Country Finance Manager – Iraq JOB

Position Summary

The Country Finance Manager oversees all financial aspects of the Search Iraq portfolio in coordination with the Country Director and is a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT). This position will be responsible for managing the finances of the Iraq country program, including financial forecasting, budgeting, reporting and ensuring compliance of all Iraq grants/contracts from inception to closure. He/She will manage the country finance team. In addition, the Country Finance Manager will ensure that both program and operations staff improve their understanding of different finance mechanisms and build their capacity to adhere to donor regulations related to reporting, invoicing, and procurement. The Country Finance Manager will report to the Country Director.

Search Iraq

Search currently has programs in ten countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Our Iraq programme is a growing portfolio. Our activities contribute to durable peace and the use of conflict transformation approaches throughout society using media and by empowering civil society while engaging with youth, women, religious and community leaders for sustainable peace. Search uses a range of tools to implement conflict transformation and peacebuilding programs, including radio, television, training, public forums, community dialogues, and arts and culture events, among others. It works on issues including good governance, justice, security sector reform, media training and professionalization, social cohesion, and reconciliation.

Key Responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities include:

Grants Management and Compliance

• Ensure timely donor and subaward agreement/contract development and review, both with donors and partners, ensuring adherence to both internal SFCG and donor requirements.
• Ensure that all financial reports are prepared according to donor requirements and templates, and submitted on time.

Internal Control Assessment

• Ensure financial records are maintained as per donor and SFCG internal requirements.
• Ensure timely closure of finance audit recommendations, participate in preparation, implementation and monitoring of corrective action plans.
• Ensure due diligence is conducted for all new and existing sub awardees and that financial management capacity building plans are incorporated in partner budgets.
• Develop related action plan with program and finance staff to address any capacity/system gaps.
• Work with Regional Controller to ensure that there is proper segregation of duties in all financial functions.
• Develop and revise financial management policy as appropriate.

Financial Management and Analysis

• Prepare donor financial reports.
• Consolidate and update a quarterly operational budget.
• Track invoice payments.
• Oversee submission of Monthly Field Financial Reports to SFCG-HQ.
• Review budgets with actuals reports to ensure adherence to restrictions on line item flexibility and stated restrictions on accepted costs. Support follow up actions to resolve any identified problem.
• Ensure that SFCG and partners keep supporting documents for all financial transactions and ledgers for Fixed Assets, Purchase Requisitions, Cash Receipts and Disbursements.
• Leads budgeting processes for the country program for proposals.
• Supports country program staff with budget forecasting.

Capacity Building

• Build capacity of SFCG and partner staff in financial management through training and accompaniment.
• Actively participate in program meetings as appropriate to effectively plan and collectively coordinate financial and programmatic activities in conjunction with partner capacity building initiatives.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Qualifications

You meet the following qualifications:

Education

• Advanced degree in accounting, business, economics, finance, or a related field.

Experience

• 5-8 years of experience in a finance role.

Skills and Competencies

• Leadership skills and experience in employee management;
• Understanding of data privacy standards;
• Deep understanding of business principles and practices;
• Ability to work through stringent deadlines with acute attention to detail;
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and impartiality;
• Able to work independently and effectively in a team environment;
• Keen attention to detail;
• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English, native-level Arabic desired;
• Experience working in INGOs and specifically in conflict/fragile state environments;
• Willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed.

This position will close on October 1, 2018 but applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Selection will be made on a rolling basis and we therefore advise you to submit your completed application as soon as possible. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please. Please see our website www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.