence as well as longer-term support for returnees and IDPs in protracted displacement settings. Our current programme includes NFI and shelter, cash transfers, WASH assistance, livelihoods support, protection and psychosocial support activities delivered through multi-purpose community centres.

More information on Mission East can be found at: https://missioneast.org

 

Overall Responsibility:

The overall responsibility of this position is to provide technical and managerial oversight and support to ensure a continuous financial and administrative functionality of Mission East implemented programmes in Iraq.  

 

Main duties and responsibilities:

 

• Finance management

 

• Responsible for financial management across the program, ensuring the application of Mission East’s financial policies and procedures, and ensuring the delivery of an efficient, effective, and well controlled finance function.
• Ensure that accounts are properly booked by financial staff and provide quality monthly consolidated account and financial reports (including balance sheet reconciliations) to Mission East headquarters.
• Collect and follow up the cash forecast and manage the cash flow to ensure timely transfers of funds to the field offices.  
• At the end of each month, check the QB entries for each field offices, suggest corrections, and ensure corrections done in all offices QBs. Check the reconciliations and balance sheet accounts.
• Produce monthly reporting against project budget for presentation to the Country Management Team with analysis of variances so that amendments can be negotiated with donors in good time and projects are soundly financially managed
• Ensure that all financial donor-reporting requirements are complied with and that reports are submitted in a timely manner. Ensure compliance with donor requirements for cost allowability and proper cost recovery under project funding.
• Ensure proper and accurate allocation of support costs (staff and office costs) to projects, coordinating with finance staff on the allocation plan and methodology.
• Co-ordinate the annual and project budgeting processes for the ME Iraq programme
• Ensure that end-of-financial year reconciliation and financial reporting is completed on time for all projects.  
• Complete financial close-out at project end to ensure all expenses, balance sheet items, and assets are properly cleared as required.
• Act as primary liaison on financial matters for internal, and external authorities, ministries/government departments, organisations and donor auditors and ensure compliance with local laws in the area of finance.
• Visit each office, once in a month, to do the verifications of finance, systems, procedures, documents. Also do the capacity building session for the Finance and Admin function staff.
• Review and strengthen the internal control procedures  
• Train and build the capacity of local staff.
• Partnership focal point financially. 1. Check the Partners documentation on Monthly Basis. Provide feedback and follow-up on incomplete documentation. 2. Follow up with partners to submit their report on time. 3. Prepare the budgets for all partners and check their documentations. 4. Assess partner financial systems and procedures and provide capacity building as needed.

•  Programme support

 

• Ensure that maximum financial support and assistance is provided from the financial staff to programme teams
• With the Country Director, coordinate preparation and presentation of budgets in proposals to donors, ensuring consistency between programmatic and financing issues.
• Verify budgets for new contracted operational programmes, before implementation.
• Support programme staff in regular monitoring of spending on programme activities against the spending budgets.  

 

• Logistics

 

• Coordinate with Logistics Manager to ensure efficient, effective, and transparent procurement, logistics and asset management
• Works closely with the Logistic Manager to coordinate relevant activities between finance and logistics teams Ensure that necessary procedures and policies related to financial resources and reporting to HQ and donors are followed and adhered to

 

• Other

 

• Leadership and line management of finance team in Iraq Erbil and field offices.
• Ensure all financial procedures (including cash management practices) reflect the current security risks and standard operating procedures.
• Support investigations into financial complaints or irregularities as appropriate.

Other tasks as agreed with the Country Director

The ideal candidate will have a solid background in NGO accounting and finance as well as proven experience in financial management of medium to large scale country budgets. 

• S/he will have a proven record of staff capacity building and staff management (in supervision, delegation, training).  
• S/he will demonstrate attention to detail, be completely trustworthy, and act in an appropriate professional manner at all times.  
• S/he should be accustomed to work in an atmosphere in which security concerns are a daily part of life. 
• S/he will have an ability to deal with competing deadlines and deliver results

 

You will have the following experience and qualifications:

 

• Master’s degree preferably in Accounting/Finance, Business management
• Professional accounting/finance qualification from internationally recognised accounting body.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in accounting and finance and financial management in international NGO working in a relief and development setting. 
• At least 2 years of experience working at SMT level in an international NGO
• Preparation of budgets & financial reports for international donors: strong European and US Donors experience.
• Proven record of financial and capacity building of local finance and non-finance staff. 
• Planning and allocating costs between different projects.

 

You will display:

 

• Good knowledge of accounting management software, systems and practices
• Strong computer skills (Excel, Word, Access etc)
• Strong analytical skills.
• Strong leadership skills and a team player
• Excellent cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to work under stress and deal with competing priorities in fast moving work environment
• Ability to build bridges between different departments with different priorities
• Good distance communication skills
• Excellent fluent English (written and spoken).
• Building a strong financial control environment in difficult conditions.
• Sympathy with Mission East’s organisational values.

 

Other Requirements:

 

Mission East upholds high standards in all aspects of Safeguarding and condemns all forms of abuse and exploitation, takes a zero-tolerance approach to all abuse and exploitation against children or vulnerable individuals and seeks to ensure that no-one is exposed to the risk of maltreatment by its representatives. In accordance with organisational policy:

• In view of the nature of this role potentially requiring involvement with vulnerable individuals (including situations where there are potential imbalances of power), you will be required to provide both a self-assessment and formal certificate of previous good conduct.
• Professional references will be requested and taken up for the successful candidate.
• All Mission East’s staff are required to sign our Code of Conduct and Child Safeguarding Commitment.

 

Mission East upholds high standards in Counter Terrorism (COTER) and sanctions regulation compliance. Mission East will conduct a thorough pre-employment background check of successful candidates, including checking through the SDN sanctions lists.

Qualified Candidates should submit  their CV’s in English on [email protected] with indicating the “Finance Manager (ME/EBL/055/102021)” in the subject line of the email no later than Nov 09^th, 2021. Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  

 

Due to the urgency, Mission East reserves the right to recruit any suitable candidates before the above-mentioned deadline.

 

Mission East is an equal opportunity employer.