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 network, reaching more than 150 million people each year through its 190 member National Societies. The Organisation acts before, during and after disasters and health emergences in order to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. Our work is guided by seven fundamental principles (humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality) and by Strategy 2020, which voices our collective vision and determination to move forward in tackling the major challenges that confront humanity in the present decade. The Africa Region Business Group is organized through Clusters and country representations covering the National Societies. Together with the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS), IFRC Country Office successfully implemented the PoA for the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Emergency Appeal. In March 2016, IFRC launched a revised Recovery Appeal to deliver recovery assistance and support to EVD affected populations. Following a serious mudslide and flooding in the Freetown area in August 2017, IFRC launched an appeal to support around 1,900 households affected by the disaster.
Job Purpose
Reporting to the Head of Country Office, the Finance and Administration Delegate will:
- Be responsible for the funds, budget, administration, contractual matters and insurance of the office, as well as for training and advising the national staff in financial and administrative matters.
- Supervise the finance team and administration units ensuring efficient support systems.
- Provide general support and advice to the Head of Country Office, the Operations Manager and other delegates on all program related financial issues, from the budgeting to the final evaluation.
- Work closely with the Nairobi finance technical team to provide efficient finance management support.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
The Finance and Administration Delegate will:
A/ Finance
- Ensure the efficient and effective management of the IFRC financial resources.
- Support and advice the National Society on financial and administrative matters.
- Coordinate the IFRC budget preparation. Support the budget revision process and advise on accuracy, consistency and compliance.
- Monitor the level of implementation of budgets and provide feedback to the IFRC team.
- Prepare financial reports and send to the analyst for review before submission for validation.
- Line manage, recruit, advise, support and train the locally-hired finance and administration staff of the Country Office and arrange for their remuneration according to rules and regulations in place.
- Oversee the administration of delegates’ and visitors’ accommodation, visas and travel arrangements.
- Ensure, in collaboration with the Logistics Delegate, that accurate registers of the assets and property of the Country Office are in place and timely updated.
- Ensure that all financial transactions are properly documented and filed according to IFRC procedures.
- Regularly brief the HoCO on the overall financial situation of the Country Office.
- Provide support for the management of operational financial assets. This includes cash flow and cost control management as well as the management of the payments, cashier, bank signatory and payroll functions.
- Safeguard and optimize the use of financial resources through an appropriate internal control environment, with an emphasis on:
- Finance and accounting policies and procedures;
- Effective budgetary control;
- Effective oversight of bank and cash portfolio;
- Implement corrective actions to manage financial risks.
- Support and train delegates and local staff as required, on finance management.
- Ensure that month end closure of the Country Office accounts is completed in accordance with the rule and procedure.
- Monitoring of the items in the balance sheet to ensure all of them are reconciled, properly booked and there are no dormant balances.
- In collaboration with the legal department, prepare the service contract with the implementing partners.
B/ Budgeting
- Coordinate the compilation of the Sierra Leone operational budget and financial plan, under the direction of the Head of the Country Office.
- Coordinate the budget preparation with operations coordinators and finance staff.
- Lead the budget revision process and advise on accuracy, consistency and compliance.
- Provide quality technical advice to the Program Coordinator in the revision of the budgets.
- Develop tools that facilitate the work to gather the financial data and prepare the budgets.
- Provide guidance in terms of trend analysis to provide better estimates for the budgets.
- Review and validate the finance section of funding proposals to ensure that they include all the associated costs and therefore the IFRC is fully recovering all the costs.
- Monitor the level of implementation of the budgets and provide feedback to the management team.
C/ Donor Reporting
- Review the finance sections of funding proposals for donors.
- Compile accurate, regular and timely financial and narrative reports for the Federation and for donors, in
- coordination with the regional Finance Unit, if required by service agreement(s) or any other MoUs signed with partners.
- Coordinate the donor financial reporting process ensuring that the reports are prepared and send to the donors before due dates.
D/ Human Resources Management
- Supervise the human resource and administrative functions in field offices to ensure their smooth and effective operations in close collaboration with the HR Unit in Nairobi.
- Supervise the oversight of staff personnel files inclusive of contracts, leave records, and other paperwork required for employment in local context.
- Ensure compliance to local labour laws including contracts, compensation packages, and working hours.
- Oversee the recruitment and selection of qualified program field staff, recommend promotions, disciplinary action, and termination of staff in consultation with supervisors
- Maintain open lines of communications with all field staff
E/ Internal Control
- Safeguard and optimize the use of financial resources trough an appropriate internal control environment, with an emphasis on:
- Finance and accounting policies and procedures
- Effective budgetary control
- Effective oversight of bank and cash portfolio
- Pursue from contractual agreements to practical implementation of the financial procedures to ensure satisfaction in terms of proper financial control.
- Track, monitor and control financial commitments.
- Coordinate with the regional Finance Unit the development and implementation of adequate policies for the treasury and cash management.
- Monitoring of the items in the balance sheet to ensure all of them are reconciled, properly booked and there is no dormant balances.
- Monitoring of the closing of the month to ensure that the accounting is accurate and update. It includes that the finance staff are meeting the deadlines to close the accounting as per the global time table.
- Review and validate staff requests against the budgets before submitting them for approval to the Head of Country Office, the HR Manager, the Finance Unit Coordinator and the Regional Director.
F/ Audit and Risk Management
- Implement corrective actions to manage financial risks.
- Oversee audit processes by preparing for, facilitating, and ensuring smooth processes.
- Provide direct input to these reviews and clarify queries at source.
- Provide feedback on formal basis for management input to the final documents.
- Follow up on outstanding issues.
- Ensure audit recommendations are implemented
G/ Training and Capacity Building
- Determine training needs for finance and human resources staff.
- Train senior national staff to increase their responsibilities in order to build capacity and ensure sustainability of programs.
- Advocate and plan for professional development for expatriate and national staff.
Education
Relevant university degree or equivalent qualification in finance or accounting – Required
Relevant advanced university degree (master`s or equivalent) or equivalent qualification in business administration or auditing – Required
Basic Delegates Training Course or equivalent knowledge – Required
Experience
A of Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a finance/accounting role or in leading and managing finance for operations programs in a humanitarian organization in developing countries and in complex emergencies or similar contexts – Required
Experience of preparing budgets, cash flow statements and financial plans – Required
Experience of working with Federation accounting systems – Preferred
Experience of writing narrative and financial reports – Required
Acquainted with International Federation policies, procedures and systems – especially with Secretariat accounting systems – Required
Experience in counterpart support and mentoring – Required
Experience in internal or external audit – Preferred
Experience in Finance and Administration team management – Required
Experience of working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent in particular working with National Societies – Required
Knowledge, skills and languages
Good stress management skills – Required
Good analytical skills and solution focused person – Required
Excellent communication skills – Required
Ability to work well in a multicultural team – Required
Flexible and adaptable to changing working conditions – Required
Good Knowledge of the region is an asset – Required
Willing and able to travel whenever required for work purposes – Required
Self-supporting in computers and excellent practical knowledge of computers (Windows, spreadsheets, word processing, accounting applications…) – Required
Self-motivated and proactive, with good judgment and initiative, high degree of integrity, discretion, and personal conduct – Required
Fluent in written and spoken English – Required
Competencies and values
National Society relations
Communication – Teamwork and Team building
Professionalism – Integrity – Diversity
Judgement-Decision-making
Results focus and accountability
Managing performance
Comments
More Information
- Job City Sierra Leone
