Regional Finance Coordinator at Islamic Relief

JOB PURPOSE:

• Provide financial support to the regional office and support the capacity building of country office finance staff under the supervision of Regional Finance Manager.
• Maintain good relations and understanding between IRW, Regional and Country offices and finance functions on a regular basis.
• Review budget proposals, monthly financial information, consolidate reports and produce timely and accurate financial information at regional level.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Regular liaison and engagement with Regional Team, Country Directors, Country Finance Managers, Regional Desk Coordinators and Regional Finance Manager and International Finance Manager in IRW.

SCOPE AND AUTHORITY

Scope of the Role:

Focal contact point for the assigned country offices, ensure finance function at regional offices are working adequately. Trouble shoots and analyse information for independent decision making and consolidate monthly financial information accurately received from the assigned countries.

Deal with day to day financial concerns and issues of assigned countries.

Assist regional finance Manager to maintain strong accounting controls for all the assigned countries to have consistent and same financial standard across the board

Overall Objectives:

Review and process field financial data to make sure Regional consolidated financial statements are produced accurately and analysis on a timely basis for the assigned countries.

Assist Regional Finance Manager in a busy and highly demanding environment to meet objectives and goals for each country’s financial operation, and obtain financial information on regularly basis from each assigned country. Guide and assist country offices finance teams to produce quality and accurate external and internal reporting including donor reports.

Actively participate in provision of training and support to the assigned regional countries on financial systems and processes

KEY ACCOUNTABILITES

Financial & Reporting

• Assist country finance managers to produce accurate and timely submission of donor’s financial reports and minimising the risk associated with non-compliance of numerous partner regulations and IR policy and procedures
• Financially monitor each project from the regional office perspective and assist country finance managers and teams in the liquidation process
• Provide quality review and opinion on budget proposals and donor reports in respect to timely, with accuracy and its effectiveness.
• Support and take active part in the preparation of processes and procedures of budgets and reporting
• Maintain schedules, analysis and reconcile ledgers for income (cash & Non Cash/In Kind), and expenses as well as Assets for the projects on monthly basis received from assigned regional countries as well as control account with IRW books.
• Maintain up to date and accurate consolidation of financial information and upload of budget and expenses for each project in AX on a monthly basis.
• Assist regional finance Manager and assigned countries Finance Managers for the achievement of MAC (Minimum Acceptable Criteria) developed by AX team, so that AX can be introduced within country.
• Assist finance managers as and when in the inductions of newly recruited staff in the assigned countries to make sure the same standard is carried out as per required standard
• Review country offices monthly project reports and identify the areas of improvement with suggestions before submission to regional finance managers.
• Support regional finance Manager to review external audit report and management letters of the assigned countries and coordinate with assigned country Finance Managers for its reconciliations with maintained books.. Undertake any other duties and responsibilities that are consistent with the job as and when assigned by the line manager

Compliance

Monitor Compliance with the donor financial requirements and local country laws and provide technical support to the assigned countries and set up standards to make sure they comply with IRW financial guidelines

Monitor that in each assigned country Finance is using the standard formats, standard chart of account, and operate on same standards across the board Guide in the external audit preparation and finalisation of each assigned country office, identification of financial risks and improvement areas in Management Advisory comments from auditors in the assigned countries.

PERSONAL SKILLS

• Proactively promote and foster a culture in which Islamic principles, values and approaches which are adopted by Islamic Relief Worldwide are consistently respected, applied and complied with in the delivery of the country/division/unit objectives and in the conduct of its employees.
• Must pay attention to detail, concentration on all aspects of a finance task, and commitment to achieving quality results.
• Take initiative and be able to provide solutions to the problems as they arise
• Flexible in working arrangements and adaptable to new (sometimes unstructured) and stress full working environments
• Work as a team and be able to work with others in order to reach common objectives
• Define priorities in an unstructured environment, with many competing demands at same time
• Able to manage diversity and adversity, aware of and sensitive to gender issues and different cultures;
• Able to appreciate others’ points of view, to listen and be attentive; able to communicate clearly and concisely
• Assist in arranging training and provide coaching for the finance staff in the assigned countries to make sure they maintain same standard across the board
• Identify the needs of support to the countries offices, to increase their competence in preparation of financial reports, donor financial reports in line with donor reporting requirements.

Travel

The Regional Finance Coordinator is expected to spend a minimum of 50% of his/ her time in the East Africa regional countries for financial support as well as cover the gap in assigned countries of Finance Managers when required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and empathy with the Islamic values and principles as well as commitment to Islamic Relief Worldwide vision and mission.

Essential:

Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications

• Good management and financial accounting experience, including a pro-active approach to budget monitoring, reporting etc with 4-5 years experience.
• Degree in Accounting & Finance and intermediate professional level qualified and studying towards such as ACCA/ CIMA or any professional qualification.
• Excellent communication skills to liaison with regional assigned countries
• Advance excel skills; in designing and manipulating reports
• Ability to manage work load of multiple and remote locations, ability to think strategically
• High degree of computer literacy.
• Ability to adapt to new situations and needs.
• Ability to develop and build capacities of staff. ï‚· Ability to work as a team player in a multinational national environment.

Desirable

• Demonstrable technical knowledge and substantial experience of donor reporting and project budgets
• Strong English communication skills (verbal as well as writing)
• Arabic and French skills (for some country portfolios only) ï‚· Experience of working in insecure environment.