Lebanon: Finance Controller
Country: Lebanon
Closing date: 17 Mar 2014
Background
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
In response to the influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the IRC’s Emergency Response Team carried two rapid assessments in the fall of 2012, one focusing on the risks and violence faced by women and girls among the Syrian refugee population within Lebanon, and an emergency livelihoods assessment. On the basis of findings from these two assessments, the IRC launched a Women’s Protection and Empowerment program as well as an Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) program.
Position Overview
The Financial Controller has overall policy and management responsibility for the finance and accounting functions for the country program. The Finance Controller’s responsibilities include general controllership, staff training, management, treasury and budget functions.
The Finance Controller reports to the Lebanon Head of Office.
Responsibilities
Controllership
* Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and funding source policies, procedures, and requirements
* As required establishes finance and supporting function policies, systems and procedures, and directs or performs their development, documentation, and implementation
* Manages the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by New York and donors
* Identify requirements for and develop reporting formats to aid in the management of country operations and grant expenditures
* Provides country management and program staff with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for all grants and unrestricted funds
* Ensure that on a monthly basis balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a timely basis and those final reconciliations and trial balances are reviewed with the Country Director
* Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Country Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance
* 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
* Develops, schedules and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates actions necessary to correct internal control weaknesses
* Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits
* Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, invent ory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures
* Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements
* Is the principal liaison with IRC NY on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management matters
Training & Staff Management
* Develops and implements a training program for the country’s international and national finance s taff to ensure staff development and minimize IRC’s exposure when staff are absent or depart
* Oversees training and technical support to country program, logistics and administrative staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control
* Supervise and mentor finance team
* Discuss job expectations, set objectives and provide appropriate and timely feedback regarding performance, including timely implementation of the annual staff performance management system
* Clearly define the training needs of direct reports and ensur e they are able to access training and professional development resources appropriate to their skill gaps/needs
* Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions including staff development plans
* Provide leadership support for the successful implementation of and adherence to the IRC Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures
* Lead with commitment, integrity and accountability to the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct
Treasury
* Supervises all country office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates
* In compliance with IRC policy establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings
* Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations
* Establishes country policies on advance payments, credit terms, and use of bank payment instruments
* Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending
* Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation
* 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
* Assists with the preparation and revision of program and grant proposals and budgets
* Assists in the preparation and maintenance of the country’s Operating Budget; including preparation of budget guidelines to assist program managers in formulating budgets
* In compliance with donor requirements and IRC policy develops the “Field Operations/Overhead” budget and recommends a methodology for allocation of overhead to grant budgets
* Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding
* Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers
Key Working Relationships
* Internal: Country Director, Deputy Director of Operations, Deputy Director of Programs and other senior country office staff
* External to the Country Office: Regional Controller, Regional Director, Internal Audit, IRC’s Program Directors and other key program staff
* External to IRC: Banking Managers, Donors and Local Government Authorities (Taxation and Regulation related) and External Auditors
Requirements
Education
* Bachelors in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a Masters in Accounting
Experience
* Strong preference for past IRC experience as a Senior Finance Manager or Finance Controller
* Minimum three years’ of managerial experience in the financial area of a non-profit organization or five years of managerial experience in finance in an international commercial organization
* Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs
Skills and Abilities
* Good written and verbal skills in the English
* Must be comfortable in being a proactive member of the senior -management team. Must seek to identify and communicate potential problems and propose solutions to the level of management appropriate to effect solutions
* Must be able to function effectively in a loosely structured, but complex work environment and to set appropriate priorities and deal effectively with numerous simultaneous requirements
* Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support from within the program organization
* Must be a patient and good communicator who can function in an organizational environment involving a diversity of cultures, languages, and personal interests and agendas
* Good at role of facilitator and team player in solving problems
* Committed to staff training and development
Work Environment
* The position is limited accompanied and is based in Beirut wit h occasional field travel
* Modest shared housing is provided
* The security phase for Lebanon is yellow, and all employees are required to abide by any security directives put in place
How to apply:
http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=c3RldmVueS4wOTYzMi4zODMwQGlyYy5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20
