Country Finance and Compliance Manager

Description

Location Juba, South Sudan (25% travel to field offices required)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.  In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions  into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.  Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in South Sudan since 2005, focusing its interventions on Emergency response, WASH, FSL, Education and child protection etc. With funding from USAID, UN, SDC, private funds, foundation etc, Mercy Corps has been able to work together with communities in South Sudan to respond to humanitarian needs bringing benefit to beneficiaries.

General Position Summary

The Country Finance & Compliance Manager is a member of the senior management team and part of the Mercy Corps Finance Department, and as such is responsible for all aspects of financial management of the country programs, working collaboratively to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures as well as donor regulations. S/he works under the direction of the Country Director and is responsible for all financial functions in South Sudan, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grant financial management and compliance.  The Finance & Compliance manager, in support of the Program Department, provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

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Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment of empowerment.

• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives and contribute to country-wide strategy development.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.

• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.

Personal Leadership

• Consistently demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.

• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.

• Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Interface with the (donor) representatives to convey information about programs as appropriate.

• Communicate with our partners and sub-grantees to verify their systems and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.

• Participate in sharing best practices with NGOs and governmental agencies.

• Consistently demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.

Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.

• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.

• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.

• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Financial Operations

• Ensure effective, transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.

• Maintain banking relations and plan and monitor country cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of Mercy Corps programs.

• Maintain appropriate local insurance coverage in coordination with the Administration, Human Resources, operations and Security departments to protect Mercy Corps.

• Provide monthly standard accounting submissions to Mercy Corps Headquarters, including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenditures by cost center/project, required subgrantee reporting, as well as other financial information in a timely and accurate manner.

• Provide monthly management reports to the Country Director and Program Managers, including expenditures by cost center/project, subgrantee reporting and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.

• Develop annual fiscal year master budget and core funds budget with the Country Director and develop and implement grant budgeting and forecasting systems with Program Managers.

• Regularly visit field offices and subgrantee offices in South Sudan and submits trip/visit reports with recommendations.

• Develop/revised country office policies, procedures, approval authority matrix and related internal control policies at least yearly and when ever necessary based on findings and needs.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

The Finance & Compliance Manager is the head of Finance function in South Sudan and directly manages Finance Manager, Field Finance Heads/Officers and other Senior Finance Officers based in Juba and coordinate all finance staff.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: County Director

Works Directly With: HQ Regional Finance Manager (with authority for technical financial matters), MCE finance officer, Operations, Program Managers, TSU team members, and others.

Knowledge and Experience

• A BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance required; advanced degree preferred.

• At least 6+ years of progressive financial management experience, including supervisory experience required.

• At least 4 years’ experience in grants management as well as an understanding of US government, UN, NORAD, SDC, AFD and other European donors regulations required.

• At least 3 years’ international experience required; international NGO/PVO field office experience is preferred.

• Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting preparation and presentation and the proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports.

• Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.

• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills.

• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.

• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.

• Excellent oral and written English skills required.

• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

• Previous experience in insecure environments.

• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.

• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have an ability to interact effectively across international and national program and finance teams successfully, both in a managerial as well as training capacity. S/he will be able to support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful financial information, have a demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. An impeccable professional standard of finance and procurement ethics and the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential. The Finance and Compliance Manager must be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Keywords

FinanceComplianceManagementFinancial ManagementBudgetingReportingAccountingGrants ManagementFinancial ReportingBudget PreparationFinancial DataPayrollPayablesBalance Sheet