Director of Finance and Operations

Search for Common Ground (Search) is a non-governmental organization working to transform the way the world deals with conflict. We have acquired over 35 years of experience in peacebuilding and are based in over 30 countries around the world. Search first worked in Lebanon in 1996, addressing multiple issues arising within Lebanon's diverse society. In each project we seek to engage all stakeholders to work together to address shared challenges and develop joint solutions.

Summary of Position

The Director of Finance and Operations reports to the Country Director and is responsible for the management of the Administration, HR (in liaison with Regional HR), Finance, Logistics, Procurement and ICT and Security operations of Search for Common Ground in Lebanon and Syria. He/she is specifically responsible for:

Responsibilities

Management

• Manage Procurement & Logistics, Finance and HR/Admin staff and follow up day to day operations of these department's functions;
• Manage/direct the Finance staff for teamwork, accuracy, timeliness, detail and systems thinking
• Create and manage an operational budget for the program
• Manage the various grants to ensure accurate spending, while tracking expenditures and variances
• Monitor funds, ensuring that up to date records of expenditures are kept and that they comply with budget allocations and donor requirements
• Interpret financial information for non-finance staff to ensure program activities and procurement reflect available budget
• Manage grants procurement follow up with the logistics and procurement department.
• Manage compliance for the various projects towards SFCG policies and donors’ requirement.

Finance

• Identify potential shortfalls in funding and alert Senior Management
• Prepare budgets for new proposals
• Monitor account payables/receivables and provide monthly feedback
• Ensure submission of accurate and timely monthly finance reports to headquarters
• Supervise country office cash management, maintenance of optimal bank balance, bank reconciliation, monitoring currency gain/loss, and draft correspondence with bank
• Supervise the production of accurate and timely donor financial reports and maintain correspondence with donors and HQ on financial matters
• Review and provide input for all kind of contracts, initiate and fulfill payments, and assume responsibility for creditors and debtors
• Ensure compliance with Statutory matters like TDS, VAT
• Ensure SFCG Lebanon has a smoothly functioning and efficient Finance Department
• Audit and compliance of SFCG Lebanon: 
• Ensure SFCG and its partners have practices and policies that support easy audits
• Facilitate timely audit and responses to auditors, both local and at headquarters
• Prepare cash management under finance

Budgeting and reporting

• Prepare budgets for new proposals
• Budgets follow up and grants tracker
• Budget revisions, coding and recoding
• Follow up on project extensions
• Grant kick off and closure
• Cost eligibility
• Grant audits

HR/Administration

• Support timely agreement/contract development, review, and/or approval, both with donors and partners, ensuring adherence to both internal SFCG and donor requirements.    

• In liaison with Regional HR
  • Review job promotion policy for existing staff and suggest change in process if needed.
  • Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy of SFCG Lebanon office
  • Develop and monitor overall HR strategies, systems, tactics and procedures across the Lebanon office
  • Monitoring staff performance and attendance
  • Oversee and manage a performance appraisal system that drives high performance
  • Assess training needs to apply and monitor training programs for staff development
  • Approve job descriptions and advertisements
  • Ensure the submission of accurate time sheets in due time
  • Participate in the recruitment process
  • Build the capacity of the HR staff or interns in Leb CO
  • Ensure RHRM is well informed of any violence of code of conduct or official complains are raised by staff

Procurement and logistics

• Implement and update procurement procedures in coordination with management
• In all logistics work, ensure compliance with SFCG Operations Manual policies and procedures, and provide training for other staff on those policies and procedures.

• Manage timely execution of PRs and procurement plans

Safety and Security and ICT

• Supervise security focal point (Logistics Coordinator)
• Ensure the office has an up to date and effective security plan
• In case of security emergency incident lead our office response
• Coordinate on security matters with HQ

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position-holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in finance, business administration or accounting required
• Professional qualification in accounting (ACCA, CPA or equivalent)
• Minimum seven years of relevant work experience within an NGO
• Experience managing a portfolio of awards from multiple donors
• Experience preparing for internal audits and implementing audit recommendations
• Demonstrated ability to build capacity of staff and partners
• Proven ability to be an effective supervisor of staff of varying levels of responsibility
• Proven ability in setting up and implementing accountability mechanisms
• Proven ability in financial planning and developing budgets for new business
• Excellent command of spoken and written English
• Mastery of Excel
• Self-guided, strong organizational and planning skills
• Ability to work independently and under pressure
• Excellent teamwork ability, communication, coaching and facilitation skills