Senior Finance Officer - Beirut /Zahle

Major Duties and Responsibilities

-Staff Management:

Line manage designated Finance Assistants or officers, including direct supervision and development.

Conduct weekly one-to-one catch ups with each member of the team.

Ensure team members are equipped for their role, and advocate for their needs.

Constructively give and receive feedback to provide a proactive learning environment among the team.

Contribute to the development of a positive, supportive and encouraging team culture which fosters an environment to support staff well-being.

Contribute to regular team meetings, building an effective team through a consultative, transparent, honest and supportive communication structure.

Develop appropriate and helpful objectives for each team member and coach them on performance manager, creating opportunities for development and to improve skills, knowledge competence and performance.

-Finances and Accounting:

• Involvement in the day-to-day accounting functions of the programme including, but not limited to:

- Banking and Cash flow:

• Oversee both-locations cash, ensuring enough of both USD and LBP are always available and that necessary security measures are in place and are being followed to protect the cash.

Ensure that Finance assistants are doing regular cash reconciliations, verifying amounts held and reporting any discrepancies.

Conduct regular visits with FM to the bank and OMT to make sure files are complete and stay informed on information that could affect Medair’s accounts.

Ensure all financial transactions are carried out in accordance with the Medair guidelines and procedures and any donor requirements.

Ensure that Finance assistants are conducting weekly bank reconciliations, verifying amounts, and reporting any discrepancies through setting timelines based on postings dates.

Lead finance assistants in paying the monthly NSSF and quarterly MoF on time, and that the .csv files are prepared accurately.

Assisting in checking time sheets OMT PDFs.

Prepare reconciliation file for OMT account, making sure payments are collected/update teams if not.

Prepare PDF and CSV files related to Staff gains based on the Manager’s calculations sheet.

Prepare cash need forecast as per GSO’s request.

- Posting

Follow up with finance and logistics team to make sure all PDFs for ending projects are closed to be posted on time.

prepare the mid-month and end-of-month closing/posting documentation.

- Payment Distribution Forms (PDF)

Share PDF templates with new staff.

Prepare for induction training on PDFs for current and new staff.

-Audits and Verification visits

Preparing for and supporting internal and external financial audits, providing all information required by local legislation, donors, HQ or other bodies.

Organize the finance assistants and assigns responsibilities to them for each audit or verification exercise.

Attend audits and verification visits and be focal point for answering questions related to accounting for the transactions.

-Administration

Follow up with both Finance assistants on scanning through making sure that the files are complete, and all supporting documents are available and stamped according to Donors, HQ, and auditors’ requirements before scanning.

Ensure that team are updated with missing scanned documents and assist them in completing it.

-VAT

Ensure that Finance assistant apply VAT exemption stamp for all UN (and other eligible donors, if applicable) grants get VAT exemption and that the VAT stamps are made and used according to policy.

Make sure that VAT tracking sheet is updated by Finance assistant based on the VAT exemption status and share the sheet regularly with Program and logistics teams.

Follow Finance Manager instructions in booking VAT expenses.

New partners and donors

Work with Finance Manager in checking existing partners’ financial reporting and preparing and performing verification visits to partners.

Assist in answering questions or preparing documents to micro-assessments for potential new partners and provide opinion on their suitability to be a Medair partner.

-Payroll

Make changes to Cresus based on the approved staff change sheet and transportation allowance sheet from HR.

Communicate with the bank to inform them about the payroll date.

Prepare and share with the bank the payroll in bank’s format.

-Communication

Proactively engages with counterparts in other teams

Ensure colleagues are informed of the required finance procedures and be available to answer any finance related questions and to provide coaching and guidance as necessary.

Adapt communication style to be appropriate to the receiver.

Aware of impact of communication.

Intentionally creates space for diversity of people and approaches.

-Systems

Use SharePoint, Portfolio and other operating systems and procedures, ensuring that all standardised formats are used and guidelines are followed

Regularly see where improvement can be made and put them into practice

-Self-Management

Ensures values of integrity are followed.

Manages own stress patterns.

Knows own boundaries and limitations.

Able to prioritise both maintaining relationships and tackling issues.

Ensures norm of respect is maintained.

Qualification / Experience:

Prior experience with donors’ requirements and NGOs

Experience in dealing with banks, foreign currency offices and other financial institutions.

Experience in drafting spread sheets, database programmes, financial reports, etc.

Able to manage, develop, and support staff.

Very good written and spoken English and communication skills.

Advanced Microsoft excel skills, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Analytical skills and accuracy

Enthusiastic with a ‘can-do’ attitude

Able to develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Diplomatic and discreet

Good communication skills and teamwork

Able to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels and meet regular deadlines.

Able to effectively communicate cross-culturally.

High numeracy skills

Excellent attention to detail

Good inter-personal and conflict resolution skills

Good understanding of humanitarian issues

Strong organisational skills and the capacity to analyse and prioritise needs.