Deputy Director of Finance

Job Description

The IRC has been active in The Central African Republic (CAR) since 2006 and has been implementing emergency response programs since early 2013. The IRC has three field offices in the north – Bocaranga, Kaga Bandoro, and Zemio – in addition to a central office in Bangui. Since 2007, it has built close relationships with local communities, community leaders, local authorities, and other local and international actors. Today, the IRC is one of the leading humanitarian actors working in the prefectures Ouham Pende, Nana Gribizi, and Haut Mbomou, implementing programs in Health, Women Protection and Empowerment (WPE) and Child and Youth Protection and Development (CYPD), and Early Recovery and Development (ERD). The IRC has demonstrated its ability to successfully implement health and protection programming, improving beneficiaries’ access to healthcare and providing survivors of violence with safe, confidential services to help them recover and reintegrate into their communities. The gained technical expertise, logistical abilities, and local knowledge and understanding has laid the foundation to expand and deepen these services to reach more people and respond to the emergency need at a greater scale as additional funding is secured.

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

SCOPE OF WORK:

As a member of the Country Program Senior Management Team, the Deputy Director Finance provides the leadership and management necessary to ensure that the country program has the appropriate financial infrastructure and systems in place to support the strategic vision and mission of the organization. S/he will contribute to the development of the Country Program’s strategic and operational plans and be accountable for ensuring and monitoring delivery against the financial plans through targeted and comprehensive financial analytical review. The Deputy Director Finance is responsible for the overall policy and management for the financial and accounting management of the Country Program. Emphasis will be placed on financial management practices and systems that are compliant with US and local laws, adhere to donor requirements, and are conducive to effective implementation of programs.

As Deputy Director Finance, s/he will have responsibility for all aspects of strategic and operational finance in the Country Program, acting as the principal finance business partner to the Senior Management Team and Country Director, as well as conforming to IRC’s financial control environment and CFO standards and objectives.

Based in Central African Republic the Deputy Director Finance will have dual reporting to the Country Director and the Regional Controller, including straight line accountability to the CFO.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategic Planning & Analysis

• Provides financial information to support the Country Director and SMT in making business decisions in line with IRC, Regional & Country Program strategies

• Provides strategic analysis on the overall financial health of the Country Program to the CD and SMT

• Contributes and provides feedback to the development of Country Program’s Strategic Annual Plan

Controllership

• Ensures that all in-country practices are in compliance with IRC and donor policies and procedures

• Establishes in-country finance procedures to supplement global policies as needed

• Closely monitors financial activities and advises the Country Director on financial performance of the office, issues with internal controls or financial management

• Ensures monthly balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a timely basis

• 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

• Ensures in-country internal control reviews of operations are regularly undertaken.

• Facilitates external, internal, donor or government audits

• Oversees the protection of the Country Program’s assets (cash, inventory, fixed assets) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures

• Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to finance and complies with tax and other legal requirements

• Serves as the principal liaison with IRC HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management

Training & Staff Management

• Establishes a finance department roles and responsibilities matrix; ensures staff job descriptions are current; recruits and maintains qualified staff to perform finance functions

• Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed annually; career planning and development plans are in place for all finance staff

• Develops and implements a training program for the country’s finance staff

• Oversees finance training and technical support to non-finance staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control

Treasury

• Supervises all country program bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates

• Oversees the review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations

• Maintains on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments which obligate IRC to future spending

• Ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation and cash held in headquarters in drawn regularly

• Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the Country Program’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses

• Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables

Budget/Forecast

• Oversees the preparation and revision of grant proposal budgets; supports programs with guidance on costing and inputs in creating budgets for submission

• Prepares and maintains the Country Program’s annual operating budget; ensures cost coverage for in-country operating costs and updates the operating budget regularly

• Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce, Finance or equivalent required; recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a Master’s degree in Accounting preferred

• Extensive experience working in development or humanitarian response, including at least five years of experience living and working in the relevant field in developing and transitioning countries

• Minimum of five years of managerial experience in finance

• Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs (e.g. SUN System and Vision)

• Good written and verbal skills in the French and English languages

• Must be comfortable in being a proactive member of the senior management team. Must have a proven track-record of proactively identifying and communicating potential problems and proposing solutions

• Must be able to function effectively in a complex work environment, setting appropriate priorities and manage competing priorities and pressure

• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support

• Must have excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional patience and be able to interact, partner and thrive in a diverse environment

• Committed to staff training and development and effective at facilitation

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

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

Work Environment: There is active conflict in parts of the country and a possibility of the conflict expanding into other locations. The situation in Bangui currently quiet but remains unpredictable. Security will be thoroughly discussed during the interview process.

Housing: Lodging in Bangui in shared IRC guesthouse. All IRC sites have electricity and internet. Food is the individual’s responsibility.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability