Deputy Director Finance

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is dedicated to helping people whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and rebuild their futures. Since 1996, IRC-DRC has been responding to the humanitarian and development needs of Congolese and refugee populations in the DRC, while working to promote their rights and strengthen their health, security, economic well-being, education and decision-making. Currently, IRC works in the areas of health (including sexual and reproductive health), nutrition, water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), child and women protection, governance and conflict management, education, and economic recovery and development.

Job overview

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. Will supply to the development of the Country Program’s 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 financial management practices and systems that are aligned with US and local laws, adhere to donor requirements, and are conducive to effective implementation of programs.

The Deputy Director Finance 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 IRC’s financial control environment and CFO standards and objectives.

Based in Goma- Democratic Republic of Congo , the Deputy Director Finance will have dual reporting to the Country Director and the Regional Finance Director, including straight line accountability to the CFO.

Key responsibilities

Accountability

• Strategic Planning & Analysis

• Provides financial information to support the Country Director and SMT 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

• Gives and provides feedback to the development of Country Program’s Strategic Annual Plan

• Identify, assess and mitigate financial risks and contribute to the risk management of the country program.

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 Program’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.

• Serves as the principal liaison with IRC HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management.

Training and 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.

• Maintains 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 Program’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 Program’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.

Compliance & Financial Risk Management

• Identify potential financial risks.

• Analyze and quantify the severity of these risks to the operations and programs.

• Develop and implement effective strategies to manage these risks.

• Monitor the success of the strategies and take appropriate steps to update them.

• Ensure the timely implementation of internal and external audit recommendations relating to the finance department.

• Contribute to overall country risk management through the Senior Management Team (SMT)

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to: Country Director and Regional Finance Director

• Position directly supervises: Deputy Finance Controller-Accounting, Deputy finance Controller Internal audit, Deputy Finance Controller- Budgeting & Financial Reporting

• Other internal contacts: DDP, Grants and Compliance, MEAL, Finance, HR, Roving Field Coordinator, DDO

EXTERNAL: Financial Institution, Ministry of Finances

Qualification

• Post-graduate with a minimum of 5 years of experience in a humanitarian context (in complex and volatile context)

• Experience must include work in a similar role within international humanitarian/emergency contexts

• Exceptional coordination and inter-personal skills

• Background in situation analysis, needs assessments and emergency response project implementation.

• Demonstrably excellent written and oral communication skills; strong English writing skills required.

• Experience with integrated emergency response required.

• Proficient in MS Office, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint

• Flexibility to adapt to changing demands and the ability to work under pressure are essential.

• Knowledge of the DRC context (especially Eastern part of the country)

Work experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce, Finance or equivalent 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 proven 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 (e.g. SUN System, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power BI, and Vision Excel Analyzer).

• Desirable: experience in supporting a transition to an ERP system.

• Desirable: IRC experience

• Essential: fluency in French

• Good written and verbal skills in the English language

• 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 challenging 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

The work environment: The DDF will be based in Goma, in DRC, and will travel throughout the country to field program locations (30%). The security situation in DRC is still unstable but there are different sources of hope for the country to return to peace. The security level remains at 3 (orange phase). The candidate must be prepared to work in insecure environments. This is an unaccompanied position.

Housing: Individual housing unaccompanied. All IRC sites have electricity and internet although some interruptions can be experienced. Food is the individual’s responsibility.

Specific Security Situation/ Housing: The designated base location for this position is Goma in North Kivu Province. Crime and theft are common so there is limited freedom of movement. Civil conflict is ongoing in parts of the Eastern DRC and the area is considered unstable. Strict adherence to security guidelines is requested of all IRC staff

Returning national candidates: IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs. We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the IRC has introduced an attractive remuneration package.

National applications as well as female applications are strongly encouraged.

Standards of Business Conduct: IRC workers are expected to uphold the values and principles outlined in the IRC WAY – Standards of Business Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality.

Safeguarding: Strictly adhere to the IRC Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy and all other policies, including those relating to security and fraud prevention.

In accordance with the safeguarding, IRC maintains policies on protecting beneficiaries/clients from exploitation and abuse, child protection, Anti-Harassment in the Workplace, fiscal integrity and anti-retaliation.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an equal opportunity employer. IRC considers all job applicants based on merit without regard to race, gender, color, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality: IRC recognizes and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an equal opportunity employer and consider all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. IRC is also committed to closing 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 safety protocols and other supportive benefits.

How to apply

https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/39528?c=rescue