Finance and Operations Director – Ethiopia RRM/BHA

Background of IRC:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. 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. IRC leads the way from harm to home. Began work in Ethiopia, 1999 in response to severe drought that happened in Ethiopia’s Somali region. Currently, providing assistance in ten different regions implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

Position Summary:

IRC is seeking a Finance Director for an anticipated multi-million dollar project to facilitate time-bound emergency humanitarian assistance in the wake of an acute shock in any region of Ethiopia.

The Finance and Operations Director will be responsible for overseeing financial management and financial operations for the BHA RRM. Acting as the principal finance business partner to the Chief of Party and other Senior Management team, the Finance Director provides the leadership and management necessary to ensure the project has the appropriate financial infrastructure and systems in place to support the smooth project implementation. The Finance Director will ensure the assistance complies with BHA rules and regulations and the host country’s labor, tax, and other relevant laws. S/he will contribute to the development of the Project’s strategic and operational plans and be accountable for ensuring and monitoring delivery against the financial plans through targeted and comprehensive financial analytical review. Additionally, the Finance Director will coordinate their work with IRC Ethiopia Country Office Finance Unit to enforce internal controls over the BHA RRM.

Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project, and selection of final applicant is subject to BHA approval. The project is anticipated to begin in January 2024.

Job Responsibilities:

• Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and BHA policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Establishes project’s finance and supporting function policies, systems and procedures, and directs or performs their development, documentation, and implementation.
• Manages project finance activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by New York HQ and BHA. Prepares quarterly accrual reports, expenditure reporting, and burn rate projections.
• Provides project management and program staff with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for project funds and facilitate the review and discussion.
• Ensures balance sheet reconciliations are completed monthly and on a timely basis and review final reconciliations and trial balances with the Chief of Party.
• Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Chief of Party advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.
• Directs the preparation of and approval of all BHA financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Chief of Party and HQ prior to submission.
• Enforces 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.
• Establishes project finance roles and responsibilities matrix; ensures job descriptions are current; recruits and maintains qualified staff to perform finance functions.
• Develops and implements a training program for the project’s finance staff.
• Ensures constructive performance reviews are completed on a timely basis and facilitates discussion of performance and career options with project finance staff.
• Supervises all project office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates.
• In compliance with IRC policy, establishes policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings of the project.
• Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations.
• 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 cash balances are maintained to facilitate project implementation.
• Assists with the preparation and revision of project budgets.
• Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding.
• Prepares monthly pipeline analysis (spending forecast) on the project in coordination with the technical team.
• Coordinates and reconciles spending forecasts with CoP to reflect realistic data.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a master’s degree in Accounting.
• Minimum of 10 years in similar financial, compliance, or operational role in managing and supporting $150 million or larger USAID and BHA funded projects and other Institutional Donor projects in similar contexts;
• Experience with budgeting and financial reporting requirements on $150 million or larger USAID, BHA, FCDO, or other Institutional Donor funded projects;
• Experience with financial management and reporting on projects with substantial subaward components;
• Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting practices, financial reporting standards, financial management processes and procedures
• Familiarity with USAID and BHA rules and regulations including applicable CFRs.
• Extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems (ERP), standard spreadsheet and database programs, and advanced and demonstrated/practical skills in Microsoft Excel.
• Must have a proven track record of proactively identifying and communicating potential problems and proposing solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional patience and be able to interact, partner and thrive in a diverse environment.
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop relations with diverse teams.
• Good written and verbal skills in English.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Gender Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.