Back Senior Finance Officer - Caracas, Venezuela/ National Position

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program

Mercy Corps has been operating in Venezuela since 2018 implementing humanitarian and development programs, with special emphasis on water, sanitation and hygiene, health, protection, food security, and nutrition, and plays a key role in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information relevant to the humanitarian community in the country. The team is expanding its programs at the country level and expanding its team at the country level to implement quality programs with the required attention.

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions at Mercy Corps in Venezuela, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures. In its support role to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reporting and assistance to the Country Leader and Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

The Position

The Senior Finance Officer works in the Finance Department under the direct supervision of the Chief Financial Officer and dotted line to the Country Leader. The Senior Finance Officer will work on accounting and documenting all financial transactions accurately and in a timely manner.

Essential Responsibilities

FINANCIAL AREA MANAGEMENT

• Support in the development of financial policies and procedures for MC VZLA.
• Support in the development of payroll procedures and manuals according to Venezuelan legal regulations and Mercy Corps internal procedures.
• Support in the development of cash flow procedures and processes, including banking regulations for MC VZLA.

  HANDLING OF THE ACCOUNT CLOSING IN NAVIGATOR AND FISCAL ACCOUNTING

  • Planning of monthly financial closing in Navigator.
  • Review of all batches (Vendors PI, GL, Reclass, amortization, General-statistics sub award-) entered into the navigator system.
  • Support of \"allocations\" process for monthly financial closing and information verification reports.
  • Timely delivery of monthly financial packages to headquarters.
  • Perform and prepare monthly/quarterly balance sheet account reconciliations for financial reporting to headquarters.
  • Upload payroll files to Navigator.
  • Bookkeeping and/or mapping for the preparation of MC VZLA fiscal financial statements.
  • Backup for CFO in the monthly closing process in Navigator.

    TREASURY MANAGEMENT

    • Coordinate/prepare cash flow report and transfer request form to HQ, on a monthly basis or according to mission needs or as deemed appropriate.
    • Support bank account opening and update authorized signatures.
    • Verification of the bank account of the monthly funds inflow to Venezuela, verification of the system rate vs. money desk negotiation rate.
    • Manage the foreign exchange process and ensure availability of funds in USD for the implementation of programs.
    • Review of payments made to suppliers - consultants - advances - legalizations before sending for approval by authorized persons in banks.
    • Review of payments incorporated in the banking platform.
    • Drafting of letters to banks for different requests: claims, entry of signatures, withdrawal of signatures, etc.
    • Completion of bank account forms for fiscal closing with the head office.
    • Relationship management with banking entities in relation to requests for cash management program needs and exemption agreements.

      DEVELOP BUDGETS FOR PROPOSALS

      • Provide assistance during the development of proposal budgets in terms of filling out the appropriate forms and complying with regulations of the donors with whom the proposal is being submitted.
      • Ensure that new proposals have a GNG budget duly approved by HQ.
      • Prepare Excel templates for each of the cost proposals, ensuring that they comply with each donor's specifications.
      • Prepare updated cost allocations for the preparation of new proposal budgets.
      • Provide feedback to the program unit regarding the cost proposals, as well as the respective narratives.

        BUDGET MONITORING

        • Issue and/or manage monthly budget versus actual (BvA) reports. Provide feedback to program team and/or other departments on project financial status.
        • Participate in the development of MC VZLA annual budget and core requests.
        • Participate in the development of annual budgets for each of the projects prior to submission for approval by each donor, this includes partner budgets.
        • Coordinate with the program unit in the development of forecasts.

