Internal Controller and Grant Compliance Manager

The Organization:

Founded in 1982, Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflict in more than 35 countries around the world.  With headquarters in Washington, DC, and a European office in Brussels, Belgium, SFCG’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments perceive and respond to conflict, in particular violent conflict - away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. SFCG and its “common ground approach” seek to support conflicting parties understand their differences and act on their commonalities. 

SFCG prides itself on having many projects from many different funding sources.  The global organization is currently implementing projects funded by more than 60 donor sources, most of which are institutional donors, foundations, and multi-lateral organizations like the United Nations. 

Program:

SFCG began working in the DRC in 2001. Since then, the country program has grown substantially and is now implementing more than twenty distinct projects, including cross-border programs, funded by a dozen different donor sources for a substantial annual project portfolio.  The DRC program operates offices in 6 provinces throughout the country, as follows:  Kinshasa, South Kivu (Bukavu), North Kivu (Goma), Katanga (Kalemie), Province Orientale (Bunia), and Equateur (Libenge).  The country program works with a number of institutions including local and international NGOs, radio stations across the country, and the Congolese government, including the military and police. These partnerships can include material and operational support through direct assistance as well as sub-awards.

Primary Function:

The Internal Controller and Compliance Manager will take the lead in assuring the quality management of externally funded grants/contracts from inception to closure. In addition to an oversight and monitoring role, the GCM will ensure that both programming and operations staff improve their understanding of different granting/contracting mechanisms and build their capacity to adhere to donor regulations related to reporting, invoicing, and asset management and purchasing. The Internal Controller and Compliance Manager will report to the Country Director.

Specific Responsibilities:

Grants Management and Compliance

• Serve as principle point of contact on grant management and compliance issues with sub-grantees, SFCG Finance, Regional and Global Finance and Compliance staff.
• Support timely agreement/contract development, review, and/or approval, both with donors and partners, ensuring adherence to both internal SFCG and donor requirements.    
• Anticipate and respond to SFCG and sub-grantee questions related to contracts, budgets and spending
• Ensure the timely reporting to senior management of any identified compliance risks.

Internal Control Assessment

• Ensure adherence to record keeping as per donor and SFCG Internal requirements.  Monitor application and address gaps as needed
• Ensure timely closure of finance audit recommendations related to donor compliance; participate in preparation, implementation and monitoring of corrective action plans
• Lead site visits to partners to assess adequacy of internal controls, compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and partner policies and procedures.  Report findings to program management including proposed follow-up with sub-grantees based on issues surfaced.
• Organize external firm audits in accordance with grant requirements and in collaboration with the Regional Finance Managers. 
• Provide guidance and support for the timely assessment of partner financial management capacity and ability to adhere to any specific donor requirements.  Develop related action plan with program and finance staff to address any capacity/system gaps. 
• Work with Heads of Offices and other relevant staff to improve internal controls within the DRC program. 

Financial Management and Analysis

• Support the finance manager in the review and approval of donor financial reports and invoices prior to submission.
• Review budgets with actuals reports to ensure adherence to restrictions on line item flexibility and stated restrictions on accepted costs.  Support follow up actions to resolve any identified problems.
• Ensure that SFCG and partners keep supporting documents for all financial transactions and ledgers for Fixed Assets, Purchase Requisitions, Cash Receipts and Disbursement.

Capacity Building

• Build capacity of SFCG and partner staff in grants/contract compliance through training and accompaniment.   
• Actively participate in program meetings as appropriate to effectively plan and collectively coordinate financial and programmatic activities in conjunction with partner capacity building initiatives.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Review adherence of program staff to grant guidelines and ensure that performance weaknesses are reported to direct supervisors.

 Key Internal Relationships:

• Country Director, Director of Operations, Regional Finance Managers, HQ-based grants and compliance staff, HQ-based internal controls staff, Director of Programs, Heads of Office, Admin and Finance staff, and Program Managers/officers.

Key External Relationships:

• Finance and program staff in partner organizations, donors.

Qualifications:

• Masters degree in finance, business administration or accounting, required.
• A University degree in accounting. 
• Professional qualification in accounting (ACCA, CPA or equivalent), preferred.
• Minimum seven years relevant work experience w/ NGO, of which three years should be in DFID or USG finance and compliance. Very strong finance background.
• Experience managing DFID and/or other donor grant awards.
• Auditing experience is highly desirable. 
• Demonstrated ability to build capacity and lead trainings for staff and partners. 
• Proven ability to be an effective supervisor of staff of varying levels of responsibility.
• Good command of spoken and written English and French 
• Mastery of Excel
• Self-guided, strong organizational and planning skills
• Ability to work independently and under pressure.
• Excellent communication, coaching and facilitation skills.
• Ability to travel up to 40%. 

Language Requirement:

• Professional proficiency in French and English

DISCLAIMER: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Salary:  Commensurate with experience and education, with excellent benefits. 

Location:  Flexible; preferably in Goma, Bukavu or Kinshasa. 

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter / letter of application, resume, salary requirements (or current salary), projected start date, and where you found this job posting through our online application system at: https://sfcg.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=197. No phone calls please. Deadline for applications is February 15, 2014. Seeking a candidate available immediately. Position is fully funded. Please visit our website at www.sfcg.org for more details about our work in the DRC and beyond.