Finance Officer for Syria - Danish RC

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”  The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

Job Purpose

The Finance Officer will be based in Beirut, Lebanon with routine monthly (end-of-month) travel to Syria.  Reporting to the DRC Syria Country Office Finance Delegate, the Finance Officer is an integral member of the DRC Syria Country Office team. The role aims to ensure:

Support to ensuring effective, timely and compliant financial management of the Syria Country Office and the project portfolio, under the supervision of the Syria Country Office Finance Delegate and in close collaboration with the Country Manager and Programme Delegates.

Serve as the focal point for financial matters for the Syria Country Office while the Country Office Finance Delegate is out-of-office to ensure business continuity.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Country Finance Delegate, the Finance Office will be responsible for financial management tasks as follows:

Country Office Financial Management (30%)

• Undertake processing and timely book-keeping of expenditure data in DRC ERP system (Kompas) and correct processing of payments.
• Ensure monthly reporting of Country Office accounts including reconciliations for petty cash, bank, and intercompany account.
• Maintain financial records/documentation and an appropriate and efficient financial filing system according to the filling system guidelines.
• Process Country Office payments
• Support annual audits of Country Office Accounts
• Coordinate the preparation of annual plans of action to address audit findings following the external audit reports.
• Manage the petty cash float of the country office.
• Maintain the Country Office asset register.
• Support the preparation and monitoring of Country Office Master Budget through a monthly or quarterly budget monitoring/reporting process.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by the Country Finance Delegate

Project Financial Management (70%)

• Coordinate and assist SARC and PRCS-S in preparing annual and quarterly program budgets and financial reports to the donors and ensure that the donor specific guidelines are adhered to.
• Prepare the quarterly consolidated financial program reports.
• Control and monitor program budgets and expenditures and ensure compliance with donor requirements.
• Undertake quality control of cash requests and quarterly financial statements submitted by partners through the responsible delegates and other staff as relevant.
• Periodically undertake field visits to provide on-site support and financial management capacity development.
• Ensure correct posting of transactions booked to programs.
• Support the contracting of local auditors in accordance with DRC guidelines.
• Advise on financial and administrative systems and procedures including on corruption, fraud, or misuse of funds.
• Facilitate, in close coordination with the Regional Office, HQ and Country Office Team, the compliant completion/closure of projects, including but not limited to, financial reporting, final external audit, updating of the country project and program portfolio overviews and the recording in the accounting system.
• Undertake on a quarterly basis, spot checks on the SARC transactions incurred during the reporting period.
• Ability to travel to Syria on monthly basis.
• Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals.
• Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education

• University Degree in Financial Management, Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce, or any other relevant fields. - Required
• Bachelor’s Degree. - Required

Experience

• 3 years of professional experience in accounting, financial management and reporting, budgeting, accounting, and financial audits. - Required 
• Experience with donor agencies such as DG ECHO, DANIDA, among others. - Preferred
• Experience in working for a humanitarian or similar international organization. - Preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Technical knowledge and experience in facilitating, supporting, monitoring, and supervising activity plans, budgets and financial management. - Required 
• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office Package, especially Excel) and user knowledge of financial accounting (ERP) systems, ideally Microsoft Dynamics F&O 365.- Required 
• Proven experience in compliance with sound internal financial controls and financial management reporting. - Required 
• Good knowledge of donor requirements. - Required 
• Ability to support and impart technical knowledge of relevance to colleagues and partners. - Required 
• Fluently spoken and written English - Required 
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic). - Required 

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Accountability
• Flexible and adaptable to changing working conditions
• Integrity, proactivity, and discretion in personal conduct
• Self-motivated
• Strong team-worker
• Strong communication skills, both oral and in writing
• Excellent networking skills
• Good financial analysis and presentation skills
• Excellent planning and facilitation skills
• Conversant with and willing to work in volatile environments (Syria)
• Able to cope with a working environment that occasionally will be stressful due to fluctuating workloads, unplanned tasks, and personal insecurity
• High attention to details and timeliness

IFRC provide equal employment opportunities.