Regional Finance Coordinator at Islamic Relief

Reporting To: Regional Finance Manager.

Qualification/ Experience

• Qualification required: Degree in Accountancy/Finance and Intermediate Level Qualified or studying final level of AAT/ACCA/CIMA/ICAEW or equivalent professional qualifications.
• Experience of donor, financial accounting, budgets, proactive approach to budgets Monitoring, and year end financial reporting. 
• Minimum of at least 4 - 5 years of professional work experience, knowledge or background in non-profits or grant making and/or project management systems in an international NGO, UN, or Government Institutions. Good management and financial accounting experience, including a pro-active approach to budget monitoring, reporting etc with 4-5 years’ experience.

Background

IRK is currently focusing on three major themes: Sustainable Community Empowerment, Food security and livelihoods, Disaster Risk reduction (DRR); and Inclusive and protection. Islamic Relief Kenya in pursuit to support and strengthen its operations, seeks to employ motivated, hardworking, and pro-active individuals to fill in the following position.

PURPOSE OF DIVISION:

The International Finance and Services department within the International Program Division provides accurate and punctual financial management, HR services, procurement and logistics, reports and forecasts, organisation’s income, and expenditure.

The division empowers and builds the capacity of the field offices and partners to manage funds effectively and efficiently, meeting international standards and the standards of the IR and institutional donor agencies. This is achieved through both organisational and individual learning, and through an organisation-wide system of development and deployment. 

In addition, this division maximises economies of scale by providing analysis and recommendation for implementing value for money, sound internal controls, minimizing risks and best utilization of available resources.

It does so through providing comprehensive HR and L&D services and through its evaluation and audit functions. Equally important, this division inspires IRW colleagues anywhere to contribute to the development, deployment and pro-active monitoring of IR’s organisational strategy, policies, and processes – which are all dynamic, inclusive of IR’s partners, stakeholder focussed and regularly reviewed and updated.

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 Donor reports, budget proposals, monthly financial information, consolidate reports and produce timely and accurate financial information at regional level.

IRW East Africa region is composed of five countries: Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan. IRW has active project portfolios in all those five countries.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The role holder:

Regular liaison and engagement with Regional Team, Country Directors, Country Finance Managers, Regional Desk Coordinators and Regional Finance Manager and International Finance Team 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.
• To provide accurate and timely financial accounting information in line with IRW and Donor requirements
• The Regional Finance Coordinator has responsibility to support the Regional Finance team on day-to-day tasks relating to field offices support and donor compliance. 

Responsibilities for Resources:

Has responsibility for resources within own remit. Will be responsible for the supervision of volunteers and interns within this area of work and required to contribute to the continuous improvement of the team.

Key responsibilities:

The job holder is accountable for fulfilling his or her role and responsibilities in line with Islamic values and principles of fairness, humanity, honesty, respect and fair treatment of his/her colleagues and staff.

