Finance Manager

Danish Refugee Council/Danish Demining Group (DRC/DDG) is one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, working in more than 40 countries to provide adequate assistance with a rights-based approach to refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees and migrants. DRC/DDG is currently looking for a highly qualified Spanish and English-speaking Finance coordinator/ Chief Accountant. This is an opportunity for an experienced Finance Coordinator  to ensures compliance to DRC procedures and guidelines within the country.

The onset of large mixed migration flows into Colombia due to the crisis in Venezuela requires a major integrated humanitarian response to meet the urgent needs of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, Colombian returnees, and host communities. Based on the conclusions of several emergency needs assessments, DRC set up an emergency response in the Caribbean coastal areas of Colombia (Riohacha and Barranquilla), in Bogotá and Medellin. DRC´s integrated humanitarian response will be based primarily on protection activities, with components of Shelter, WASH, multi-purpose cash assistance, NFIs, and livelihood interventions.

Overall purpose of the role: Functions as a Manager and the go-to person in Finance within the country. Providing overall advice, coordination, and technical support to the Finance teams across the country and ensuring compliance with the finance chapters of DRC’s Operations Handbook.

Responsibilities:
Support on implementing financial procedures:
• Support the development and implementation of financial management capacity building of staff • In close cooperation with Managers in geographical area reinforce existing procedures and systems for financial management and control in compliance with guidelines of DRC’s Operations Handbook, internal guidelines, DRC Dynamics and donor requirements • Provide technical support and advice to the country finance teams

Financial Planning & Analysis:
• Focal point of the Master Budget and forecast tracker for the country programme and update it on a regular basis.
• Review and compile budget proposals, including budgeting for support costs for the Country Office, collaboration with the programme managers and support services functions.
• Check consumption, allocation and revision of the Country Office budgets.
• Ensure monthly meetings are held with project managers to discuss key variances, reasons for these, and any remedial action that is required Support timely delivery of quality financial reports to donors and internal reports to colleagues and HQ.
• Ensure thorough and effective budgetary control in the country programs acting as finance business partner Liaise with relevant Managers on key financial issues for all programs in the country, including co-funding, financial reporting, key variances and any remedial action.
• Make quarterly analyses based on project forecasts, costs to cover, working capital to outline the organization financial performance at country level.
• Help the country programme in designing relevant financial KPIs.

Cash and funding:
• Collecting cash forecasts from all Programme Managers and requesting funds in a timely manner.
• Maintain a continuous overview of funding levels and pay particular attention to shared support costs, including staff salaries.
• Ensure all required documentation for financial audits in cooperation with Coordination staff and HQ.

Accounting:
• Ensure compliance with relevant country statutory and other financial obligations such as tax, levies, and statutory returns
• Ensure compliance and deadline with monthly accounting closure

As Manager the post-holder is responsible for the following:
• Provides expert advice and support to set strategy and assure operational quality and compliance
• Responsible for providing specialized knowledge and operational know-how within a specific discipline
• Analyze internal process to propose improvement and avoid task duplication. May also have technical line responsibilities, but generally on technical or operational matters • Be the audit focal point; prepare national staff for incoming audits and gather audit findings together with programme staff. Supervisor responsibilities: • Coordinates the daily activities of small teams, often comprised of subordinates and/or employees carrying out similar tasks • Contribute to recruitment and/or performance appraisal of members of the team • Implements the manager’s decisions through the work of subordinate employees, often playing a role in deciding how to do it; and how to achieve the objective set by the manager.

Experience and technical competencies:
• Minimum 5 years of international practical experience in financial management
• Proven experience in budgeting and managing large budgets
• Competence in providing technical guidance and training
• Proven experience in working with national partners, local/government authorities and in consortium modalities
• Working experience with relevant donors (e.g. UNHCR, ECHO, OFDA, WFP, DFID or BPRM guidelines)
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations at all levels – especially with the national employees.
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills, excellent communication skills, calm and a good sense of humor
• Advanced proficiency in Excel – competency will be tested through TOSA certification exam
• Experience working with an integrated ERP system – MS Dynamics a plus
• Full professional proficiency in Spanish
• Full professional proficiency in English – minimum required B2 according to CEFR

Education:
Master's degree from a top-tier university in Finance/Accounting, Business Administration or Economics

What we offer:

• This position is open to national contracts only.
• Commencement: ASAP.
• Salary: Around 9.200.000 COP.
• Duty Station: Bogota, Colombia with frequent travel to field locations.
• This position offers a great opportunity to become part of one of the leading global NGOs, focusing on refugees and displaced people, in a fast-growing environment in Colombia.

Application process

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Closing date: 24th January 2022 at midday (Colombian Time)

DRC as an employer
By working in DRC, you will be joining a global workforce of around 8000 employees in 40 countries. We pride ourselves on our:

• Professionalism, impact & expertise
• Humanitarian approach & the work we do
• Purpose, meaningfulness & own contribution
• Culture, values & strong leadership
• Fair compensation & continuous development