Consortium Finance Manager – Humanitarian Action and Recovery after Crisis (HARC)

Job Location: Eastern DRC, TBD

Job Type: Regular, Full Time

Reports to: Head of Consortium (HoC), with a dotted technical reporting line to the Concern Country Financial Controller. You will work closely with the HARC Programme Coordinator, Programmes Director, Systems Director, technical advisers, and consortium members.

About the role: This is a 30-month, new role with unaccompanied terms based in Eastern DRC with a salary of Grade 4 (€44,133 to €49,038).

We would like you to start in December 2023.

Concern Worldwide has operated in the DRC in 1994, successfully implementing programmes in emergency response, livelihoods, protection, and health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) throughout the country. Concern DRC has ten offices and approximately 300 staff. The head office is in Kinshasa with coordination offices in Goma (North Kivu), and Kalemie (Tanganyika). At the programme implementation level, there are offices in Manono, Nyunzu, and Kabalo (Tanganyika) and Beni, Oicha, Masisi and Mweso (North Kivu).

Your purpose:

Concern Worldwide seeks a Consortium Finance Manager for a new project “Humanitarian Action and Recovery after Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (HARC) funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The HARC prorgramme seeks to support over 400,000 people in the east of DRC with interventions in the most conflict-affected provinces of Ituri, North and South Kivu, and Tanganyika. Under a consortium arrangement involving four international NGOs and one national NGO, the project includes emergency humanitarian lifesaving activities, support to survivors of violence and to livelihoods and nutrition recovery activities.

The Consortium Finance Manager will be responsible for financial leadership for all programme objectives, including financial planning and management, logistical and administrative support to the project team. S/he will ensure that administrative, financial, contract, and procurement activities are carried out in a manner consistent with the objectives of the project and in compliance with FCDO regulations and Concern’s policies and procedures. S/he will maintain positive and productive relationships with the donor and local and international partner organizations throughout the programme lifecycle.

In this role you will:

• Oversee all aspects of project financial management, including adhering to Concern’s financial systems, budgeting, expenditure tracking, financial reporting, accounting, and cost share tracking and reporting, as needed.
• Collaborate with the Head of Consortium (HoC), providing direction and oversight during the design and implementation of project activities to ensure compliance with UK Government, DRC laws, and Concern’s regulations, and timely delivery in line with Activity objectives.
• Ensure the accuracy of financial aspects of the grant database and accurately file associated soft and hard copy documentation.
• Organize audit visits of the programme.
• Coordinate grants audit preparation in liaison with respective programme teams, Country Finance Controller and Programme Coordinator.
• Analyse audit reports and follow up with programme managers to ensure timely resolution of findings and implementation of recommendations.
• Support the Head of Consortium and Programme Coordinator in organising grant kick off and closeout meetings, ensuring all relevant documentation is disseminated and filed appropriately.
• Provide financial expertise to support the design and implementation of specific technical interventions.
• Coordinate activities with the senior management team to provide management direction for effective operations cost control, contractual obligations and compliance with DRC law, UK Government regulations, and Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Establish and implement procedures for project financial management, procurement, sub-contracts, and grants to ensure transparency, open competition, and good business practice.
• Establish procedures and supervise the daily financial operations of the HARC programme, including cash flow management, timesheet recording, reporting to Concern and UK Government counterparts on the financial aspects of the project, and daily monitoring of budgets and expenditures.
• Develop internal control measures to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting at the headquarters and field levels. Supervise financial operations and monitoring of obligations, budgets, and expenditures.
• Ensure continual review of internal and strategic controls, proper and timely communications, evaluation of risk assessments and maintenance of documentation on Concern’s internal databases/systems. Coordinate external financial audits.
• Participate in recruitment, hiring, and management of project finance personnel.
• Develop project budgets with stakeholders and relevant support teams and monitor budget pipelines.
• Support sub-grant recipients as needed to ensure compliance, sound financial management and operations, and ensure sub-awardees submit expenditure tracking.
• Support regular communication and nurture collaborative relationships with all consortium members and Concern head offices.
• Ensure streamlined and compliant operational systems, including human resources management, grants and procurement, information technology (IT), security, and logistics.
• Supervise the Finance team to work collaboratively with the wider programme team, including advocacy, partners, and others, to ensure cross-organisational learning and input into new programme design and delivery of the Country Strategic Plan.

Your skills and experience will include:

Basic Qualifications:

• Accountancy Qualification (e.g. CPA, ACA, ACCA)
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as accounting, business administration, financial management, international development, or other relevant field.
• A demonstrated track record of progressively responsible managerial experience implementing donor-funded projects.
• 8+ years of demonstrated budget development and monitoring and financial reporting experience including at least five (5) years on FCDO donor-funded activities. Knowledge of FCDO financial reporting and compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant FCDO rules and regulations related to grants, operations, administration and procurement.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a broad range of subcontractors, vendors, and civil society stakeholders and partners.
• Excellent leadership, programme, organizational management and oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience using Excel for project budgeting, forecasting and financial analyses. Advanced knowledge of MS Suite and other business accounting packages and strong MS Excel skills.
• Ability to work well within a team, and to complete multiple tasks effectively and efficiently.
• Strong interpersonal skills for working with project staff, donors and beneficiaries.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency in written and spoken French is required.
• DRC nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related field.
• Prior experience as a Finance and Administration Manager/Director or comparable senior leadership position on similar, international, donor-funded programmes in complex operating environments.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of Core Humanitarian Standards, Sphere and other international humanitarian guidelines and protocols.
• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Flexible and adaptable approach to working in a changing environment