Background
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with 190 member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
Organizational Context
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with 190 member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organisation established by and comprised of its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Federation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” It works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises. The Federation is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat is led by the IFRC Secretary General and provides the central capacity of the International Federation to serve, connect, and represent National Societies. The Secretariat’s focus includes providing support to the IFRC governance mechanisms; setting norms and standards; providing guidance; ensuring consistency, coordination, and accountability for performance; knowledge sharing; promoting collaboration within and respect for the RCRC Movement; and expanding engagement with partners. The IFRC’s Country Office in Central Africa Republic (CAR) is operating in a complex humanitarian environment, with frequent security incidents, requiring caution and close adherence to security policies and procedures. The country office is part of the IFRC regional structure, based in Nairobi, in Africa. The Regional Finance Unit is responsible for the provision of quality financial services, quality control assurance, finance capacity building and technical advice.
Job Purpose
This post is responsible to ensure the provision of effective and efficient accounting, treasury and financial services to the KFW project in Central Africa Republic (CAR). This post will lead the accounting and finances of the KFW project. This post will be responsible also for the provision of technical advice to the project manager, all stakeholders – Central African Red Cross Society (CARC), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Cooperation, and staff involved in the project.
- Financial Polices and Processes
- Budgeting
- Validation of transactions
- Treasury
- Shared Office and Service Costs
- Review payment documentation before approving
- Accounting verification
- Balance Sheet items review and reconciliations
- Supervision of finance officers directly hired for the Global Fund project
- Financial Analysis
- Relationships with other stakeholders
- Internal Controls
- Audit
- Risk Management
- Donor Reporting
- Administration functions
- Others
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Financial Policies and Procedures
- Have a deep understanding of the financial federation procedures and / or Global Fund regulations
- Advice project staff in the appropriate interpretation of the financial procedures so the transactions to be performed are in compliance with them
- Provide feedback to project manager or national coordinators on documentation submitted with incorrect coding or inadequate supporting documentation
- Provide feedback to his/her line manager or the Zone Financial Controller of improvements in policies, processes or procedures
Budgeting
- Provide technical support and advice to the project manager and / or programme staff during the preparation and/or revision of budgets
- Provide analysis of actual expenditures vs. budgets with its respective analysis of the variances (if there is any) and recommendations
- Coordinate the expenditure reallocations when it is necessary to align planned expenditures vs. the budget lines
- Do consolidations of budgets of the respective portfolio
- Prepare outlooks in terms of the estimated expenditures of a project to complement the information provided to the project manager
- Ensure that the transactions that will be incurred have a budget line and it has sufficient budget balance to cover them
- Coordinate the identification of transactions that will be above or outside a budget line to avoid further disallowances of expenditures
- Monitor the implementation rates per countries and of the overall contract on a periodic basis and recommend actions to align them to the expectations
- Identify when it is required a budget revision
Validation of transactions
- Ensure that the transactions related to his/her portfolio are validated following the expenditure authorization procedure and others
- Ensure all accounting transactions are properly authorized and documented by original and valid supporting documentation. Provide feedback to the project managers when findings have been identified in terms of documentation that does not meet the requirements or transactions that are not within the approved budget
- Ensure all contracts have a finance technical validation
Treasury
- The post will be responsible to coordinate that funds are transferred on a timely basis
- Manage appropriately the transfers of funds between bank accounts to minimize foreign exchange risks due to currency revaluations
- Prepare periodic cash flows analysis
- Assist the Unit Project Manager to prepare the monthly forecast and maintain sound treasury management
- Follow up with the project manager or staff that the forecasts are realistic and only transfers will be done according to the budget or outlook
Office running costs
- Monitor the running costs of the offices where there is no IFRC office
- Ensure that these costs are within the approved budget and / or monitor any relevant variance
Review payment documentation before approving
- Review that all the transactions have been approved by the respective project manager and validated by the respective finance officer
- Stop processing of payments if there are anomalies that require corrections, adequate documentations, correct coding, etc.
Accounting verification
- Review the accounting transactions booked in the accounting at least on a weekly basis to ensure that they reflect adequate coding, clear descriptions, document codes are the correct ones, document dates are correct, duplications of the same entries do not exist, etc.
Balance Sheet items review and reconciliations
- Ensure that the finance officers provide reconciled account statements of the outstanding balances of staff
- Ensure that the finance officers provide reconciled account statements or confirmations from the NS
- Ensure that other balance sheet items are reconciled (e.g. prepayments, guarantee deposits, supplier balances, etc.)
- Coordinate that corrections are done if required
Supervision of accounting staff and finance officers
- This post will be leading the administration and finance officers as a technical direct reporting line of them
- This post will be responsible to monitor the tasks performed, coach and provide support to the team to ensure they manage to achieve their objectives
- This post has the responsibility also to enhance the capacities within this team to ensure they can be promoted in the future to other positions
Financial Analysis
- Prepare a financial analysis report on a monthly basis of the KFW projects
- Interpret financial indicators to project managers and provide quality advice to increase the performance or minimize or mitigate risks
- Monitor the implementation rates and alert about low implementation
- Ensure the funds are spent as per the planned activities
Relationships with other stakeholders:
- Liaise with project managers and unit staff to provide effective services with the aim to contribute to the achievements of the plans and results
- Liaise with the accounting staff and finance officers periodically to monitor their tasks and performance to ensure the achievement of objectives
- Liaise with Head of Coordination and Services to provide her/him the financial information about the projects / programmes under his supervision
- Liaise with the assigned finance analysts to get advice, orientation, support on technical matters and provide feedback to the findings observed in the monthly field returns, accounting and financial matters
- Liaise with the Zone Financial Controller to highlight urgent matters and provide feedback of how to improve systems and processes
- Liaise with the bank officer about financial treasury, financial services and any outstanding issue
Internal Controls:
- Ensure that a rigorous internal control environment is maintained
- Ensure that the established processes are being followed up
- Identify potential risks and propose actions to reduce or eliminate them
Audit:
- Provide support to the audits
- Support the implementation of internal and external audit recommendations
Risk Management:
- Ensure that a financial risk assessment is conducted for the KFW project
- Keep updated the risk register and provide timely feedback to the RM&U in Geneva
- Conduct assessment of new risks that have evolved that should be monitored and mitigated
- Prepare the donor reports as per the specified schedule
Administration Functions
- Develop and maintain clear and efficient Country Office administrative procedures.
- Provide overall supervision to the Country Office Support staff.
- Ensure the timely provision of administrative services to IFRC delegates (both in the office and at the residencies) and to national staff when requested.
- Ensure the timely provision of administrative services to PNS as required under Integration or Service Agreements, if applicable.
- Ensure effective management of all contracts, agreements, MOUs and other legal documents.
Education
Required
A university degree in an accounting or finance related area
Experience
Required
| At least 3 years of professional experience in a finance or accounting department At least 2 years of field experience in a humanitarian organisation Experience of managing and supporting staff |
Preferred
Experience of working with the Red Cross /Red Crescent
Knowledge, skills and languages
Required
- Self-supported in computing systems (e.g. accounting software package and MS Office)
- Excellent communication skills
- Time Management Skills
- Skills in training and developing staff
- Experience managing contracts with donors
- Fluently spoken and written French and English
Preferred
Competencies and values
Values: Respect for diversity; integrity; professionalism; accountability
Core competencies: Coordination skills, Compliance to donor requirements, Able to multi-task, Strong written and verbal communication skills, Team builder, Judgement and decision making, Customer relations, Creativity and innovation, Building trust
More Information
- Job City Bangui
