Finance Officer

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS Philippines was established in 1945 and is the longest-running CRS country program in the world. Currently, CRS Philippines focuses its work on agriculture, peacebuilding, emergency response, homes and communities, disaster risk reduction, climate change, and health. The Philippines country program has more than 110 staff with a main office in Manila and sub-offices in Davao and Cotabato. CRS programs are implemented through a national network of partners, in close coordination with local, municipal and national government agencies. The Country Program also provides support to CRS’s work in Indonesia, Timor Leste, and the Federated States of Micronesia, and has drawn international recognition for the impact, timeliness, and innovation of its programs and approaches.

Job Description

You will support the Finance department’s management of accounting systems, policies and procedures in compliance with CRS’ established accounting standards, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), donors’ rules and regulations, and legal requirements to support high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. As part of an experienced finance team you will help coordinate daily financial activities through preparation and delivery of financial services.

Note: Depending on the CP portfolio (scope and complexity), the Finance Officer can be assigned responsibility for delivery of accounting and financial reporting services for the entire program, for a field office, or for either payable or receivable transactions.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with donor requirements for procurement, budgeting, recording, internal control, auditing and financial reporting.
• Review and validate supporting documentation before processing financial transactions to ensure all required documents are accurate and complete and authorizations are in place.
• Monitor disbursement/receipt schedules, alert relevant staff of due payments/liquidations, and maintain appropriate communication and follow-up to facilitate timeliness of financial resource management.
• Prepare various periodic and final financial reports and perform variance analyses as required by the donors and to assist with decision-making and proper management of financial resources.
• Perform assigned treasury (cash payment/receipt, cash forecast, etc.) duties, as long as segregation of duties is ensured.
• Guide the Finance Assistant and Finance contractors in the execution of her/his delegated tasks
• Evaluate and monitor subrecipient financial management processes in accordance with policy and strengthen capacity of partner in financial accounting, as needed.

Basic Qualifications:

• B.A. degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration with courses in accounting, or a qualification in accounting (CPA/ACCA or equivalent).
• Minimum of two years experience in a position with similar responsibilities, preferably with an international or local NGO, or a financial/banking institution.

Required Languages – Good written and spoken Filipino and English languages.

Travel– Must be willing to be assigned to Emergency Area’s sub-office or travel up to 80%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the relevant public donors’ regulations preferred.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications. Knowledge of financial reporting software preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent analytical skills with ability to detect and report inconsistencies
• Accuracy and completeness with great attention to detail
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented
• Ability to work collaboratively

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Supervisory Responsibilities (if none, state none)

Guide the Finance Assistant in the execution of her delegated task, as AP Specialist persona which involves the review of assigned payment requests, cash receipts, adjustments, for invoice creation in the AP module; as Expense Auditor Persona in the review/audit of cash advances, liquidation, and reimbursement.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal – the position will most likely work with the Budget Managers, Country Representative, Procurement, Administration, Program Staff, SCM, Finance Staff, HR, HQ staff and TDYers.

External – the position will most likely involve communication with the vendors, consultants, bank personnel, partners, government agencies, contractors and persons involved in the Emergency Response.