Regional Finance Coordinator - Danish RC

Organizational Context

The Danish Red Cross (DRC) has been present in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region since 2002. Currently, we work in Iraq, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), Syria, Libya, and Yemen. Each of these countries is directly or indirectly affected by civil war or international conflict, and DRC supports the Red Cross/Red Crescent (RCRC) National Societies (NS) with interventions in the fields of Emergency Relief, Health, Psychosocial Support (PS), Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), and Organisational Development (OD). We emphasize the strengthening of our partner NS, both through organisational development and operational capacity building, and we see integrity, transparency, autonomy, and sustainable volunteer structures as conditions for building long-term effectiveness and efficiency. DRC’s total turnover in the region was DKK 140,000,000 in 2022. 

Job Purpose

The Regional Finance Coordinator will report to the DRC MENA Head of Region and is an integral member of the DRC MENA Regional Office (RO). The Finance Officer has four distinct purposes and responsibilities:

• Provide the Head of Region with consolidated financial overview, encompassing in-depth analysis of annual budgets, reporting status, financial gaps, and comprehensive assessments of other financial risks, to facilitate informed decision-making and strategic planning.
• Implement a robust monitoring system to track financial performance against country and project budgets, reporting status, identify resource or/and capacity gaps
• Ensure effective, timely and compliant financial management of the DRC MENA RO with regard to office, project and programme budgets, activity plans, and financial reports, in undertaking external/internal audit processes in compliance with DRC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and, where applicable, satisfying other specific donor requirements e.g. Europe Aid, ECHO, Danida; and etc.
• Provide surge capacity support for country office finance functions to cover gaps in finance staffing and or support emergency response activities (within the current 5 countries and or newly introduced countries).

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Analysis and Coordination

• Coordinate the compilation of relevant financial information and data from Country Offices and DRC HQ to effectively manage budgets, financial risks, and challenges at the regional level.
• Conduct in-depth analysis of the Country Project and Master budgets across the MENA region. Collaborate with country offices to review financial plans and provide a consolidated overview to the Head of Region.
• Identify potential funding gaps for the Regional Office. Work closely with the Country offices and HQ to propose feasible solutions to address any identified funding gaps.
• Implement a robust monitoring system to track financial performance against project budgets and expenditure plans in the Regional Office. Provide regular reports to management highlighting any discrepancies or areas requiring attention.
• Assist in the consolidation of the financial forecasting exercises, such as Annual budgets, for the MENA region, providing accurate and timely projections to support strategic decision-making.
• Identify financial risks and challenges that may impact project outcomes. Collaborate with the Head of Region to develop early warning mechanism, mitigation strategies, and contingency plans.
• Advise the Head of Region and the team in the accurate interpretation of the financial analysis of the projects
• Facilitate communication, exchange best practices, and provide support in financial management and reporting within the region.

Budgeting and Reporting

• Prepare, maintain, and monitor the Regional Office Master budget through a monthly or quarterly budget monitoring/reporting process.
• Monitor DRC MENA Regional Office project and programme budgets and expenditures, ensuring compliance and advice on budget performance and, if applicable, suggest budget revisions as relevant.
• Proactively support the development of and revisions to Regional contracts and agreements, activity plans, and budgets.
• Responsible for creating and/or maintaining regional grants and projects information within DRC’s accounting system – Kompas in coordination with DRC HQ International Controller and Advisor.
• Lead the preparation of regional / consortium programme budgets and financial reports that consolidate funds from several donors or cover activities across multiple countries.
• Responsible for submission of DRC MENA Regional Offices’ projects and programmes financial reports to HQ, including quality assurance and compliance in accordance with DRC SOPs.
• Plan, ensure, and support, external audit of DRC MENA Regional Office projects and programmes that are compliant, including the review of draft audit reports, and follow-up on the findings by the auditor.
• Lead the financial overview of the DRC MENA Regional Office project and programme portfolio including grants allocated to the DRC MENA Regional Office.
• In close coordination with DRC Finance Teams, support compliant financial completion/closure of projects and programmes, including, but not limited to, final financial reporting, final external audit, updating of the DRC MENA Regional Office project and programme portfolio overviews, and recording in the DRC accounting system.
• Advise the Head of Region on all matters related to the programme and Regional Office finances and maintain to date overview of the Regional office’s finance situation on a continuous basis.

