Partnership Finance Manager - Beirut - For National Candidates Only

Background IRC summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Contextual Background:

As a part of its Strategic Planning, the IRC Lebanon has recognized that working with Local and International partners will continue to grow in its relevance and created a partnerships unit in 2017 with more that 20 established partnerships today in 2020 with local actors and governmental bodies. Effective partnerships with local and national CSOs and government entities enable the IRC to pursue the strategic objectives set out in IRC 2020 and result in better outcomes for the people we serve.

Job Overview/Summary:

Based in Beirut with occasional travel to the Field Offices in Zahle, Qobayat, and Tripoli the Partnerships Finance Manager will work in the IRC partnership Unit. The purpose of the Partnership Unit is to oversee the management and coordination of IRC's partnership related work in accordance with the IRC Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results (PEERS). He/she will be directly reporting to the Partnerships Coordinator with a dotted technical line to the Assistant Finance Director.

The Partnerships Finance Manager will play a key role in supporting partners and IRC in their financial management of the sub-grants. The role will coordinate the facilitation of partnership management processes relating to financial reviews before submitting the payments request to finance for final sign off. Their role will also focus on supporting partners and programs’ staff to build solid capacity in finance and accounting systems. The Partnerships Finance Manager will play a key role in coordinating efforts between IRC’s Finance and Partnerships Units.

Program Delivery        

• Participate in the Partner's Project Capacity Review (PPCR) of potential partners as appropriate and contribute to efforts to collaboratively analyze and manage material risks identified.
• Work collaboratively and supportively with partners to develop and finalize budgets and budget amendments, and (in the case of milestone-based partnership agreements) in determining the costing of milestones.
• Review partnership agreement terms relating to advances, reporting and any special conditions relating to finance before sharing with finance and HQ for final sign off.
• For cost-reimbursable partnership agreements, agree with partners the specific documentation required to support each type of cost, adjusting standard requirements to the operating context and the partner.
• Participate in Partnership Project Opening, Review and Closure Meetings, including to review successes, challenges, and lessons learned with the partner, and capture effective finance practices for future partnerships.
• Work collaboratively with partners to ensure the timely provision of funding to partners in accordance with the partnership agreement to ensure program continuity, ensuring clear communication with the partner and efficient resolution where for whatever reason this is not possible.
• Collaborate with partners to ensure completeness, correctness, and accuracy of financial reports and cash requests before sending to the finance department for validation and payment processing.
• Review partner financial reports (and narrative reports for consistency) and supporting documents to ensure compliance with the partnership agreement, donor regulations and IRC policy, and provide feedback to the partner as appropriate.
• Monitor partner budgets and actual spending in collaboration with technical coordinators, identifying issues and working proactively and collaboratively with partners to resolve them.
• Lead timely and effective finance review, checking and reflection with the partners (monitoring), identifying appropriate follow up actions, and providing completed reports to Partnership Coordinator
• Assist in the close-out phase of partnership agreements,
• Participate in the review of the performance of the partner, of the IRC, and of the partnership, including successes, challenges and lessons learned.
• Member of Partnership Working group (PWG), and co-responsible for delivering the functions of the PWG, including to promote effective cross-departmental collaboration with respect to partnerships.

Program Support & Capacity Sharing

• Provide finance and accounting training and mentoring support to partners, in accordance with partner project support plans, with a focus on supporting the partner to strengthen financial management systems and capacities that are responsive to the needs of the partner (rather than replicating IRC’s systems and policies).          

Team Management      

• Ensure that all finance staff reflect and apply IRC’s partnership principles, and that finance staff with significant partnership responsibilities are guided by IRC’s partnership skills and approaches.
• Promote a culture of mutual learning and good partnership among IRC staff.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  Partnerships Coordinator

Position directly supervises: N/A

Indirect Reporting: Assistant Finance Director
Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Partnership Unit Staff, Finance, HR and Supply chain departments, HQ and Regional grants/compliance teams, Program Coordinators, Regional partnership team, Senior Coordinator

External:  In-country donor counterparts, partner organizations,  

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline, Master’s degree a plus.
• Demonstrated successful experience working with partners and/or grants management
• Demonstrated experience in finance and accounting
• Demonstrable understanding of project planning and management cycles, and strong program design skills.
• Highly organized, diplomatic, close attention to detail, and ability to effectively prioritize tasks in a fluid environment.
• Professional fluency in spoken and written English; able to communicate concisely and with impact.
• Very strong English & Arabic writing and editing skills; strong computer skills.

Working Environment: 

The working environment is generally favorable. Lighting and temperature are adequate, and there are no hazardous or unpleasant conditions caused by noise, dust, etc. Work is generally performed within an office environment, with standard office equipment available (personal computer, personal desk, printer, etc.).