Background

Sphere was established in 1997 as an inter-agency project in response to concerns about the performance, accountability and lack of co-ordination among humanitarian actors during the Great Lakes refugee crisis. Sphere developed standards for humanitarian response which have inspired generations of humanitarians and transformed from a project to an independent non-profit membership organisation in 2016.

Sphere is now a diverse global community that brings together frontline practitioners, humanitarian agencies, community organisations, trainers, donors, policy makers, government agencies and affected communities, around a common goal – to improve the resilience of, and outcomes for, people affected by disaster and crisis.

We establish, promote and review standards for humanitarian action which provide an accountable framework for preparedness, resource allocation, response, monitoring and advocacy, before, during and after disasters and crises.

What is expected of you in this role?

The overall purpose of the role is to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the organisation, by managing and coordinating its finances, systems, grants management and operations.

Finance

You will manage and co-ordinate all financial matters, including budget development, planning & reporting, accounts, audit and payroll. Specifically, you will:

· Oversee and manage all financial operations and accounting, accounts payable & receivable, and financial reporting.

· Lead annual budgeting and planning, manage cash flow projections, track and manage all funding, and monitor the budget and expenditure.

· Manage the relationship with Sphere’s accounting and payroll provider for timely and accurate preparation of monthly, quarterly and yearly accounts, financial reporting and audit preparation.

· Plan and prepare for audits, including finalisation of audit reports for the Board, and serve as the primary liaison with the auditor.

· Develop internal control policies and procedures for Sphere, ensuring compliance with Swiss accounting standards (Swiss Gaap Fer), and other statutory and donor requirements.

· Liaise with the Treasurer and the Finance and Operations Committee, including planning timely meetings, proposing agendas and preparing supporting documents to support governance oversight.

Grants management **

You will manage and co-ordinate all aspects of grants, including due diligence, applications, tracking and reporting. Specifically, you will:

· Manage and co-ordinate all due-diligence requirements and documents to ensure the organisation meets donor requirements and qualifies as a direct grant recipient.

· Maintain relationships with donors and partners in consultation with the Executive Director (ED).

· Manage and co-ordinate all grant proposals/applications and grant budgets, working closely with the ED and Partnerships Director (PD).

· Monitor and track all grants, including schedules of reports and payments.

· Monitor and assess grant performance, including meeting commitments made, and receipt and disbursement of funds.

· Guide the team to ensure compliance with donor requirements.

· Prepare narrative reports (template preparation, content collation and editing) and financial reports for all grants in collaboration with the PD.

· Support the team on financial reporting and grant management for all grants.

Operations

Manage and co-ordinate all operational matters, including human resource administration, organisational policies, operational systems, IT and office services. Specifically, you will:

· Lead the development and implementation of organisational policies and guidelines, including periodic updates of content to ensure compliance with legal and statutory requirements.

· Manage the smooth running of the office and serve as the contact point for service providers.

· Develop and manage internal control procedures e.g. travel requests, time sheets, comparison matrices and contracts.

· Lead the implementation of internal projects to enable organisational development and digitalisation.

· Support the preparation for relevant meetings and events including travel arrangements, vendor relations, etc.

· Prepare for Board and Finance and Operations Committee meetings, including preparing background documentation, communications with the Board and logistics.

· Manage and co-ordinate all contracts with consultants and service providers.

· Organise and manage Sphere’s physical and electronic filing systems and filing of documentation related to governance, administration, grants and finance.

· Manage all human resource administration matters and files.

Other Responsibilities

· Maintain relationships with donors, financial institutions, local authorities and statutory bodies.

· Research and advise the ED on general and specific financial, grant, operational, governance and statutory issues, and prepare reports and recommendations on these as required.

· Manage relevant procurement and select external service providers e.g. accounting and payroll, audit, insurance and IT.

· Support the recruitment of new staff, consultants, volunteers and interns.

· Promote and advocate for Sphere to improve quality and accountability.

· Represent Sphere at events, and with donors and partners, as agreed with the Executive Director.

· Any other duties as reasonably required by the ED.

What we are looking for

The successful candidate is a motivated, organised, inquisitive and detail-oriented individual, with interest in the humanitarian sector, ready to support Sphere’s overall mission, team and global community.

· You have a degree or professional qualification in finance or other relevant discipline.

· You have at least five years’ senior level experience in managing finance, operations and grants in a non-profit, government, donor or private sector organisation.

· You have proven coordination/management experience, including the ability to innovate, manage risks and motivate and harness the skills of others.

· You have proven experience in working with institutional donors (US donors highly valued), covering all areas of grants management.

· You have demonstrated ability to engage and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds, including Boards.

· You have solid IT skills and confidence in using ERPs, CRM and online platforms for collaboration and communication. Experience of WinEUR and Salesforce is an asset.

· You have the ability to work both independently and in a consultative and collaborative manner.

· You have an exceptional degree of good judgement, objectivity and maturity.

· You have excellent organisational and planning skills, including attention to detail.

· You have the ability to manage multiple portfolios, prioritise a diverse workload and meet deadlines.

· You have strong interpersonal, networking, communications (written and verbal in English and French), problem solving, analytical and team working skills.

· You have the ability to work in a small team, where each member of the team is expected to work collaboratively, including assisting and covering for others.

This vacancy is archived.

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