Deputy Director Finance at International Rescue Committee

Akwajobs   (Yaoundé, Cameroun)

Posted : 20 January, 2020

Category : Accounting, Auditing, Finance   Location : Yaoundé, Cameroun

Job type : Full Time

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Deputy Director Finance

Sector: Program Administration

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: Yes

Location: Yaounde, Cameroon

Job Description

The IRC started operations in Cameroon in 2016 to respond to the increasing concerns for people affected by violence linked to Boko Haram, in the Far North of the country.  Assistance to displaced populations extends across the Far North, notably Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone & Chari, delivering lifesaving programming to increase access to water and improving hygiene practices in vulnerable displaced and host communities, cash programming to enable poor families to meet basic needs and improve food security, and protection programming, including meeting specific needs of women and girls.  Following the increasing crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, the IRC expanded its operations into the South West region in August 2018, delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance to internally displaced populations. The IRC’s field offices are located in Maroua and Kousseri in the Far North, Buea in the South West, and a representation office in Yaoundé.  

IRC Cameroon is committed in its 2020 Strategic Action Plan to continue to provide essential humanitarian services, with a focus on safety in communities and ensuring affected populations can meet their basic needs, whilst also building the resilience of beneficiaries, especially women and girls. IRC Cameroon is funded by European and American donors.

SCOPE OF WORK:

As a member of the Country Program Senior Management Team, the Deputy Director Finance provides the leadership and management necessary to ensure that the country program has the appropriate financial infrastructure and systems in place to support the strategic vision and mission of the organization. S/he will contribute to the development of the country programs strategic and operational plans and be accountable for ensuring and monitoring delivery against the financial plans through targeted and comprehensive financial analytical review.  The Deputy Director Finance is responsible for the overall policy and management for the financial and accounting management of the Country Program. Emphasis will be placed on maintaining financial management practices and systems that are compliant with US and local laws as well as donor requirements but are also conducive to effective implementation of country programs.

As Deputy Director Finance, s/he will have responsibility for all aspects of strategic and operational finance in the country program, acting as the principal finance business partner to the Senior Management team and Country Director, as well as conforming to IRCs financial control environment and CFO standards and objectives.

Based in Cameroon the Deputy Director Finance will have dual reporting to the Country Director and the Regional Controller, including straight line accountability to the CFO.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategic Planning & Analysis

• Provides financial information which supports the Country Director in making business decisions in line with IRC, Regional & Country Program strategies
• Provides strategic analysis on the overall financial health of the country program to the CD and SMT
• Contributes and provides feedback to the development of Country Program Strategic Annual Plan

Controllership

• Ensures that all in-country practices are in compliance with IRC and donor policies and procedures
• Establishes in-country finance procedures to supplement global policies as needed
• Closely monitors financial activities and advises the Country Director on financial performance of the office, issues with internal controls or financial management
• Ensures monthly balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a timely basis
• Manages the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by headquarters and donors
• Identifies requirements for and develops reporting formats to aid in the management of country operations and grant expenditures
• Directs the preparation of and approves all donor financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Country Director and Regional Controller prior to submission
• Ensures in-country internal control reviews of operations are regularly undertaken.
• Facilitates external, internal, donor or government audits
• Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, fixed assets) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures
• Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to finance and complies with tax and other legal requirements
• Is the principal liaison with IRC HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management

Training & Staff Management

• Establishes a finance department roles and responsibilities matrix; ensures staff job descriptions are current; recruits and maintains qualified staff to perform finance functions
• Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed annually; career planning and development plans are in place for all finance staff
• Develops and implements a training program for the country’s finance staff
• Oversees finance training and technical support to non-finance staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control

Treasury

• Supervises all country program bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates
• Oversees the review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations
• Maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments which obligate IRC to future spending
• Ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation and cash held in headquarters in drawn regularly
• Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses
• Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables

Budget/Forecast

• Oversees the preparation and revision of grant proposal budgets; supports programs with guidance on costing and inputs in creating budgets for submission
• Prepares and maintains the country’s annual operating budget; ensures cost coverage for in-country operating costs and updates the operating budget regularly
• Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance required; recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a Master’s degree in Accounting preferred
• Extensive experience working in development or humanitarian response, including at least five years of experience living and working in the relevant field in developing and transitioning countries
• Minimum of five years of managerial experience in finance
• Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs (SUN System and Vision)
• Good written and verbal skills in English and French
• Must be comfortable in being a proactive member of the senior management team.  Must have a proven track-record of proactively identifying and communicating potential problems and proposing solutions
• Must be able to function effectively in a complex work environment, setting appropriate priorities and manage competing priorities and pressure
• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support
• Must have excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional patience and be able to interact, partner and thrive in a diverse environment
• Committed to staff training and development and effective at facilitation
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to field sites

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