Reporting to: Finance Manager, West Africa
Location: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Type of position: L3
Application closing: 5 October, 2020
Full Time – One year, renewable – subject to funding and performance
Background
Interpeace is an international organisation for peacebuilding that strengthens the ability of societies to manage conflict themselves in sustainable and non-violent ways. Interpeace designs and delivers its work tailored to each situation in partnership with local partners and communities, based on extensive consultation and research. Interpeace also ensures that the processes of conflict management and change that it supports are integrated at all levels of society including local communities, civil society, government and the international community (we call it a ‘Track 6’ approach).
Interpeace was originally established by the United Nations and remains a strategic partner. Beyond field-based peacebuilding, Interpeace also assists the international community – particularly the UN – to be more effective in supporting peacebuilding efforts worldwide. This includes contributing innovative thought leadership on peacebuilding policies and practices. Interpeace is headquartered in Geneva and has offices around the world.
For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org
Position within the Organization
The Finance Support Officer (FSO) is a member of the Global Operations Unit which encompasses Finance, Administration, Internal Audit, IT and HR. The Global Operations Unit is led from the Headquarters Office in Geneva, although team members are based in different locations around the world.
Under regular supervision from the Finance Manager for West Africa, the Finance Support Officer works closely with administration staff, programme staff and partners staff to create a more efficient and effective Finance function in West Africa for an agile, responsive and high performance Interpeace.
Purpose and General Overview
The Finance Support Officer is responsible for supporting the financial performance of Interpeace’s office in Abidjan. This includes accounting, internal controls, audits, budget management, financial reporting, monitoring and capacity building.
The Finance Support Officer maintains complete and accurate financial records. In coordination with the programme and operations team, the FSO supports the development, implementation, monitoring, reporting and auditing of project budgets. S/He ensures that assigned project budgets are implemented according to Interpeace policies and procedures and in compliance with donor regulations. S/He also works closely with the Finance Manager in West Africa and the Regional Finance Coordinator (based remotely) to closely monitor the cost coverage of the programme and/or offices in the assigned areas to anticipate potential risk and financial gaps.
The Finance Support Officer plays an important role in monitoring and supporting the implementation of the approved budgets, overseeing compliance with internal policies, donor regulations and local and fiscal regulations.
This position requires to consult with and/or coordinate activities with internal and external actors.
Guided by the Finance Manager, a successful Finance Support Officer will:
- Maintain and deliver accurate and complete accounting information and documentation, ensure it is posted in the accounting software (QB) and/or ERP (SunSystems) in a timely manner and including internal procedures (recruitment, procurement, etc.)
- Achieve unqualified project and statutory Audits and on time donor and internal financial reports
- Budget monitoring: produce and distribute Budget versus Actuals (BvA) reports with detail analysis on potential risks.
- Deliver on a monthly basis, timely, accurate and complete reviewed set financial records and supporting documents for the partners and/or office assigned through the online tool for consolidation.
- Follow up on the implementation of the internal controls recommendations until resolved (monthly checks, internal and external audits, internal reviews, etc.)
- With the guidance of the Finance Manager and the Regional Finance Coordinator, optimize Interpeace’s performance by reviewing policies and procedures, providing training to staff and/or partners, monitoring financials or assessing risk within the partners and/or offices assigned.
Duties and responsibilities
Budget Management
- Check monthly that the final booked expenses are in line with Approved budgets (including cost sharing) and that resources are utilized in line with the approved budgets and donor requirements.
- At year end, prepare Partner draft Financial Statements for the consolidated Audit. Coordinate any Statutory or Donor audits and, with the assistance of the (Officer and Coordinator), respond to audit queries.
- Monitor that organizational performance actions stated in the Summary of Outstanding Audit Recommendations Report for the assigned partner/s are implemented until issues are resolved.
