Consortium Finance Coordinator (1 National Position)

Job Purpose:

The Consortium Finance Coordinator will support the budget holders in managing the Consortium budgets to ensure that donor funds are maximized, spent in line with donor rules and grant documentation, and is reported accurately.

The role is part of the multi-disciplinary Consortium Management Unit (CMU) that manages a €60m budget.

This opportunity is well suited to a finance professional who wants to step away from day-to-day transaction processing and actively manage a significant budget, create new systems and processes and be part of a small and dynamic team.

Project Explanation:

Concern Worldwide leads the Somali Cash Consortium. Consortium members include Concern Worldwide, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Refugee Council, ACTED, COOPI, Save the Children International and IMPACT Initiatives.

Since January 2018 the Somali Cash Consortium has supported over 100k vulnerable Somali households with unconditional mobile money transfers.

The Somali Cash Consortium is funded by Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) along with other institutional donors.

Duration: One year with the possibility of extension

Reports to: Finance and Systems Director – Somali Cash Consortium

Responsible for: No direct reports

Exact job location: Mogadishu based, with semi-regular trips to partner offices across Somalia, Somaliland and Nairobi Kenya.

Liaises with: Country finance team

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Budget allocations

• The Consortium uses an Excel Budget Allocation Model (BAM) to allocate funds in a fair, transparent and document manner to partners.
• Update the Model when new funds are received or funds need to be reallocated and present the results to the Consortia’s Finance Technical Working Group (TWG).
• Update partners’ budget packs to reflect the updated allocations and share with partners, along with guidance to complete the budget pack.
• Present budget completion guidance at Finance TWG meetings, and provide ongoing support to consortium member finances teams
• Develop and amend the Budget Allocation Model to meet the changing needs.

Budget and Report review and consolidation

• Receive and review Excel budget and reporting packs from consortium member finance teams. **
• Ensure they have met their allocated amounts and that the budgets are compliant with Consortium guidelines and donor regulations.**
• Consolidate Excel budgets into the Consortium’s Budget Allocation Model**
• Provide updated budget figures for inclusion in partners’ sub-grant agreements.**
• Share updated cashflow forecasts with treasury teams**
• Generate partner payment request documentation**
• Identify savings or overspends in financial reports and suggest areas for their reallocation.**

Documentation

• Ensure that all finance documentation is up to date, and stored correctly on the Consortium’s Cloud storage
• Update Concern’s Microsoft Dynamics 365 Grant Management System as needed.

Compliance

• Develop an in-depth understanding of the compliance rules of the main Consortium donors, at the moment EU-ECHO and EU-DEVCO.
• Develop tailored compliance guidance and training documentation for partner stakeholders
• Present compliance guidance at Finance TWG meetings and respond to adhoc queries.
• Carry out spot checks, including site visits to ensure all rules are being met

Consortium Management Unit

• Manage the Consortium Management Unit’s operational budgets on behalf of budget holders.
• Update CMU operational budget forecasts by getting information from multiple stakeholders in a timely manner
• Maintain, update and develop CMU operational budget models in Excel to respond to changing information needs
• Monitor spend against budget and forecast, ensure recorded transactions are complete, accurate and correctly coded.
• Complete and submit Budget Revisions documents to Concern Somalia finance teams.

Donor and stakeholders

• Develop relationships with key donor finance teams to understand their priorities and preempt any issues.
• Develop relationships with Somali authorities programme and finance teams, who are a coordinating partner.

Audits and expenditure reviews

• Operationally lead on all audits and expenditure reviews.
• Liaise with auditors to select samples and assist their understanding of financial information
• Share samples with consortium partners’ finance teams and suggest appropriate evidence.
• Receive and review evidence, querying unclear evidence. Package and share with auditors.
• Receive audit issues from auditors and ensure their resolution.

Finance Technical Working Group

• Support the Finance and Systems Director in preparing for and running Finance Technical Working Groups.

Other

• Proactively identify and suggest resolutions to finance related issues.

Person specification:

Qualifications required**

• Charted/Certified Accountancy Qualification – ACCA/ICPAK or similar
• A degree in Accounting/ Finance or Business Administration, or relevant experience

Desired

• Evidence of further professional development

Skills required

• Advanced Excel, including Pivot tables and Power Query
• Fluent in Somali and English
• Excellent written and presentational skills
• Effective negotiator
• Ability and willingness to communicate confidently and flexibly, choosing the most effective means, including emails, phone, Skype and in-person.
• Experience of working in complex, insecure environment

Desired

• Experience of using Microsoft SharePoint including SharePoint lists

Experience required**

• At least 3 years’ experience in financial management, including grant management
• At least 5 years’ experience in using Microsoft Excel to an advanced level
• Demonstrable experience of supporting and achieving results with busy and remote finance teams
• Experience and desire to work within a distributed/remote team

Others

• Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in Code of Conduct (CoC) with Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking Policy.
• Support and promote the standards outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct and related policies to the team, partner and stakeholders and be committed to providing a safe working environment.
• Actively participate in Concern accountability initiatives (communication strategy, participation and CRM for example) ensuring that they are integrated into the project
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Finance and Systems Director.**