Financial Policies and Procedures

• Ensure compliance with DRC financial management and administration procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure Implementation of DRC’s global Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) at the Regional office. 
• Ensure adaptation and development of regional financial guidelines as applicable.
• Keep up to date with new DRC and Partner guidelines on financial and administrative rules and regulations. Notify the DRC MENA Head of Region of updates and implement necessary adjustments.
• Contribute to the continuous development of financial administration procedures, routines, and processes at regional and DRC levels, suggesting revisions to SOPs when appropriate.
• Brief and onboard new staff on Global/Regional office financial procedures and support them with needed financial knowledge.
• Available to assist with emergency tasks related to the international operation, including temporary country finance management responsibilities and finance surge missions.

Audit, Compliance and Risk

• Facilitate internal and donor financial audits of projects at the Regional Office in close coordination and communication with country offices, HQ, and Implementing Partners, where applicable.
• Ensure full compliance of financial documents related to RO expenses, considering internal DRC requirements and external compliance obligations from donors and relevant country laws.
• Provide guidance to Country Offices to ensure compliance in each country, supporting them with internal compliance requirements while advising on external compliance requirements
• Identify potential financial risks in the Region and ensure they are appropriately recorded on risk registers and issues logs.
• Development of continuous improvement plans to increase audit compliance based on findings from previous audits

Regional Office Financial Management and Accounting

• Supervise bookkeeping and ensure proper coding of all transactions and invoices in DRC’s accounting system “Kompas” for the MENA Regional Office.
• Oversee cash counts and reconciliation of accounts, including staff working advances and other receivable entries.
• Ensure compliance with local laws, regulations, DRC’s, and Donor’s financial regulations by reviewing and adhering to all relevant requirements and laws.
• Validate daily accounting activities, facilitate proper completion of supporting financial documentation, and efficiently finalize month-end income/expenditure transactions for timely closure.
• Participate in recruiting, training, and induction process of all overseas based finance delegates and officers in the MENA region .
• Efficiently manage liquidity for the Regional Office by establishing, updating, and maintaining cash and bank accounts in line with DRC's SOPs, while allocating funds for operational expenses and regional activities as needed.
• Ensure accurate cash request quality control reviews and facilitate approval by the Head of Region in collaboration with the RO International Controller and Advisor (ICA).
• Ensure proper cash safeguarding procedures are implemented and adhered to, maintaining the security and accuracy of cash transactions within the Regional Office's financial operations.
• Monitor the internal controls and provide guidance to strengthen them, validate and review compliance self-checks and follow up on action plans.
• When requested to periodically visit MENA countries to provide on-site face-to-face support, monitor MENA Countries’ project budget and expenditure, and facilitate, support and ensure compliance with DRC SOPs and other donor procedures, where applicable.
• Actively work towards the achievement of the Danish Red Cross 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

Experience

• 8+ years of professional experience in accounting, financial management and reporting, budgeting, accounting, and financial audits. - Required
• Experience in developing and executing project and programme budgets and scrutiny of financial reports. - Required
• Relevant experience with donor agencies, e.g., UN, ECHO, Europe Aid, Danida, etc. - 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
• Analyze, advise, establishment, and enforcement of sound internal financial controls and financial management reporting. - Required
• Good knowledge of donor requirements. - Required
• Ability to support and impart technical knowledge of relevant colleagues and partners. - Preferred
• Fluency in English and 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 at financial analysis and presentation skills
• Conversant with and willing to work in volatile environments e.g. Iraq, Yemen and Syria
• Able to cope with a working environment that occasionally will be stressful due to e.g. fluctuating workloads, unplanned tasks, and personal insecurity
• High attention to details and timeliness

 IFRC provides equal employment opportunities.