- Prepare Cash Transfer Request (CTR) for the Abidjan office based on budget availability and ensure funds are utilized according to approved plan (CTR). Update estimates included in the CTR in discussion with relevant programme teams.
- Monitor that expenditures are processed and authorized according to Interpeace Delegation of Authority and other policies.
- Monitor compliance with grant funding requirements (g. donor rules and regulations as eligibility of expenditures).
- Prepare grant expense reports for all the projects implemented at the designated geographical area and ensure accuracy with SunSystems before they are submitted to any external party.
- Participate in Programme team meetings and contribute to Programme strategy, activity planning and Programme development as requested.
Office accounting
- Review all source documentation for income and expenditure to ensure compliance with Interpeace financial rules and procedures.
- Draw up payment vouchers and receipts for all expenditures and incomes and ensure proper authorization of payment vouchers.
- Enter all transactions into QB or Sunsystems.
- Process travel advances and follow up to ensure their subsequent liquidation.
- Operate banking services
- Update the Fixed Assets database with new/disposed assets and ensure that all assets have insurance coverage
- Update the Personnel & Logistics database.
- Review all local expenses for billing purposes and Manage Accounts Payable to ensure all local payments comply with policy requirements.
- Prepare the payroll for the office staff and ensure that all statutory deductions have been correctly made.
- Ensure compliance with Local Tax Laws in relation to statutory requirements relating to financial statements, periodic reporting and tax filings across all taxes.
- Reconcile all local bank accounts and constantly review banking arrangements to ensure timely transfer of funds and minimize exchange loses and bank charges.
- Reconcile all Balance Sheet accounts and follow up to clear non-current items.
- Prepare Draft Financial Statements for and supporting schedules as requested by the auditors and act as the focal point for the auditors during Statutory and Donor/Programme audits.
- Monitor the implementation and clearance of internal and external audit issues and recommendations.
- Conducting Petty Cash Spot checks on a regular basis.
- Maintain local fixed asset register.
- Upload QuickBooks back-ups and Financial reports on SharePoint monthly.
Management of Personnel and Resources
- Supervises, coaches, and develops interns, accountant or assistant
- Creates an enabling and inclusive work environment that fosters learning and innovation, demonstrating gender-responsive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes
Others
- Participate in proposal development team meetings and contribute by providing technical guidance/suggestions to proposal development, activity planning, interpretation of donor requirements etc.
- Maintain updated contractual documentation for grant implementation (project proposals/budgets (ProDocs) and grant agreements or relevant documentation) at SharePoint (DRD, Project Connect, etc.)
- Assist Headquarters in the review of existing policies and procedure and in the development of new procedures, including internal controls.
Qualifications:
Candidates with relevant qualifications, experience, a tertiary degree and fluent in French are invited to apply.
Relevant experience and qualifications may include:
Education
- Degree in Business Administration, finance, or related field from a recognized University
- Accounting certification (partial or full CPA or equivalent)
Experience
- A first experience in finance and accounting in a not-for-profit setting
- Experience with computerized accounting software, preferably QuickBooks and ERPs, preferably SunSystems
- A first experience conducting capacity-building for partner organisations on financial systems and good financial practices
- A first experience in financial bookkeeping
Competencies
- High level of IT proficiency in use of all MS Office applications
- Thorough understanding of finance and accounting matters preferably within the not-for-profit sector
- Advanced accounting knowledge and operating capacity
- Advanced understanding of budget management; financial internal controls; source documentation verification; preparation of payment vouchers; and procurement processes
- Ability to foresee risks and develop contingency plans
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment successfully and to demonstrate gender-responsive and non-discriminatory behavior and attitudes
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in French. Working knowledge of English is desired
- Strong commitment to supporting local peace building initiatives and to the values and working principles of Interpeace
Interpeace Competencies
- Collaboration and Weaving
- Communication
- Driver for Results
- Adaptability and Continuous learning
- Respect for Diversity
Other requirements
- Ability to travel within and outside the country on short notice