Finance Manager

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, academic institutions, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR), and in Dire Dawa Administration and the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

Position Title: Finance Manager    

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Open Position:  1

General Position Summary

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

Working in the Finance unit, under the direction of the Finance Director, the Finance Manager will be responsible on the day-to-day routine tasks of the Finance Manager role as well as monthly, quarterly and annual reporting. He is expected to produce reliable, accurate and timely financial report/information for all stake holders involved in. The post holder should be forward looking, self-driven operating under minimum supervision, and critical thinker in senior management role.  Furthermore, considering the various expected systemic changes in future, the post holder should be forward looking, change oriented and able to develop/train the team capacity in the changing environment.

This job requires 20% travel to the project sites directly managed by Mercy Corps as well as by sub grantees. The two main objectives of the travel are 1) Capacity Building 2) Compliance and Monitoring (internal audit nature) of donor rules as well as MC internal policies and procedures.

Essential Job Responsibilities

 ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Compliance Monitoring (40% of Time)
2. Financial Accounting and Budgeting (30% of Time)
3. Sub Grantee Management (30% of Time)

1. Compliance Monitoring [40% of Time]

• Assist the Finance Director in ensuring that for all donor funded projects, we have established a systematic monitoring tool called “Compliance Checklist” per donor/per grant and disseminate this timely to all budget holders and sub grantees involved.
• Assist the Finance Director in ensuring that all newly recruited budget holders have received an adequate level of training on all donor compliance matters as well as on Mercy Corps’ internal policy and procedures. And organize periodic refresher training for the existing staff.
• Ensure that all grant files are kept to the standard level (hard and soft copies) in a very systematic order and all the relevant information is accessible from the common (share) folders. To implement this, follow the minimum standards of filing checklist designed by HQ and add more information which may be necessary for local use. Ensure that all relevant grant related information is kept in the finance unit as a central source for any form of reference. Ensure that project technical staff are handing over all key grant-related documents and also check with SFCS to obtain any missing part of grant information.
• Lead all the donor audit and ensure that all donor audit work is well coordinated and assist the Grant and Compliance Coordinators in executing their role in relation to donor audit.
• Make periodic and planned field visit and ensure that all donor as well as MC internal policies and procedures are implemented to adequate standard. Ensure that all field visits are completed with a standard visit report on observations and includes recommendations. Perform quarterly review work whether such recommendations are implemented in a consistent manner.
• Ensure that all support service staff and budget holders are familiar with Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures and prepare summarized induction package for newcomers on such internal policies and procedures.
• Ensure that field offices are consistently implementing internal audit recommendations and ensure that this is built in the visit terms of reference by the Addis Ababa Finance team.
• Coordinate with the Finance Director and Human Resource Director and ensure that host government compliance matters are properly followed and flag any deviations in the monthly finance or support service meeting. Ensure that the compliance registration checklist is regularly updated.
• Provide all compliance related information to the regional finance officers (based in HQ - PDX and Edinburg) as and when requested. Coordinate with the Regional Finance Officers (based in HQ) and local Field Finance and Reporting manager on all local donors’ ad-hoc reporting needs.
• Provide the required support for the RIPA finance team

Financial Accounting and Budgeting (30% of Time)

• Together with other finance colleagues, as a team, provide strong support on the annual statutory audit and any other Audit related to MC Ethiopia programme
• Provide timely and accurate management dashboard information monthly for Finance Director. In addition to this, perform monthly BVA/BVE analysis for grants which the Finance Manager is “Account Manager.”
• Based on the Authority Matrix, perform consistent and standard level financial review for all documents submitted for review. During the review process, ensure that all documents are properly signed by the assigned budget holders, they are compliant with Donor policies and procedures, and compliant with Mercy Corps’ HQ and Local procedures
• LeadA-133 audit and ensure that information for HQ A-133 audit is timely submitted and coordinate with the Grants and Compliance Coordinators and Senior finance Officers on document extraction and submission.
• Upon the development of new proposal, ensure that all new proposals are covering the costs to the required level and assist the project technical team in the development of such budget information. Ensure that cost to the company/organization is handled properly and assist the Finance Manager in analyzing funding gaps.
• With Support of Grant and Compliance Coordinators, facilitate and organize Grant management meetings (Kickoff, review and close out meeting) with all stakeholders
• Support the accounting and Reporting team in the monthly report closing.

Sub Grantee Management (30% of Time)

• Ensure that we have a complete Database showing who are the partners we are working with, from which funding source, how much advance we have given in local as well as in foreign currency, balance settled and amount that MC owes or partners owe to MC.
• Lead the selection process of Sub Grantees and assess their capacity based on the standard MC’s procedures applicable to Partners.
• Coordinate with the Grant and Compliance Coordinators and ensure that all sub grant files are kept per grant in the Addis Ababa finance unit and the files kept are meeting the standard required and helpful for all future references.
• Perform planned and periodic visit to the partners’ office and produce monitoring report. Implement partners (sub grantees) monitoring localized tool developed by the Mercy Corps Ethiopia Finance unit and produce adequate level of information based on the tool devised.
• Follow up that all weaknesses observed in the previous visit are addressed in the subsequent visit.
• Coordinate with the Grant and Compliance Coordinators and ensure that partners external audit is handled to the required level and sub grantees/partners have also addressed such audit findings in a timely manner. Make consistent follow up till the time the audit findings are addressed and flag any issues to SMT.
• Responsible for subaward financial close-outs, including ensuring that all requirements of the subaward agreement have been met and that subaward funds have been properly settled
• Assist the Finance Director in providing capacity building training for the partners, particularly for the local partners who may have material capacity development need.
• Create sub award card, review & post financial reports and record subaward information on Navigator

Team Management

• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Hire, orient and lead team members as necessary.

 Influence & Representation

• Interface with the (donor) representatives to convey information about programs as appropriate.
• Participate in sharing best practices with NGOs and governmental agencies.
• Consistently demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development

 Security

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

 Organizational Learning 

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

 Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

 Supervisory Responsibility

Grants and Compliance Staff and RIPA subawards and Compliance Manager

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Finance Director

Works Directly With: Finance Department, (with authority for technical financial matters); Operations Department, Program Managers, MCG/MCE HQ Compliance, and others

 Knowledge and Experience

• A BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance required; advanced degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of relevant field or management experience of complex, multi-dimensional programming including administering small subawards in an international environment.
• At least 4 years’ experience in grants management as well as an understanding of USAID regulations required.
• Demonstrated experience and skill with administrating solicitations for subawards, assessing potential subrecipients and the proven ability to oversee a team that is responsible for monitoring subrecipients.
• Strong skills and experience working with donors to obtain approvals and waivers as necessary for compliance with donor regulations.
• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in English is preferred.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

• Must be confident, self-starter, an independent thinker and have strong organizational, interpersonal and communication skills; team oriented
• Good computer skills (especially Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook)
• Ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required; demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse group of people
• High professional standard of administration ethics as well as willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and appropriate flexibility.
• Emotional maturity and physical stamina.
• Demonstrated experience in managing Matrix Reporting is needed
• Willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites (20%+ of time

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

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for the position advertised. All applications must be submitted electronically including a CV, three references, and all relevant official documents.

Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and    diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 26 August 2023/ 4:00 PM