Finance & Compliance Manager (Maternity Cover) (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the URL link provided below)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.  In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Now, and for the future.

Program/ Department Summary

Mercy Corps seeks to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping build secure, productive and just communities. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has been working towards generating positive opportunities for Lebanese people, Syrian and Palestine refugees and other vulnerable groups, with a strong focus on engaging women and youth. We do this through:

• Building the resilience of vulnerable individuals, by enhancing their human, social and political capital, to enable them to better adapt to shocks and stresses;
• Strengthening participatory governance and social cohesion to encourage diverse groups to work together to solve public challenges and provide equitable service delivery;
• Promoting economic growth and creating employment opportunities and revenue for vulnerable population groups;
• Carrying out research and developing an evidence-base to influence the adoption of effective and equitable humanitarian and development initiatives in Lebanon;
• Adapting to the changing context in providing both humanitarian life-saving assistance and supporting markets in crisis when and where needed,

The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 125 staff working across four offices throughout Beirut/Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, North Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. Current funders of Mercy Corps in Lebanon include the government of the Netherlands, Global Affairs Canada,

the US Government, Agence Française de Development, RDPP and the European Union through Madad funds. Mercy Corps’ programs aim to sustain Mercy Corps’ reputation as a key and reliable partner for various donors, INGOs, government authorities and civil society actors, to be part of the process of positive changes along the humanitarian, development and peace spectrum.

Primary program interventions include market systems development, support to employment, good governance, capacity building, economic development, livelihood support, and humanitarian assistance through cash-based response and support to markets in crisis, along with a growing research portfolio. As the effect of the multi-dimensional crisis affecting Lebanon for the past two years becomes increasingly dire for the population, Mercy Corps is currently pivoting to bring a greater focus on cash assistance, agriculture and food security. In addition to the current work with micro, medium and small enterprises, the team is also looking at ways to help communities maintain a degree of stability through these challenging times, through support to local governance and access to renewable energy.

General Position Summary

The Finance and Compliance Manager leads the Finance Department and as such, is responsible for all aspects of financial management of the Lebanon country program, including donors budgets and budget revisions, financial transactions related to the Regional Technical Support team, working collaboratively to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures as well as donor regulations. S/he oversees the Finance team and is responsible for all financial functions in the country office, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grant financial management and compliance.  The Finance and Compliance Manager in support of the Program Department, provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy and Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment of empowerment.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives and contribute to country-wide strategy development.
• Representation
• Interface with the representatives of partners, sub-grantees and donors to convey financial information about programs as appropriate.
• Communicate with our partners and sub-grantees to verify their systems and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.
• Team Management
• Create a sustainable work environment of mutual respect that attracts motivated, skilled and effective team members and enables them individually and collectively to strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, train and supervise and lead a diverse team of direct and indirect reports in field offices. 
• Ensure all program staff receive the necessary orientation and training on the day-to-day financial procedures and policies, as applicable
• Contribute to country team-building efforts; build constructive internal relationships; help team members identify problem solving options and ensure integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Operations – Financial
• Ensure effective, transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
• Maintain banking relations and plan and monitor country cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of Mercy Corps programs.
• Maintain appropriate local insurance coverage in coordination with the Admin. Department, to protect Mercy Corps.
• Provide monthly standard accounting submissions to Mercy Corps Headquarters, including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenditures by cost center/project, required subgrantee reporting, as well as other financial information in a timely and accurate manner.
• Provide monthly management reports to the Country Director and Program Managers, including BVAs, subgrantee reporting and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.
• Develop annual fiscal year budgets with the Country Director and develop and implement grant budgeting and forecasting systems with Program Managers.
• Prepare Donor budget and narrative proposals, budget modifications and assist in all inquiries requested.
• Reviewing payments, supporting documentation and contracts. Ensure Posting data entries in the accounting system and handling the Month-end Allocation Routine.
• Operations – Compliance
• Review sub-grantee pre-award assessments and recommend modifications to the sub-grant agreement and/or monitoring plan to lessen financial and compliance risks.
• Work with Subgrants – Finance Officer to ensure Subgrantee financial reports are reviewed and corrective actions taken as well as payments are issued in a timely manner.
• Ensure sub-grant tracking as well as financial files are maintained in accordance with the Field Finance Manual.
• Ensure sub-grant close-outs are done ensuring that all requirements of the sub-grant agreement have been met and that sub-grant funds have been properly settled.
• Analyze with the Finance and Human Resources the compensation packages, taxation requirements and human resource policies for local staff to ensure that Mercy Corps’ has adequately accounted for the financial impact of local staff compensation and benefits.
• Provide assistance to HQ with external audits and cooperate in the internal audit processes, and manage local donor and government audits;
• Maintain current knowledge of donor policies, procedures, rules and regulations. Compile and update applicable local policies, and train Mercy Corps staff in these policies.
• Conduct training for Mercy Corps and INGO staff in compliance regulations, as required.

 

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.Do This

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: All Lebanon Finance Department staff;

ACCOUNTABILITY

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Country Director

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: HQ Regional Finance Officer (with authority for technical financial matters); members of Operations, Program departments, all Heads of departments.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance required;
• 5 years of progressive financial management experience, including supervisory experience required.
• 5 years of experience with US, EU donors in grants management, financial management and reporting, audit process, and rules and regulations required.
• Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting preparation and presentation and the proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports. 
• Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.
• Experience managing sub-grants to international and local agencies under USAID, EC and other donor funded programs is required.
• Ability to work in a collaborative spirit with other departments, in particular Procurement and Programs, to effectively implement projects while staying compliant with donor and Mercy Corps regulations.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required.
• Previous experience in insecure environments.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have deep commitment to humanitarian principles and values and the willingness to learn new skills and methodologies while driving an innovative and impactful program strategy. They will have the ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision and demonstrate creative problem-solving skills. The candidate will have highly developed interpersonal communication skills and demonstrate decision- making and leadership skills and excellent time management capacities

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Beirut, Lebanon and is an accompanied position. The country is currently going through an important economic crisis that has some effect on the living conditions, access to basic services and infrastructure.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.