About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since August 2007, with a staff of over 300 people working in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri. Mercy Corps’ national office is in Goma with sub-field offices in Bukavu, Katana, Kavumu (South Kivu), Kiwanja, Beni, Kitchanga (North Kivu) and Bunia (Ituri). The current Mercy Corps strategy in DRC focuses on large-scale WASH infrastructure and service delivery development in urban centers; Cash programming and Emergency responses, Food Security, Economic Recovery/Development and Governance programs, with an increasing shift towards transitional and integrated development programming. The DRC team has a strong commitment to providing entrepreneurial and innovative solutions to development challenges, and is actively seeking and facilitating market-based solutions.
General Position Summary
Working under the Finance Director based in Goma, the Finance and Compliance Manager will support the reporting of financial information and ensure that the Country Office complies with Mercy Corps policies, procedures and donors’ grants and contracts requirements. In addition, the incumbent of this position will support the Finance Director in the overall management of the country-wide accounting, capacity building of the national team members in support of the country finance strategy, and will play a coordinating role with the different departments and functions within the country office.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Finance and Compliance management
- Perform financial review of purchase requests, purchase orders, and payment requests to ensure compliance with MC policies and procedures and donors’ requirements.
- Perform timely and accurate financial review of the monthly payroll and coordinate with HR/Admin to improve the process as needed.
- Perform compliance reviews of in-country processes including procurement, logistics, stock management, HR & Admin, and coordinate with the relevant departments to correct and improve as needed.
- Supervision of sub-office finance staff with frequent travels to relevant sub-offices.
- Provide advice, training, and consultation on compliance with MC policies and procedures as well as donor compliance requirements.
- Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donors’ and Mercy Corps’ policies and procedures.
- Maintain grant files up to date in accordance with Mercy Corps’ minimum program requirements
- Focal point during internal and external audits; manage and organize the finance department so the financial information is readily available to auditors.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & reporting
- Take part in the development of new programs as assigned by the Finance Director; lead the budgeting process and ensure budget proposals are in-line with Mercy Corps’ minimum requirements and donors’ regulations.
- prepare and update monthly grant spending reports (Budget vs. Actuals, BvAs) of assigned programs, including administrative/operational projections; work with program managers to ensure program projections are updated; together with the relevant program managers and staff members, review BvAs and projections, to ensure program implementation is on time, target and budget
- Lead the consolidation of the monthly cash-flow projections
- Consolidate and prepare financial reports including budget projections of assigned programs
accounting
- With support to the finance officers, lead the process of the month-end closing including but not limited to :
- Ensuring all transactions for the month are posted in the accounting system and reviewed for any necessary corrections;
- Prepare timesheet allocations for international staff and review and post timesheet allocations for national staff;
- Prepare/review of employee receivables accruals and any other relevant/required monthly accrual entries;
- Work with HQ on tracking intercompany/interagency transactions;
- Prepare/review necessary reclassification entries and other accounts’ adjustments;
- Run month-close allocations in the accounting system;
- Work with the Finance Director on monthly reconciliation of balance sheet accounts, review, monitor, and control balance sheet accounts’ balances;
- Support the Finance Director and senior finance officers in month-end and year-end HQ required reports, quarterly balance sheet reconciliation reports, fiscal year-end reports, statutory deductions’ reports and other taxable benefits reports.
Management oF sub-grants & COMPLIANCE WITH PRIME DONORS’ REQUIREMENTS
- Maintain a filing system for sub-grants and related documents as required by policies and regulations of Mercy Corps.
- Lead the pre-award assessment process as well as the contracting and closeout processes; ensure that all steps are properly documents in accordance with Mercy Corps’ minimum program requirements
- process subgrantee payments and reconcile subgrant financial reports with the accounts.
- Review subgrantee financial reports, manage and assist in subgrantee site audits and follow up on subgrant compliance issues. Ensure subgrantee information is entered and updated in the accounting system on a regular basis.
- Maintain an auditable performance monitoring system for subgrantees
Team Management
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
- Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
- Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
- Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
- Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
Strategy & Vision
- Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
- Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
- Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
Influence & Representation
- Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
- Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
Security
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country
- Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Organizational Learning
- As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
Accountability to Beneficiaries
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Supervisory Responsibility
+/- 3 staff in Goma, +/- 3 sub-office finance staff.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Finance Director
Works Directly With: All MC DRC team members including: Department Directors/Managers, Program Directors/Program Managers, Heads of Field Offices, and headquarters team members at MCE and MC PDX, as appropriate.
Knowledge and Experience
- 2 to 4 years of finance experience, including budgeting and grant management;
- At least one to two years of finance experience with international NGOs
- A university degree in finance, accounting or a related business management field is required;
- Strong background in compliance, donor regulations (USAID, UN agencies, DFID and EU Embassies), and coordination with operations and program departments;
- Good understanding of accounting and proven experience in managing journal entries, payroll, and balance sheet accounts;
- Experience in financial analysis and reporting within non-profit organizations;
- Experience in leading internal and external audit is an asset;
- Experience in supervising, training and capacity building of staff;
- Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs is required, particularly Excel;
- Fluent written and oral communication in both French and English is required.
Success Factors
The ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required. A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary. A high professional standard of finance and procurement ethics as well as the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential. The ability to take financial data and present it in meaningful financial reports is essential. The Finance & Compliance Manager must be willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Goma, DRC and it requires travels to various locations within Nord and South Kivu, as well as Ituri.
The position is unaccompanied. While conditions in the country are improving, there are still pockets of violence and insecurity and petty crime is present. Mercy Corps’ offices experience variable levels of insecurity, with the situation closely monitored by UN peacekeepers. Years of conflict and corruption have badly damaged the country’s infrastructure. Air travel is necessary to get from one end of the country to the other. Mobile phones and cellular service are widely available. Internet is limited, but available in all Mercy Corps’ offices. Travel to field sites will be required where living conditions are clean and secure, but basic. There are a number of health services available with several evacuation options for serious illnesses. There is reasonable access to most consumer goods, although they can be expensive.
This position is entitled to staff housing (shared housing) in Goma and is eligible for R&R per the DRC R&R policy. This position is not eligible for hardship pay.
Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, code of conduct and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision. Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.
More Information
- Job City Goma