• Final Review and approve budgets related to the partners / donors are prepared in the field offices.
  • Ensure standard budget guidelines complied with while preparing institutional donor and IR Partner budgets. Final Review and approved proposals and grant agreements/contracts to ensure they are as per IRW guidelines.
  • Ensure budget review sheet has been signed by country finance manager and Program Manager after getting reviewed the budget prepared. Check the sheet with actual budget and note the difference if any and get it corrected by Country finance Managers. Consult regional finance manager for the issues and matters beyond jurisdiction!
• Consolidate monthly financial reports, Review and Approve Donor Reports, Funds Management, reviews external Audits.
  • Consolidate monthly financial reports, funds reports, donor financial reports and quarterly financial reports of the region.. 
  • Comprehensive reviews of CO financial reports to include performance analysis in the following areas:
  • balance sheet, income statement, cash, grants/contracts, unrestricted and general contributions, actual expenses vs. budget, forecasting and budgeting, adequacy of adherence to generally accepted accounting principles and IRW financial procedures. 
  • Identify (help CO identify) and implement preventive and corrective actions under the guidance of regional finance manager to address issues found during the reviews. Ensure Cos address the issues in a timely manner. Provide relevant and timely information to management in Cos, Regional office. 
  • Ensure country offices project support cost have been cross charged with the donor funded projects.
  • Ensure country offices maintain funds management system as per IRW guidelines whereby funds of projects must be reconciled on monthly basis and restrictive funds should not be used for other projects without prior approval from IRW finance.
  • Analyse and process where necessary field financial data to ensure that IR consolidated financial figures are true and fair reflection of the current financial situation. 
  • Review (and in some cases get approved by regional finance Manager) financial report prior to submission to the donors to ensure they are a true and fair reflection of the financial position of the grant. 
  • Provide IRW finance and donors with complete, accurate and timely financial reports, including institutional donor reports where required for all projects implemented in the regional countries, in the required formats.
  • Ensure and review the field offices funds reports and year end balances are prepared appropriately. To reconcile field office income and in-Kind donation on monthly basis. 
  • Follow up on last year external audit report management comments, field visit reports, and quarterly reports.
  • IR future expenditure is as according to what is budgeted without discrepancies.
• Compliance 
  • Ensure to maintain financial systems and controls to ensure the efficiency, integrity and transparency of the country offices and sub-office operations in accordance with IR guidelines, Donor Guidelines, national legal requirements, and internationally accepted accounting standards. 
  • Make sure country offices finance function adhere to the financial compliance to the donors and statutory regulations. 
  • Ensure Financial Compliance of Reporting from Field Office and minimizing risk of noncompliance of donors’ obligations. 
  • Ensure all processes in are standardised and adhered to by each staff member also discuss financial management check list and work plan with finance to achieve the desired level.
  • Ensure to maintain a system whereby orientation is given to all stakeholders regarding IRW as well as donor guidelines. 
  • Ensure finance in each assigned country is using the standard formats, standard chart of account, and comply with IRW financial guidelines.
• Financial Accounting & Audits
  • Support and ensure a system whereby country finance managers maintain standard financial accounting i.e., receipts, payments, reconciliations etc and efficient delivery of service.
  • Support   country finance managers to maintain a system for regularly conducting donor and statutory audits and take corrective actions for the management letter issued. 
  • Consolidation and preparation of key regional level financial reports – provide oversight support to collect, review and consolidate financial data for Cos in the region; prepare and disseminate key financial reports to Cos and relevant stakeholders. Ensure Cos provide all required financial data (monthly, quarterly, and annually) for review and consolidation and analysis, including budgets and forecasting data. Prepare and send key financial reports to Cos and stakeholders (as necessary). 
  • Ensure country finance managers submit funds transfer requests as per requirement of cash flow keeping in view updated cash flow requirements. 
  • Ensure that internal audit and external audit recommendations and findings are addressed by each field office in the Region
• System development 
  • To assist in the preparation of global financial guidelines, to design and update formats and guidelines, budgeting formats and guidelines, financial systems within countries, etc
  • Accountable for field offices grant management, cash flow issues and capacity building of local finance function.
  • Support country finance team in achievement of MAC.
• Capacity Building 
  • Support the development of staff and partners to increase their competence in preparation of financial reports, donor financial reports in line with donor reporting requirements.
  • To guide and support finance managers in ensuring for the achievement of MAC (Minimum Acceptable Criteria) developed by AX team, so that AX can be introduced within country.
  • To meet the country management team during visit and get ensure from finance manager that financial reports are being discussed on regular basis with different stakeholders. To get ensured from finance manager that reports are understood by all stakeholders. 
  • Provide orientation for new finance staff in country offices on IRW Policies. Ensure all Cos have updated copies of the IRW policy and procedures and help CO develop local policies and procedures that are realistic and conform with general principles.  
  • Provide line manager with the monthly 121 status report and appraisal forms on 6 monthly and yearly performance for the staff line managed and to the line manager reporting.
  • Provide support to the Regional Finance Manager and capacity of finance staff in Field Offices staff is sufficiently built to ensure that future donor reporting is done correctly and efficiently for all donors.
• Limitation and Authority 
  • Being responsible for the technical input of programmes budgets, the post holder needs to fully understand donor compliance issues and needs to be competent in bookkeeping and financial management.
  • All contract agreement and donor reports should be signed off by the post holder to make sure they are accurate.  Errors made in the advice and accuracy of coordination can lead to significant financial risk to the organization both in terms of potential payback to donors and in potentially damaging IRW reputation regarding financial integrity.
• Field Visit Travel and Emergency Deployment
  • The Regional Finance Coordinator is expected to spend a minimum of 40% of his/ her time in the regional countries for financial support as well as cover the gap in assigned countries of Finance Managers when required.
  • To be ready as back up to travel emergency deployment within 72 hours and be available to be deployed at least 6 weeks.
• To assist RFM and supervise regional Finance Officer in Region and review RFO role. 
  • To complete the assignment assigned by regional finance manager. 
  • To supervise regional Finance Office in Budging & reporting reviews, project CVF approval/ set up process, donor invoicing, international transfers requests, Project funds monitoring, project liquidation.  

Requirements and Qualifications

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 Accountancy/Finance and Intermediate Level Qualified or studying final level of AAT/ACCA/CIMA/ICAEW or equivalent professional qualifications.
• Experience of donor, financial accounting, budgets, and year end financial reporting. 
• Excellent communication skills to liaison with regional assigned countries. Strong English communication skills (verbal as well as writing 
• Advance excel skills; in designing and manipulating reports. 
• Ability to manage workload of multiple and remote locations, ability to think strategically.
• Experience to challenge and support to a range of stakeholders including non-financial audiences at all levels in the organization. 
• Ability to work as a team player in a multinational national environment. 
• Verbal skills to communicate with all levels in an organisation and explain technical or complex financial aspects in a wide range of situations.
• Must have previous exposure and experience of preparing /reviewing budgets.
• Experience in operating and extracting data from complex accounting systems
• Experience of budgeting for project activities, monitor and report on financial activities and undertaken appropriate analysis.
• Good all round business acumen and an understanding of the role of the Finance department in adding value to operational decision making.
• Ability to drive through continuous improvement.
• Experience of donor’s financial compliance.