Senior Finance Manager at International Rescue Committee

The Sr. Financial Manager-Budget & compliance has overall responsibility for the finance and grant management functions for the country program. The Sr. Finance Manager-Budget & Compliance responsibilities include internal control, donors report, operating budget update, proposal budget development, and staff training &management functions.

Responsibilities for the Senior Finance Manager Job

Budgets development, Operating budget update and, Prepare Donor Reports

• Is the principal liaison with IRC NY on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management matters
• Working with program staff to prepare grant budgets to support new proposals or realignments to ensure adequate coverage of country operating costs and NY direct and indirect costs.
• Identify any shortfalls in shared costs budget coverage and ensure new budgets cover the appropriate percentage of shared costs and review of unrestricted funding versus approved allocation.
• Assisting in the development and preparation of cost allocation processes for overarching costs that comply with donor regulations on allowable costs.
• Operating budget – Working on the formulation of annual operating budgets, operating budget reforecast.
• Review operating budgets of the allocated filed sites.
• Update quarterly CO operating budget and advise the outcome to the finance controller
• Attend all Grant Opening and Closing Meetings for all Field Office
• Preparation of donor financial reports as per the donor agreements & contracts and ensuring donor regulations are adhered to for all aspects of the operations
• Active participation in Nairobi BvAs review meeting and providing feedback on all finance related action points and Closely monitor all grants to ensure that no grants are overspent or under spent through checking of over/under expenditure on the Budget vs. Actual prepared by the Finance Officer
• Review of actual vs. budget results to ensure maximum utilization of budgeted amounts and to provide recommendations for realignments as required.
• Ensure that BvAs are provided to relevant parties on time and accurately by the 15th of every month.
• Supervisor the senior finance office budget & compliance for timely submission
• Be a focal person for all grant reporting and budget development.
• Submit accurate and timely donors report to relevant staffs

Training & Staff Management

• Develops and implements a training program for the country’s international and national finance staff to ensure staff development and minimize IRC’s exposure when staff are absent or depart.
• Maintains current job descriptions for all positions within the finance group.
• Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed on a timely basis and facilitates discussion of performance and career options with all country finance staff.
• Oversees training and technical support to country program, logistics and administrative staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control.
• Manages the finance staff activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by New York and donors.

Financial reporting, Internal Controls & Audit management

• Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and funding source policies, procedures, and requirements.
• As required establishes finance and supporting function policies, systems and procedures, and directs or performs their development, documentation, and implementation.
• Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Finance Controller advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.
• In compliance with IRC policy establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings.
• Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliation’s.
• Establishes country policies on advance payments, credit terms, and use of bank payment instruments.
• Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending.
• Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation.
• Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.
• Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables.
• Develops schedules and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates actions necessary to correct internal control weaknesses.
• Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits
• Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures.
• Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.

Senior Finance Manager Job Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or ACCA.
• A Master’s degree with a Finance concentration will be an added advantage
• Not less than 3 years at a senior level within the Finance Department of an international organization.
• Experience in the humanitarian sector will be an added advantage
• Current or previous experience within IRC in a similar role will also be an added advantage
• Extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs.
• Good written and verbal skills in the English language.
  Must be comfortable in being a proactive member of the top-management team.Must seek to identify and communicate potential problems and propose solutions to the level of management appropriate to effect solutions.
• Must be able to function effectively in a loosely structured, but complex work environment and to set appropriate priorities and deal effectively with numerous simultaneous requirements
• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support from within the program organization.
• Must be a patient and good communicator who can function in an organizational environment involving a diversity of cultures, languages, and personal interests and agendas.
• Good at role of facilitator and team player in solving problems.
• Committed to staff training and development.