Senior Finance Controller

The Senior Finance Controller has overall policy and management responsibility for the finance and accounting functions of the country program. The Senior Finance Controller’s responsibilities include general controllership, treasury and budget functions as well as staff management and training. The position is based in Addis Ababa with occasional travel to field sites.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and funding source policies, procedures, and requirements.
Establishes in-country finance policies, systems and procedures, and directs their implementation. 
Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Country Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.
Ensures monthly balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a timely basis and those final reconciliations and trial balances are reviewed with the Country Director.
Provides country management and program staff with monthly budget-versus-actual expenditure reports and analysis for all grants and unrestricted funds.
Manages the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by headquarters and donors.
Identifies requirements for and develops reporting formats to aid in the management of country operations and grant expenditures.
Directs the preparation of, and approves all donor financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Country Director and Regional Controller prior to submission.
Develops, schedules and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates actions necessary to correct internal control weaknesses.
Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits
Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures.
Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.
Is the principal liaison with IRC HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management matters

Treasury

Supervises all country office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates.
In compliance with IRC policy establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings.
Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations. 
Establishes country policies on advance payments, credit terms, and use of bank payment instruments.
Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending.
Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation.
Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.
Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables.

Budget

Assists with the preparation and revision of grant proposal budgets.
Assists in the preparation and maintenance of the country’s Operating Budget; including preparation of budget guidelines to assist program managers in formulating budgets.
In compliance with donor requirements and IRC policy develops the “Shared Program Costs” and “Overhead Costs” budget and recommends a methodology for allocation to grant budgets.
Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding.
Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers.

Training & Staff Management

Establishes a finance department roles and responsibilities matrix; outlines relevant job descriptions; recruits and maintains adequate numbers of qualified staff to perform finance functions for the country program.
Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed on a timely basis and facilitates discussion of performance and career options with all country finance staff.
Develops and implements a training program for the country’s international and national finance staff to ensure staff development and minimize IRC’s exposure when staff are absent or depart. Maintains current job descriptions for all positions within the finance group.
Oversees training and technical support to country program, logistics and administrative staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

Reports to the Country Director
Supervises the finance team

External

Communicates with the Regional Controller
Represents the country office with Banking Managers, local government staff (taxation and regulation related) and External Auditors.

REQUIREMENTS:

Education:

Bachelors degree/Post graduate degree/Masters degree, in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA/ACCA,

      Experience:

8 years of relevant experience with first degree and 5 years of relevant experience for post graduates
Minimum 4 years of managerial experience in the financial area of a non-profit organization or five years of managerial experience in finance in an international commercial organization.
Extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs.

Skills and Abilities:

Excellent written and verbal skills in the English language.
Comfortable in being a proactive member of the top-management team. Must seek to identify and communicate potential problems and propose solutions to the appropriate level of management.
Able to function effectively in a complex work environment and to set appropriate priorities and deal effectively with numerous simultaneous requirements
Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support.
Good communication skills that function across a diversity of cultures.
Good at role of facilitator and team player in solving problems.
Committed to staff training and development.

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