Finance Manager

TEAM PURPOSE: To ensure effective financial management and reporting within Syria programme

JOB PURPOSE: To manage and co-ordinate the effective and efficient implementation of financial support across the country office and in the programme. To advise on ‘best practice’ and ensure compliance, governance in all areas of financial management. Create a team than can respond innovatively and effectively and create an enabling environment to support effectively programme delivery.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (Technical, Leadership, People and Resource management) Operational Financial Management and Internal Control:

•Ensures that all Finance procedures are consistent with corporate and regional standards, are clearly defined and understood and are operated effectively throughout the programme.

•Ensures effective, timely and accurate functioning and monitoring of the complete PeopleSoft financial systems (GL and OPAL), including maintaining the completeness and integrity of data within the system, generating necessary reports and authorising monthly data compilation in the system.

•Contributes to the design of and oversee the preparation of regular (monthly/quarterly) management reports (QMRs) to meet the needs of programme managers within the programme and also meet the requirements for regular reporting set by the RC and Oxford, ensuring timeliness and accuracy.

•Supports the CD, DCDS, and other programme staff, in the preparation of programme (PIP) and project budgets and manage the preparation of financial projections/forecasts on a regular basis.

•Responsible for ensuring Bank Mandates and Delegation of Authorities updates.

•Responsible in ensuring that all offices have enough funds for programme implementation

•Responsible for ensuring that all transactions/finance reports have clear and complete audit trail both for internal and external audits

Contribution to strategy development and implementation

•Contributes to the development and implementation of the programme strategy in close collaboration with the Country Director and the Programme team.

•Provides direct support to the Managers and the programme team on all matters of finance specifically budget preparation, monitoring, control and reporting with a view to ensuring good financial standards.

Donor Finance Management:

•Contributes to the development of proposals to donors.

•Works with the funding team and the Donor Accountant to manage the preparation of financial reports to Donors according to set deadlines.

•Responsible in ensuring complete audit trail from primary documentation to the accounting system for accurate and rapid donor reporting and general record keeping.

•Responsible for ensuring proper donor contract management including systems requirements e.g. CRIMSON and RCB.

Budget, Financial Accounting and Reporting:

•Verifies budgets prepared by finance officer and coordinator for accuracy and advises on design for optimum monitoring.

•Responsible for ensuring the preparation of the Budget versus Actuals (BVA) and prepares analyses on a monthly basis or as and when required highlighting major variances for follow up and action by the CD, DCD and other stakeholders.

•Responsible for ensuring accuracy and timely submission of month-ends and year-end reports including balance sheet reconciliations.

•Responsible for the preparation and updating of annual budget (Global Budgets & Matrix) and forecast for the country programme.

•Assesses performance of offices in complying with financial standards and ensures adequate internal controls are in place.

•Responsible for ensuring all financial reports – month ends and year-end are complete and submitted to the CD for final approval.

•Review and endorse the monthly payroll of all offices and signs/approves the payslip of Erbil office’s staff.

•Final technical approval for cash flows, donor proposals and donor reports.

Partners Financial Management

•Lead in the Partners Financial Assessment in coordination with the Partnership Coordinator/Manager, HPC and Area Managers.

•Ensure that Partnership Agreements are checked and reviewed in accordance to Oxfam and Donors requirements before CDs signing.

•Ensure the Partners Financial Reports are checked and reviewed following Oxfam and Donors requirements

•Responsible for ensuring that partners are monitored and capacitated as regards to financial management and other financial-related aspects of the partners project implementation.

Team Management:

•Leads, motivates and supports the Finance staff in direct line management to work effectively together in their jobs; provides close technical support to finance officers in the project offices

•Responsible for the effective performance management of direct reports, including assessing performance against set objectives and performance Development.

•Establishes effective relations with Programme Managers & other managers for application of dotted line management responsibility of finance staff based in their operating locations.

•Provides covers for Donor Accountant and may cover the DCD or CD post if and when needed.

•25-30% of time to be spent for field offices’ and project implementation areas visits

•Any other duties that may reasonably be required, and in support of capacity building in the role

Experience, Knowledge & Competencies:

ESSENTIAL:

•Self-Awareness

•Sound judgement and decision making

•Listening

•Vision Setting

In addition:

•University Degree in Finance or Accountancy qualifications/significant demonstrated, relevant years of experience at this level with International Agencies or NGO’s.

•Minimum 5 to 8 years of relevant experience

•Demonstrated experience of leadership, Team management and capacity building of teams.

•Competency in use of relevant technology systems (MS Office suite, financial accounting, and

accuracy skills)

•Fluency in Arabic and English (written and verbal)

•Management of budgets

•Strong influencing and networking

•Demonstrated skills in coordination with internal/external stakeholders

•Proactive in anticipating problems

Desirable

•Recommends, influences and implements improvements

•Previous experience of People soft database

•Able to coach other staff

•Good planning skills to include flexibility and adaptability

•Self-motivated and takes initiative

•CMA is an advantage