Programme and Partnership Accountant

Contract Grade: A

Contract Length: Two years

Date needed By: ASAP

New Post or Replacement:  Replacing Amensisa Katema

Accompanied / Unaccompanied: Unaccompanied

Exact Job Location: Khartoum

Reports To:   Country Financial Controller

Responsible For:  Finance Officers (FOs), Assistant Finance Officers (AFO), Cashier

Liaises With:  Country Director, ACD-P(S), Programme Managers, Emergency Programme Coordinator, Programme Officers Senior Programme Advisers, Systems Manager, and Field and area Coordinators

Job Purpose:

To provide support to the Country Finance Controller to ensure the effective functioning of the finance department in Sudan through providing day to day technical support and work with national and NGO partners. The post holder will coordinate finance issues and build the capacity of national staff for both Concern and partners, and support staff to manage and carry out the work on the finance function.  The post holder will report directly to the country financial controller

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Controllership:

• Guided by Country Financial Controller and his/her team, ensure that the Concern Worldwide financial policies and procedures are adhered to and implemented in a standardised manner.
• To manage the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by donors and Dublin HQ.
• Assist programme managers and teams to follow donors’ (especially USAID, DFID, ECHO, Irish Aid, UNHCR etc) financial rules while budgeting, spending and reporting.
• Forward to all budget holders & his/her finance teams monthly management accounts on a timely basis and facilitate with programme staff review and follow up of any issues/variances arising.
• Closely monitor all financial activities, and keep the ACD  and Country Financial Controller advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial management performance.
• Assist the Country Financial Controller with external (donor, audit firm, partner organisation, government, etc.) and internal control audits as required.
• In collaboration with all relevant staff, ensure the protection of all programme assets (cash, inventory, etc.) through the enforcement of internal controls and procedures, including regular updating of fixed asset inventories.
• Maintain up-to date knowledge of and implement local government requirements and regulations related to financial matters including statutory deductions from national staff salaries such as income tax, social security, etc

Training & Staff Management:

• Train National Finance Officer/Finance Manager in Concern systems and general accounting best practice.
• Ensure training to non-financial managers and budget holders so that they can manage donor/Concern budgets as per Concern’s standard practices.
• Lead in orienting budget holders and field finance staff in Sudan on the basic internal control procedures.
• To develop and implement staff development plan for the West Darfur, Khartoum and Kordofan finance department staff.
• In collaboration with the HR Manager, ensure that job descriptions of the finance department staff are up-to date and staff are clear with their roles and responsibilities.
• To carry out timely Performance and Development Reviews (PDR) of all finance department staff.
• To facilitate and provide basic training, technical support and guidance to the country program staff, particularly budget holders, for skills improvement in the areas of budget preparation and monitoring, budget revision, reporting, and internal control.

Treasury:

• To supervise all programme office bank relations and bank account activities.
• To oversee the timely preparation, review and approval of all bank account and cash reconciliations on as regular a basis as necessary for effective financial control.
• Assist the ACD and Country Financial Controller in ensuring compliance with Concern Worldwide policies and procedures and assume responsibilities in the implementation of country specific policies such as authorisation limits, cash holding limits, cash movements, credit terms, advance payments, use of bank payment instruments.
• To be responsible for timely preparation and follow-up/handling of Cash Transfer Requests to Khartoum to ensure that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate programme implementation

Budget:

• Assist ACD and other budget holders in conducting the budget process for the West Darfur programme, ensuring that appropriate levels of technical support and guidance is provided to all budget holders during the process of  preparing  the  annual country operating budget and subsequent revisions. 
• Assist budget holders with preparation of donor budgets; ensure compliance with donor regulations and to ensure their incorporation into the country annual operating budget & revisions

Partnership Accounting:

In conjunction with the national Finance Officer:

• Undertake the CLOFAT assessment with potential Partners on a timely and comprehensive basis.
• Summarise CLOFAT findings and recommend whether partnership is workable with resources available.
• Ensure CLOFAT is signed off by all the relevant staff members (Country Financial Controller, ACD Programmes, Project Manager and Country Director).
• Ensure that all CLOFAT documentation is being maintained on the Partner File for future reference.
• Monitoring For each Partner, using CLOFAT and any other available material as a basis, prepare a Partner Monitoring Programme.
• Carry out Systems Review visits in accordance with the Partner Monitoring Programme.
• Perform regular Transaction Audits in accordance with the Partner Monitoring Programme.
• Review financial reports and transaction lists provided by the partner on a timely basis, bringing any unusual transactions and budget variations to the attention of the Programme Manager.
• Ensure an updated risk assessment is completed at least annually and is signed off by Senior Management After each field visit prepare and disseminate a Partner Visit Report.
• Ensure programme staff is aware of their responsibilities in regard to monitoring of partners. Ensure sign off from appropriate senior Programme representatives is obtained on the CLOFAT, Partner Monitoring Programme and Annual Risk Review
• Ensure Partner Reports and findings are circulated to all interested parties within Concern and the Partner. Ensure all documentation relating to Concern‘s financial relationship with the partner is filed correctly and updated where necessary

Monthly Management Accounts:

• Participate in preparing monthly management accounts and month end process.
• Assist Country Financial Controller to produce accurate monthly management accounts, engaging in necessary review work, posting of journals etc.
• Assist the Country Financial Controller in the process of obtaining explanations of variances between budget and actual     spending, income and pass necessary adjustments to ensure correct reporting.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

1. Educational Qualification

Essential:            Part or fully qualified Accountant

Desirable:           Management Qualification

2. Experience Required:

Essential:       Two to three years finance experience including donor and management reporting, staff management and some capacity building (coaching, mentoring or training).  Some overseas experience in emergency or development contexts a distinct advantage.

Desirable:           Experience of work in Sudan / Horn of Africa region

                                Experience in working in a complex emergency context

Experience with Concern systems and programmes

Experience in working with partners

• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Empathy with Concern’s goals and a commitment to capacity building, protection and participation
• Excellent communication and training / capacity building skills
• Proven organisation, planning and management skills
• Ability to work on own initiative and lead diverse teams
• Flexible and adaptable to a changing environment
• Strong interpersonal and team work skills
• Ability to work under pressure often to strict deadlines
• Knowledge of computer applications i.e. Microsoft word, Excel, communications systems
• Knowledge of accounting software – Knowledge of Microsoft Great Palins will be an added advantage.

Familiarity with humanitarian law and principles of humanitarian action (international code of conduct and humanitarian charter) Familiarity with Sphere guidelines and people in aid, code of best practice; willingness to participate in emergency response as and when needed.

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date 7th January 2015. CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.

Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them.  In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment.   By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.

Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year.  Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List).  Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant.  For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.

Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.