Regional Finance Manager, MENA - German Red Cross

Organizational Context

The German Red Cross (GRC) is part of a worldwide community assisting victims of conflicts and disasters and people affected by social or health related crises. The Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement provides vulnerable people with assistance without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions and adheres to the seven Fundamental Principles of the Movement: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality. The GRC assists in disaster response, rehabilitation and capacity building projects internationally on appeals of their sister organizations within the Movement. GRC is maintaining partnerships and programs with 10 National Societies in the MENA region with a focus on relief, health, cash, National Society Development and multi-hazard Disaster Risk Reduction. GRC’s office in Beirut comprises of 16 staff (including the Lebanon country team) and supports 8 GRC offices across the MENA region. The position is part of the regional finance team, responsible to ensure compliance with GRC and donor requirements and good financial management of the MENA regional office and across all GRC country programs in MENA.

Job Purpose

The Regional Finance Manager is reporting to the MENA Regional Finance Coordinator. An integral member of the MENA team, s/he has the following key responsibilities:

• Manage the finances of the GRC MENA Office, in terms of cash flow planning, executing payments, and booking entries in the GRC finance system;
• Oversee the financial management of all GRC projects in MENA countries, in coordination with the country teams and regional finance staff;
• Ensure timely, accurate and complete accounting and reporting in compliance with GRC standing rules and regulations and donor requirements;
• Directly line manage, motivate and develop two GRC finance officers; 
• Troubleshoot financial problems as they are identified, seeking to limit their impact and rectify their cause so they do not recur;
• Advise the Finance Coordinator on all issues related to regional financial management, particularly in relation to longer-term planning of income, expenditure, and cost-recovery;
• Provide technical advice and support to GRC country teams on general financial management issues, and in particular with regards to compliance and grant management, reporting and financial closure.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Oversee all financial management aspects of GRC country programs and projects

• Proactively support GRC country teams in preparing and modifying project budgets in accordance with GRC and donor guidelines.
• Coordinate with HQ Finance in the creation of regional and country-level grants and projects within the GRC accounts.
• Ensure compliance of project financial arrangements and reporting with GRC’s and relevant donor regulations.
• Monitor project budgets and expenditure, advise on budget performance and, if applicable, suggest budget revisions.
• Contribute financial data to the GRC Heads of Offices to support the annual Country Budgeting
• Support the GRC country offices in the development of new project proposal budgets and provide quality technical advice on budget templates and guidelines.
• Support audits of GRC programs.
• Ensure compliant closure of projects, including final financial reporting, external audit, and updating the GRC accounts.
• Periodically visit countries to provide on-site face to face support to GRC country teams and the finance department of the Host NS.

Manage GRC MENA Office finances and support the Finance Coordinator in its administration

• Facilitate efficient communication and coordination between GRC HQ, the MENA office, and country offices on finance.
• Manage the GRC MENA RO cash flow, including the preparation and processing of transfer requests from GRC HQ.
• Ensure effective, correct and timely book-keeping of MENA office expenditure data, and correct payment processing.
• Ensure preparation of accurate, complete and timely financial reports (including reconciliations) in accordance with GRC and donor requirements.
• Prepare and maintain the Cost Allocation Plan to cover shared expenses, particularly financing regional office and delegate costs
• Ensure that the management of MENA office, country office and delegates’ finances comply with GRC policies.
• Ensure that appropriate physical and electronic filing of relevant documents is maintained.

Support GRC Heads of Offices and delegates in eight to nine countries

• Advise / assist Heads of Offices and delegates with budget responsibilities on operational financial management.
• Provide collegial support and back-up to the GRC finance staff and delegates in Lebanon, Syria, oPt, Yemen, Morocco, Egypt, Iraq, Libya (and potentially Turkey).
• Oversee the level of working advances made to MENA office staff.
• Ensure that delegates’ working advances are properly accounted for and replenished, as necessary.
• Ensure that the country teams’ financial management procedures comply with GRC regulations and standards.
• Support the GRC Heads of Offices in the recruitment of finance staff needed in their country offices.

Directly line manage GRC MENA Finance Officers

• Provide day-to-day supervision of the activities of the 2 MENA Finance Officers.
• Conduct annual objective setting discussions and prepare appraisals for staff under supervision, as necessary.
• Recruit new finance staff for the RO, when required.
• Ensure the management of resources to fund these positions on a continuous basis.

Capacity building

• Identify capacity development needs and subsequently suggest, design and assist the country teams.
• Mentor the Finance Officers and GRC delegates with finance roles, to further develop their technical skills.
• Advise HQ in ensuring that its internal financial systems and procedures are fit for purpose / best practice.
• Periodically visit countries covered to provide on-site support and financial management capacity development of NS staff and, where necessary, also the GRC Delegates in-country.

General financial management and other managerial responsibilities

• Advise the Finance Coordinator on issues of financial planning, budget preparation, monitoring and reporting income and expenditure.
• At all times maintain an overview of all financial activities in the region, covering the entire MENA portfolio, and effective summaries of the regional status, for management and relevant delegates at HQ, RO and country level.
• Understand and communicate the financial management and reporting compliance requirements of GRC and its key donors in the MENA Region, and communicate changes and new developments in their respective guidelines.
• Participate in relevant internal meetings, development fora, workshops and courses of GRC and the Movement.
• Provide suggestions and input to the continuous development of the financial systems (FundsPro) and procedures, routines, and processes at regional and HQ level, e.g. by suggesting revisions the SOPs.
• Other tasks as may be requested by the Finance Coordinator or Head of MENA office.

Education

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

Experience

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

Knowledge, skills and languages

• Technical knowledge and experience in facilitating, supporting, monitoring and supervising activity plans, budgets and financial management - Required
• Ability to support and impart technical knowledge to colleagues and subordinates - Required
• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office Package, especially Excel). Proficiency in any reputed financial accounting system - Required
• Excellent analytical skills, particularly of complex financial documents and questions - Required
• The ability to advise upon, establish and enforce sound internal financial controls - Required
• 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 - Required
• Good knowledge of donor financial management and reporting requirements - Preferred
• Strong teamworking skills; able to build trust remotely - Required
• Fluency in English and Arabic with good spoken and written command of the language - Required
• Willing to have up to 20% travelling days per year, either to the program countries or HQ (Berlin) - Required
• Conversant with and willing to work for brief periods in volatile environments e.g. Iraq, Yemen or Syria - Required

Competencies and values

• 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 GRC HQ, and Country teams.
• Good communication, coordination, networking and facilitation skills