Senior Finance Officer-Risk and Compliance

Background:

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international NGOs, provides relief, rehabilitation and development support to vulnerable people and communities over 30 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in six regions in Ethiopia, implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery, and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

Position Overview

The Senior Finance, Risk & Compliance Officer is responsible to ensure that the organization conducts its business processes in compliance with laws and regulations, professional standards, international standards, and accepted business practices.  From the position holder, it is expected to support audits at regular intervals and make sure that there is an execute design control systems, advising the management on possible risks that might occur, and organization policies. This position is directly report to the Finance Manager.

Major key Responsibilities:

1.    Treasury Management:

•  Enforce internal controls and disbursement processes to ensure proper management of cash and bank accounts.
•  Review safeguards for cash and cheques kept in the office; ensure controlled access, security, and safety.
•  Monitor cash and bank balance to ensure sufficiency based on needs.
•  Ensure the verification of financial transactions is executed quarterly to assure the correctness and accuracy of liabilities, assets, expenditures, and receipts.
•  Ensure that cash received including incoming funds transfers are receipted and accurately recorded.
•  Oversee monthly reconciliation and ensure outstanding item addressed on time.
•  Prepare and review payroll with all the applicable taxes and deductions.
•  Provide required weekly updates by specified deadlines to the Finance Manager as required.

2.    Document Management & Field Office Support:

•  Ensure maintenance of uniform standards for documentation, including forms, support documents etc.
•  Ensure sufficient procedures for retention of documents, proper and systematic filing for ease of access.
•  Conduct field office site visits to ensure consistency with grant terms and conditions, timelines, budgets, and performance measures.
•  Ensure that all transactions are supported by original Documentation.
•  Take initiative to identify weaknesses, challenges, legitimate solutions to simplify the process, design financial control tools, provide feedback, share best practice in accounting, financial management/reporting through on going capacity building exercises to field office finance team.

3.    Financial Compliances: Internal Control System

•  Monitor adherence and compliance to financial control systems, policies, and procedures application all the time.
•  Recommend different methods that could help to enhance and improve internal control procedures.
•  Conduct routine training of new employees and partners on IRC policies and procedures.
•  Respond to ad hoc requests to address control issues on new business processes, policies and procedures, and provide consultative services to management.
•  Review internal system of record retention to ensure compliance with IRC policy and the local laws.
•  Ensuring that all the essential guidelines, policies, regulations, and processes are put in proper place accurately adhering to IRC rules and regulations.

4.    Financial Exposure: Risk Management

•  Ensure strict adherence and compliance to financial control systems, policies, and procedures to minimize financial risk.
•  Play a key role on risk management identification, analysis, planning, monitoring, reporting, and controlling risks.
•  Carry out continuous risk assessments as the context changes and provide strategic advice to finance director to inform the development and implementation of policies and procedures.
•  Work with management to ensure that the relevant mitigation measures are in place in the field and within our processes to reduce risks to an acceptable level.
•  Ensure that there is an effective system of internal controls in place to prevent and detect fraud, misappropriation, and misapplications.
•  Carry out periodic risk assessment and test whether the controls in place respond to the risks identified and proposed a mitigation plan.
•  Identify key financial exposure issues and provide recommendations for improving control processes or procedures.

5.    Auditing:

•  Support the coordination, planning, and execution of annual audit, compliance audit, internal & external audit, grant specific audit, donor audit, systematic audit, assessments, etc.
•  Lead the coordination of audit assignments and ensure good interactions with Global Assurance, staff, external auditors and legal or statutory agencies.
•  Create audit finding presentations to be presented to the management.
•  Work with the management to resolve issues that may have been identified through audit findings.
•  Review the controls and monitoring of compliance with established procedures for pre-audit preparation.
•  Facilitate and coordinate of all types of audits and follow-up on audit recommendations.

6.    Budgeting and budget management, donor reports and analysis

•  Involve in budget development and realignment.
•  Manage donors and partners’ budget. Involve in conducting partners account management, document verifications and report reviews.
•  Ensure donor reports prepared and submitted to the donor after ensuring internal process with HQ and with high quality on monthly, quarterly, and yearly bases per reporting schedule.
•  Financial management and planning, understanding particularly regarding donor requirement and reporting.
•  Prepare BvA analysis report.

7.    Staff Performance and Management:

•  As part of his/her supervision responsibility, set and agree with Finance Assistant/ Finance Officer key performance objectives for each financial year in line with the Finance Departmental Strategic Objective/ goals.
•  Provide the Finance Assistant/ Finance Officer conducive work environment; business tools, support, and relevant training necessary for them to perform their work.
•  Monitor the performance of Finance Assistant/ Finance Officer through the year providing regular feedback on progress towards meeting agreed objectives and any improvement needed.

Other Duties:

•  Contribute to the overall proper functioning of the Finance department by taking on any other duties assigned by supervisor.
•  Contribute to the overall improvement of the financial and accounting system in ETHIOPIA by providing recommendation to supervisor for consideration on specific areas that could be improved.
•  Contribute to teamwork and team play.
•  Any other duties assigned by the supervisor.