Finance Manager - Qatari Red Crescent

Job purpose:

The Finance Manager (FM) has a daily reporting line to the Head of Delegation (HoD) and a direct reference line to the Head of Finance for the Relief and International Development Division (HQ).

The Finance Manager (FM) holds the following key responsibilities:

• Manage the finances of the Lebanon Office, in terms of cash flow, overseeing payments, and entries of ongoing projects as well as the operating budget  accounts and its allocation setting and control;
• Oversee the financial management of the projects, in coordination with Head of Projects, and HQ finance staff;
• Ensure timely, accurate and complete accounting and reporting in compliance with QRC standing operating procedures (SOPs) and donor requirements;
• Directly line manage the Accounting department staff
• Troubleshoot financial and administrative problems as they are identified, seeking to limit their impact and rectify their cause so they do not recur;
• Advise the HoD on all issues related to financial management, particularly in relation to longer-term planning of income and expenditure;
• Provide technical advice and build capacity of the QRC country team
• Provide input to the continuous development of the QRC financial system and procedures, routines, and processes by suggesting revisions to the manuals.

Job duties and responsibilities:

 Oversee all financial management aspects of QRC country programmes and projects

• Proactively support QRC in preparing partner cooperation and project agreements and modifications and project budgets in accordance with QRC and donor guidelines.
• Coordinate with HQ Finance in the creation of Delegation-level grants and projects within the QRC accounts.
• Ensure compliance of project financial arrangements and reporting with QRC’s and relevant donor regulations.
• Monitor project budgets and expenditure, advise on budget performance and, if applicable, suggest budget revisions.
• Monitor and quality control the cash requests submitted by country teams and partners according to the agreed upon lines of submission.
• Ensure that grant income and expenditure budgets for the projects are kept up to date.
• Execute cash pledges as agreed by QRC HQ and approved MoUs.
• Support the QRC country programme team, in the development of new project proposal budgets and allocations 
• and provide quality technical advice on budget templates and guidelines.
• Coordinate and support the annual audit of all QRC programmes and supervise their tendering and overall execution.
• When tasked by QRC HQ or the HoD, undertake investigations or internal audit missions for programmes / projects.
• Ensure compliant closure of projects, including final financial reporting, external audit, and updating the QRC accounts.
• Periodically visit sites to provide face-to-face support to the QRC on-site teams and the accounting staff on-sit

Manage QRC finances and support the HoD in its administration

• Facilitate efficient communication and coordination between QRC HQ on finance issues
• Manage the QRC cash flow, including the preparation and processing of transfer requests from QRC HQ.
• Ensure effective, correct and timely book-keeping of expenditure data into, and correct payment processing.
• Ensure preparation of accurate, complete and timely financial reports (including reconciliations) in accordance with QRC and donor requirements.
• Prepare and maintain an allocation formula to cover shared expenses, particularly financing regional delegate positions.
• Follow-up on monthly time registration on project budgets by staff on a regular basis.
• Initiate, plan and support conduct of the external audit of QRC projects and respond to findings.
• Ensure that the management of the delegates’ finances complies with QRC manuals.
• Ensure that appropriate physical and electronic filing of relevant documents, is maintained.
• Ensure the maintenance of a fixed asset inventory list for the region, covering assets

Support QRC Country Coordinators

• Advise and assist project teams on budget responsibilities on operational financial management.
• Provide collegial support and back-up to the joint QRC/ Programme on co-funded projects
• Review financial reports sent by Implementing partners
• Oversee the level of working advancements made on ongoing projects.
• Ensure that delegates’ working advances are properly accounted for and replenished, as necessary.
• Ensure that the country teams’ financial management procedures comply with QRC SOPs and manuals.
• Support the Country team in the recruitment of any programme finance staff needed.

Directly line manage the QRC finance staff

• Conduct annual employee appraisals for staff under supervision, as necessary.
• Ensure the Securing of the management of resources to fund these positions on a continuous basis.

Capacity building

• Identify capacity development needs and subsequently suggest, design and assist its implementation
• Mentor the Finance staff on finance roles, to further develop their technical skills.
• Assist in implementing measures and building capacity to comply with QRC’s anti-corruption policy.
• Assist in developing standard accounting tools and systems, e.g. finance templates
• Advise in ensuring that its internal financial systems and procedures are fit for purpose / best practice.
• Advise in the development of relevant materials for the financial management training of staff.
• Periodically visit sites to provide on-site support and financial management capacity development of staff,

 General financial management and other managerial responsibilities

• Advise the HoD on issues of financial planning, budget preparation, monitoring and reporting income and expenditure.
• Understand and communicate the financial management and reporting compliance requirements of QRC and its key donors, and communicate changes and new developments in their respective guidelines.
• Participate in relevant internal meetings, development fora, workshops and courses of QRC and the Movement.
• Provide suggestions and input to the continuous development of the financial systems and procedures, routines, and processes; e.g. by suggesting revisions the SOPs.
• Other tasks as may be requested by the Head of Delegation and/or the Finance Department in HQ.

Position Requirements

Education

• University Degree in Financial Management, Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce, or any other relevant fields – Essential
• MBA or a Master Degree in financial management or a related field - Desirable

Experience

• Ten years or more experience in financial management and reporting, budgeting and accounting, and financial audits - Essential
• Extensive experience in management of finance teams, and development of staff - Desirable
• Experience in developing and executing project and programme budgets and scrutiny of financial reports - Essential
• Experience with donor agencies, e.g. ECHO, Europe Aid,  etc - Desirable
• Experience in working for a humanitarian organization, especially within the Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement - Desirable

Knowledge and Skills

• Technical knowledge and experience in facilitating, supporting, monitoring and supervising activity plans, budgets and financial management - Essential
• Ability to support and impart technical knowledge to colleagues and subordinates - Desirable
• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office Package, especially Excel) – Essential
• Full proficiency in a standard financial accounting (ERP) - Desirable
• Excellent analytical skills, particularly of complex financial documents and questions - Essential
• The ability to advise upon, establish and enforce sound internal financial controls - Essential
• Good judgment and the experience to know how to comply with regulations but at the same time enable efficient and effective operations in the field - Essential
• Good knowledge of donor financial management and reporting requirements - Essential

Languages

• Fluency in English with good spoken and written command of the language - Essential
• Fluency in Arabic with good spoken and written command of the language - Essential

Competencies

• Able to handle a very heavy workload for a prolonged period.
• Able to work within a team environment, taking both leadership and team member roles as appropriate.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing conditions, and able to cope with a working environment that could occasionally be stressful due to e.g. fluctuating workloads, unplanned tasks, and personal insecurity.
• High degree of integrity, proactivity and discretion in personal conduct.
• Self-motivated, with good judgement and initiative.
• Able to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Able to manage effective remote communication with QRC HQ, Country Programme teams
• Good communication, coordination, networking and facilitation skills.
• Conversant with and willing to work for brief periods in volatile environments e.g. Iraq, Yemen or Syria.
• Willing to have up to 15% travelling days per year, either to the programme countries or HQ (Denmark).