          MANAGEMENT OF AGREEMENTS AND SUB-GRANTS

          • Monitor relevant aspects of each agreement, i.e., obligated amounts, counterparts, co-financing, dates, extensions, modifications and realignments.
          • Ensure that program staff are familiar with the relevant financial and/or compliance aspects of each agreement.
          • Preparing, updating and distributing coded budgets for proper program implementation.
          • Ensure that agreements are closed appropriately, in accordance with donor regulations and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

            PARTNER FINANCIAL MONITORING

            • Coordinate the monitoring and closing process of sub-agreements, is performed in accordance with MC approved SFMM and donor regulations.
            • Participate in the partner selection process, in determining the reasonableness of financial proposals.
            • Review financial responsibility evaluations of selected partners. Ensure that all necessary supporting documentation is in place for the signing of sub-grants.
            • Provide appropriate training to new staff and their staff on subgrant-related issues, including donor regulations.
            • Periodically review the methodologies and tools used by the unit for subgrant management. Make changes according to internal audit recommendations, and the needs of staff in the field.
            • Review risk levels of each of the current project partners on a periodic basis, Evaluate the need for updated pre-award.
            • Assisting the CFO/Country Director and/or project manager in matters related to internal and external audits related to sub-grantees. Preparation of documents, response to reports, implementation follow up, etc.

              PAYROLL

              • Review of payroll and monthly settlement.
              • Review of relevant payroll changes including vacation, disability, salary changes, etc.
              • Support in the absence of the CFO in training new Mercy Corps employees.
              • Review of MC retired personnel settlements sent by Human Resources.
              • Severance payments to retired personnel.

                FISCAL ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT

                📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

                ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

                • Generation of financial statements for the fiscal year Venezuela and their respective disclosure notes for the renewal of the chamber of commerce, banks and for suppliers or entities that request it.
                • Generation of annual certificates of income and withholdings at source for Mercy Corps staff.
                • Generation of annual certificates of income and withholdings at source for suppliers, consultants and contractors.
                • Annual Mercy Corps commercial registration renewal based on financial statements for fiscal years.
                • Preparation of certifications of tax exemptions for new programs and when there is extension of the program, send to cross-cutting teams and programs.
                • Preparation and submission of monthly withholding tax reports in accordance with the due dates established by SENIAT for each fiscal year.

                  COMPLIANCE WITH DONOR REGULATIONS AND VENEZUELAN LEGISLATION

                  • Provide initial interpretation of donor regulations, as well as MC policies and procedures.
                  • Coordinate with the CFO to consult with MCG / MCE regarding donor guidelines and/or compliance policies.
                  • Perform financial review in accordance with the limits stipulated in the MEA, to purchase requisitions, purchase orders, contracts, check requests, transfers to partners.
                  • Provide training to MC staff related to donor laws and regulations, as well as Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
                  • In conjunction with the CFO, coordinates internal and external audit and audit processes.

                    TEAM MANAGEMENT

                    • Create and maintain a mutually respectful work environment where team members strive for excellence.
                    • Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback through periodic performance reviews.
                    • Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and achieve objectives.
                    • Contribute to in-country team building efforts, assist team members in identifying problem-solving options and ensure integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
                    • Back up the CFO during travel and vacation absences.

                      SECURITY

                      • Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
                      • Proactively ensure team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

                        Supervisory Responsibility

                        None.

                        Accountability

                        Reports Directly To: Finance Director with a dotted line to the Venezuela Country Representative

                        Works Directly With: Finance, Programs, Operations and Security teams and Finance team at HQ.

                        Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

                        Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

                        Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills

                        • Five or more years of accounting experience is required.
                        • Bachelor's degree as a CPA and five or more years of experience in the Finance Department of an NGO is required.
                        • Demonstrated proficiency with computerized general accounting software.
                        • Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
                        • Previous management experience and strong organizational skills.
                        • Good oral and written English skills. Desirable.

                          Success Factors

                          Ability to interact effectively with national and international staff is required. A demonstrated ability to multitask, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is required. A high professional level of financial and procurement ethics is essential, as is the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures. The Senior Accountant must be willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.

                          Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

                          The position is based in Caracas, Venezuela and will require occasional travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services.

                          Ongoing Learning

                          In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

                          Diversity, Equity & Inclusion