Senior Accounting & Finance Officer

 Role Profile

Core Job Information

Job Title: Senior Accounting & Finance Officer

Team: Accounting & Finance

Reporting to: Accounting & Finance Manager

Number of direct reports: 0

Location: ARM Sin elfil

Number of working hours/ week: 40

Contract Type: Full time

About ARM

Anti-Racism Movement (ARM) is a non-governmental organization working to dismantle systemic racism and achieve social, economic, and gender justice for migrant workers and racialized groups in Lebanon since 2011. ARM envisions a just society where all migrants enjoy decent living and working conditions with a mission to achieve social, economic and gender justice for all migrant workers and racialized groups in Lebanon. The Migrant Community Center (MCC) is a safer space for migrants living under Kafala. MCC works with migrant domestic workers to improve their living and working conditions and build their capacities to self-advocate for their rights as agents and leaders of change. Its programs include community-building, capacity-building, psychosocial wellbeing, community-led initiatives, and advocacy.

Job Purpose

The Senior Accounting and Financial Officer oversees accounting and financial operations, ensuring compliance with the financial manual and regulations, accurate bookkeeping, financial and donor reporting, budget management, and preparation of donor and auditor requirements to support the organization's mission effectively.

Job details

The jobholder's responsibilities in this area include but are not limited to the following:

Accounting:

• Daily bookkeeping for accounting transactions on the proper rate, account, budget line and donor
• Recording donors’ budgets to accounting system and their expenditures to the budget
• Weekly petty cash reconciliation with the teams
• Preparing transfers and cheques
• Reconciling accounting entries linked to budget line and donor
• Reconciling teams tracking sheets with accounting records
• Preparing cash reconciliation, bank, service providers and regular balance sheet accounts reconciliations on a weekly/ monthly/quarterly basis 
• Preparing data for audit and donors’ inspections
• Compiling data and generate reports as requested by Accounting & Finance Manager
• Reviewing and reconciling NSSF & Income Tax payments based on reports from the HR
• Daily filing (physical and electronic)
• Supporting in petty cash documentation for validation purposes
• Supporting in all processes related to ARM’s accounting system and financial manual
• Reporting to Accounting & Finance Manager regarding the accounting and finances of ARM
• Developing, implementing and modifying recordkeeping as requested by Accounting & Finance Manager
• Following up with service providers and bank when needed
• Ensuring all accounting tasks adhere to the guidelines specified in the financial manual
• Staying up to date about all new rules, procedures and technologies introduced to accounting in addition to new legislations set by ministry of finance

Finance:

• Preparing reports such as cash flow, projections and budgets
• Updating reports on a monthly basis
• Reviewing Budget Versus Actual (BVA) reports on a monthly basis for expense tracking & reclassification in grants
• Preparing revised budgets when needed
• Preparing financial statements, or other financial and donors reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards
• Preparing summary for incoming/outcoming transfers 
• Preparing all the documents required for audit and donors’ inspections and assessment
• Preparing summary for grants, donors’ requirements, donors’ restrictions, budget breakdown, timeline, reporting deadlines etc.
• Preparing required data and reports as requested by fundraising, and programs teams
• Submitting data and reports ideally before the deadline, within two to three days
• Supporting in fiscal and legal matters including preparing and follow up on annual government needed audits with the lawyer, ministries and others
• Ensuring that all financial tasks adhere to the guidelines specified in the financial manual

Organizational Responsibilities:

• Responding to all requests in a timely manner and support other team members when needed
• Performing relevant administrative duties as requested by Accounting & Finance Manager
• Covering for Accounting & Administrative assistant position during absences
• Assisting other teams when needed
• Attending weekly meetings

Communication & Work Relationships

Internal Communication

• Regular contact with staff responsible for petty cash
• Regular contact with HR, Procurement & Logistics, Fundraising and Programs team
• Occasional contact with all other staff 

External Communication

• Regular contact with banks 
• Regular contact with auditors 
• Regular contact with the lawyer 
• Occasional contact with service providers
• Occasional contact with the Ministry of Finance and Interior 

Framework, Boundaries, and Decision Making Authority

The jobholder has the authority to solve on-the-spot issues arising with service providers and bank. Any activity outside the authority of the Accounting & Finance Officer should be communicated to the Accounting & Finance Manager before any decision is taken.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration / Accounting or related fields/Master’s degree or CMA is a plus

Experience required

• 8-10 years  in a directly relevant position
• At least 4-5 years in a senior position
• NGO experience is a plus
• Experience in supporting organizations at times of crises, growth and change is a plus
• Experience working with and building capacities of staff members is essential

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of audit processes
• Knowledge of tax regulations, compliance, and reporting procedures
• Ability to interpret and analyze complex financial data/issues  to make informed decisions and develop practical solutions
• Ability to effectively communicate financial information to stakeholders at various levels
• Excellent understanding of data and information needs for program management and decision-making

Technical Skills:

• Good command of English & Arabic
• Proficiency in accounting principles, financial reporting standards, and regulatory requirements
• Ability to prepare accurate financial statements according to relevant accounting standards
• Proficiency in creating and managing budgets, as well as forecasting financial performance
• Understanding of donors requirements, budgeting, financial analysis, and forecasting techniques
• Ability to prepare documentation and liaise with auditors
• Capacity to develop and implement financial strategies to optimize organizational resources
• Familiarity with financial software and accounting systems such as Visual Dolphin
• Advanced proficiency in spreadsheet software (e.g., Microsoft Excel)

Soft Skills:

• Full commitment and adherence to ARM's mission and vision and a feminist leadership framework
• Excellent teamwork and relationship-building skills
• Strong focus on accuracy and precision in financial reporting and analysis
• Skill in managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Commitment to maintaining integrity and high ethical standards in financial practices and decision making
• Positive attitude and ability to be flexible in an evolving organization
• Independent decision maker, proactive, and self-motivated
• Leadership skills to supervise and guide accounting staff

      We strongly encourage you to apply if you are from

a racialized/ underrepresented group and if you have lived experience alongside the skillset we're looking for.

Timeline

Application deadline: March 25,2024

Starting date: April 2024

Period of employment:1 year renewable

Salary range:

 2,000$ - 2,300$

Recruitment Process

Due to the large number of applications received, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Most positions will require a technical exam before the first interview.