As a member of the Iraq Country Program Senior Management Team (SMT), the Finance Coordinator provides the leadership and management necessary to ensure that the country program has the appropriate financial infrastructure and systems in place to support the strategic vision and mission of the organization. S/he will monitor and ensure delivery against the financial plans through targeted and comprehensive financial analytical review and is responsible for the overall policy and implementation of the financial and accounting management of the Country Program. Emphasis will be placed on financial management practices and systems that are compliant with US and local laws, adhere to donor requirements, and are conducive to effective implementation of programs.
As Finance Coordinator, the FC will have responsibility for all aspects of strategic and operational finance in the Country Program, acting as the principal finance business partner of the Senior Management Team, as well as conforming to IRC’s financial control environment and CFO standards and objectives. The Finance Coordinator will collaborate closely with the Heads of (Programs, Operations, and Human Resources) to ensure acceptable levels of performance of cross departmental business policies and procedures and collectively troubleshoot and develop solutions and will report to the Country Director.
Major Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning & Analysis
- Provides financial information to support the Country Director and SMT in making business decisions in line with Country Program, regional, and global strategies.
- Provides strategic analysis on the overall financial health of the Country Program to the CD and SMT.
- Contributes and provides feedback to the development of the Country Program’s Strategic Annual Plan.
Controllership
- Ensures that all in-country practices are in compliance with IRC and donor policies and procedures lead to the roll-out of new/updated global policies and procedures in the country program. As required, establishes in-country finance procedures and supporting function to supplement global policies as needed and directs or perform their development, documentation, and implementation.
- Closely monitors all financial activities and keeps the Country Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.
- Manages the finance department activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by IRC HQ and donors.
- Ensure that on a monthly basis balance sheet reconciliations are completed on a timely basis and those final reconciliations and trial balances are reviewed with the Country Director.
- Directs the preparation and approves all donor financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Country Director and the Regional Finance Director prior to submission.
- Develops, schedules, and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates actions necessary to correct internal control weaknesses.
- Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits.
- Oversees the protection of the country program assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures.
- Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.
- Serves as the principal liaison with IRC HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management matters.
Training & Staff Management
- Establishes a finance department roles and responsibilities matrix; ensures staff job descriptions are current; recruits and maintains qualified staff to perform finance functions and minimize IRC’s exposure when staff are absent or depart.
- Develop a succession plan and mentor key staff for future finance roles.
- Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed annually; career planning and development plans are in place for all finance staff.
- Develops and implements a training program for the country’s finance staff.
- Oversee finance training and technical support to non-finance staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control.
Treasury
- Supervises all country office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates in the country program.
- In compliance with IRC policy establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings.
- Oversee the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations.
- Establishes country policies on advance payments, credit terms, and use of bank payment instruments.
- Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending.
- Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation.
- Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country program’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.
- Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables.
Budget and Forecast
- Oversee the preparation and revision of grant proposal budgets; supports programs with guidance on costing and input in creating budgets for submission.
- Prepares and maintains the Country Program’s annual operating budget and reforecasts; ensures cost coverage for in-country operating costs and updates the operating budget regularly.
- In compliance with donor requirements and IRC policy, ensure that shared program costs are properly recovered and ensure that any expected funding gaps are timely flagged to CD and Regional Finance Director.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Country Director: Iraq, Regional Finance Director MENA (technical, including straight-line accountability to CFO).
Position directly supervises: Senior Budgeting and Reporting officer-Erbil, Partnership finance officer-Erbil, Senior Partnership finance officer-Erbil, finance officer-Erbil and technical line management of field finance staff.
Other Internal and/or external contacts:
Internal: Head of departments, RSC Director, Internal Auditors; other key Program Staff.
External: Banking Managers, Donors and local government staff (taxation and regulation related), External Auditors.