About the role:
This is a 24 month role based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with regular travel to our programme area in Koupela in the Centre-Est region. This is a grade 5 role with a salary of €48,648 to €54,053 and benefits.
Concern’s programme in Burkina Faso is a rapidly growing programme that now spans two regions – Centre-Est and Boucle de Mouhoun. With funding from Irish Aid, BHA and Sahel Regional Fund, Concern implements programmes in the areas of health & nutrition, WASH, food security/livelihoods and emergency response. You will report to the Country Director (CD) and will line manage the Finance Officer as well as technical oversight of the other finance staff in country such as the Programme and Partnerships Accountant, the Field Accountant and the Cashier in Koupela and the Finance Assistant in Ouagadougou. You will liaise with other Country Management Team members, budget holders, HR, Logistics, Dublin and Regional Finance staff, local banks, auditors, partners & donor finance staff.
We would like you to start in asap.
Your purpose: As a member of Concern Burkina Faso’s Country Management Team, the Country Financial Controller (CFC) is responsible for the effective management of Concern Burkina Faso’s finance function. This will include ensuring internal controls are in place, managing the finance team, partner finance oversight, training, treasury management, financial planning/budgeting, and reporting. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring proper financial management and reporting on all grants received by Concern Burkina Faso. Maintaining and managing controls and procedures to safeguard and account for all assets, funds and interests of Concern’s operations is a crucial part of the role. The CFC will undertake staff training and development. As a member of the country management team, the CFC will participate in all key decisions relating to the country programme in accordance with organizational policies and the Country Strategic Plan.
You will be responsible for:
Financial Systems and Controls
- Ensure that country financial management systems and records are adequate in order to identify and protect the assets and interests of the organization.
- Ensure that the systems and procedures in place enhance, as far as possible, the efficiency and effectiveness of the manner in which assets are utilized.
- Maintaining and monitoring an effective and efficient system of internal controls (i.e. ledger, cashbooks, balance sheet reconciliations, cash and bank management etc.) which comply with Concern Worldwide’s financial guidelines and minimise the risk of fraud or misappropriation.
- Ensuring financial systems of the country programme are operating in line with standard Concern procedures and they meet the monitoring and reporting requirements of the Country Management Team and Donors
- Ensure that the country financial operations comply with legal and statutory requirements e.g. audit and financial reporting to all relevant national authorities.
- With the support of the finance team, keep up to date with donor regulations and ensure that all controls are in place to meet donor compliance.
- Support the Systems Director in ensuring there is a complete record of capital assets and that they are adequately managed.
- Undertaking regular field visits to assess the financial systems in place and implement improvements wherever needed.
- Closely monitor all financial activities, and keep the CD/Country Management Team advised of all situations that have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial management performance.
- Accepting, advancing and pursuing any new objectives or responsibilities that may be assigned by the Country Director including transfer of existing duties and/or re-assignment to other responsibilities should the organisation so require
- Responsible for maintaining financial documents and back up at field level so that all transactions contain sufficient audit trail. This includes all back up details to the support cost allocation, donor reporting, quarterly and year-end reporting.
Financial Reporting and Donor Reporting
- Lead the preparation of new, annual & revised Country budget and donor budgets with the support of CD and budget holders and in line with strategic plans and organizational objectives including
- budget template preparation,
- consolidation of the budget packs,
- completion of the budget submission to Dublin
- complete the responses on budget feedback from Dublin jointly with Shared Services Accountant.
- Reconcile all balance sheet items on a monthly basis, in accordance with Concern Worldwide policies & procedures, with the support of International Accounting Services if applicable.
- Produce timely & accurate preparation of data for monthly management accounts for International Accounting Services, budget-holders, and Country Management to ensure that they can monitor the budget utilization and take appropriate action on any significant variances. Present comments and major variances to CMT
- Oversee the timely & accurate preparation of donor reports for external donors / agencies.
- Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial reports for Concern’s Head Office (Financial Reporting Pack including country commentary) and deal with feedback from Head Office, potentially with the support of International Accounting Services (IAS)
- Ensure proper recording of income and expenditure to comply with Concern and donor regulations.
- Maintain a donor financial management system in order to optimize funding and to ensure efficient and accurate reporting to donors, including donor compliance.
- Finalise year-end accounts for the external auditors and provide any ad-hoc financial reports for Concern’s Head Office.
- Provide financial analysis where necessary especially on maximizing available funds and advice to CD.
Staff Management and Capacity Building
- Providing leadership and direction for the in-country Finance Team
- Develop a second layer of staff who can fill the gap whenever any position is vacant in the finance team
- Undertake specific training, capacity building and other relevant initiatives to ensure national staff perform their roles and responsibilities with accuracy and professionalism and also create the space for national staff to develop into credible candidates to fill vacant positions in the finance team and to provide strong cover for leave.
- Provide training and support to finance and non-finance staff regarding Concern’s financial procedures and internal controls
- Undertake financial training of budget-holders, to assist them in enforcing financial controls and making decisions based on financial reports.
- Ensure Concern’s values and policy commitments, including accountability and equality, are reflected in the work of the Finance Team/Department.
- Ensure that Job Descriptions of field finance are up to date.
- Ensure that Performance Development Reviews (PDRs) are completed for all country finance staff at least annually and that feedback on performance is provided routinely.
Donor Management
- Ensure that necessary donor reporting deadlines are met
- Ensure that donor reports tie back to the general ledger from accounting software and donor original budgets
- Ensure staff positions are mapped to donor funding, ensuring that gaps are identified and included in future donor proposals, with decisions made on eliminating positions if there isn’t sufficient funding for the role in consultation with CMT
- Ensure all relevant donor guidelines, policies, proposals, periodic reports and other communications are readily available, categorized by grant, and documented in soft and hard copy filing
- Prepare and/or review donor budgets
Partnership Accounting:
- Undertake the financial component of Concern Integrated Local Partner Assessment tool (CILPAT) with potential Partners on a timely and comprehensive basis in collaboration with Programmes and Systems departments.
- Summarise CILPAT findings and develop action plans to address financial weaknesses where partnership is workable with available resources.
- Ensure monitoring visits and provide the necessary trainings to the partner to address any finance actions identified in the Capacity Building Action Plan.
- Ensure all documentation relating to Concern‘s financial relationship with the partner is filed correctly and updated where necessary.
- Ensure Partners are able to submit regular and accurate Financial Reports using the template provided by Concern. For any Partner Finance Report issues found, obtain appropriate explanations from the Partner staff before recommending the release of the following tranche of funds. Incorporate any weaknesses found on the partner report compilation into the Partner Finance Action Plan. Assist the partner in meeting any procedural requirements (whether those of Concern or of a donor) detailed in the Partner Contract.
Other Duties
- Facilitate internal, external and donor audits and associated reviews of field systems
- Ensure that all statutory deductions and taxes in respect of national staff are complied with and liaise with relevant authorities in this respect.
- Establish an effective monitoring system for the donations in Kind (DIK) so that all items received from donor as DIK are recorded properly, distributed to beneficiaries, and that a reconciliation guarantees the audit trail.
- Assist Country Director to update the delegation of authority document in line with fundamental changes (New project/ closed project/ staff structure/emergency response/ etc.)
- Implement the finance systems related feedback provided by Regional Accountant or internal auditors.
- Assist in the development and implementation of the Country’s Strategic Plan
- Contribute to the development of the country’s strategic direction and to the overall leadership of the country programme
- Any other finance-related assignments
Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies
- Ensure adherence to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies
- Ensure finance staff understand and adhere to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies
Confidentiality
- Ensure the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever acquired in the course of duty, relating to the practices and business of Concern Worldwide, to any other person or Organization without authority, except in normal execution of the above duties
- Ensure strict guardianship and security of financial data and documents at all times, including secure storage, accurate & complete filing and limiting access to the finance office to authorised personnel only
Accountability
In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):
- actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E);
- work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed;
- work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities;
- work with relevant colleagues to ensure payments to programme participants are accurate and timely.
Your skills and experience will include:
- Accountancy Qualification (e.g. CPA, ACA, ACCA)
- 3 years post qualification experience in Concern or a similar organization preferably as international staff
- Experience in developing staff capacity both on technical and management aspects
- Experience managing large and multi donor (especially USAID, ECHO, UKAID, etc.) programme budgets
- Must be fully fluent in French with a good working knowledge of English
We would also like:
- Knowledge of development issues and concepts
- Academic background of or strong practical experience in macro-economic and/or fiscal policy
- Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
- Good team worker
- Good communication and negotiation skills
- A good understanding of computer applications i.e. Microsoft word, Excel, communications systems and basic trouble shooting skills
- Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity
- Empathy with Concern’s goals and a commitment to capacity building, protection and participation
- Good communication and training / capacity building skills
- Proven organization, planning and management skills
- Ability to work on own initiative and lead diverse teams
- Flexible and adaptable to a changing environment
All applications should be submitted through our website by closing date. We encourage you to apply early as we may offer the position before the closing date. Les CVs en francais sont les bienvenus. CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.
