International Finance Manager – Somaliland & Ethiopia

International Finance Manager (IFM) – Somaliland and Ethiopia

Location – Hargeisa, Somaliland (with travel to cover both countries).

Salary – up to £50,000 depending on experience.

Contract – Permanent, Full-Time

About Us

We at HALO are seeking an experienced finance manager to fulfill the International Finance Manager (IFM) role covering our Somaliland and Ethiopia programmes. The position will contribute directly to supporting the programme manager in the management of financial risks across the programmes, through the effective, efficient delivery of standard financial operating procedures and the training/capacity building of local finance teams.

About the Role

The IFM is a member of the programme’s senior management team and is responsible for the programme’s finance department. They are responsible for ensuring the daily, monthly, and annual financial duties comply with HALO’s policies, donor contracts and national finance and tax regulations. In addition, the IFM is responsible for the strategic leadership of the finance team, developing business plans, budgets, and strategies to support the programme’s funding and overarching strategy.

The IFM is responsible for managing the finance team, building the capacity of individual team members and the overall structure to ensure the department provides robust and timely support to the programme’s activities. They are to lead their team, and alongside the other senior management team members, they are to inspire, motivate and manage the programme. The IFM is responsible for ensuring that the proper procurement and accounting systems are in place, monitored and improved as necessary and that the finance team is resourced appropriately.

The IFM is responsible for promptly meeting deadlines for internal and external reporting and proposals. Alongside the Programme Manager, the IFM is responsible for short- and long-term financial planning to support the programme and successfully deliver donor contracts on budget.

** PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ROLE WILL BE BASED IN HARGEISA, SOMALILAND **

Role and Responsibilities

Financial planning and monitoring

• Support the Programme Manager in the formulation and monitoring of the country financial plan, including associated funding and cost assumptions.
• Collaboratively produce grant/contract budgets utilising HALOs financial planning system (Adaptive Insights) in accordance with HALO budget preparation guidelines.
• Lead the financial monitoring and review of grants/contracts, working closely with operations to forecast and report on contract costs to completion/spend out plans.
• Support the Programme Manager in the identification and management of financial risks in the programme, escalating and addressing any emerging risks.

Accounting and Financial Control

• Ensure the implementation of HALO financial standard operating procedures across all programme locations, training local finance teams in the delivery of all policies and procedures.
• Oversee the monthly financial close process, ensuring the country financial ledgers are closed within HALO deadlines.
• Ensure that costs are allocated to grants/contracts in accordance with the cost allocation policy, identifying and reporting on any shortfalls in both direct and indirect cost coverage.
• Prepare donor/client financial statements, reconciling to agreed budgets and financial ledger (Oracle NetSuite).
• Prepare country financial statements in accordance with local legislation.
• Oversee the financial management of delivery partner contracts, ensuring compliance with HALO’s contractual obligations.
• Supervise the production of the payroll cycle, ensuring donor funding allocations are accurate, and calculations for salary, income tax, social security, severance and other government levies are in accordance with legislation.
• Support the Programme Manager in ensuring compliance with all statutory legislation (e.g. tax, registration, labour law), including review of regulatory requirements in new operational territories.

Cash Management

• Ensure that adequate banking and cash provisions are in place, set up in accordance with HALO’s financial policies and that delegations of authority enable the programme to operate efficiently, particularly during periods of leave etc.
• Manage the short-term cash flow requirements of the programme, liaising with HALO HQ to facilitate cash transfers.  Manage the effects of exchange rate fluctuations between local and contract currencies.

External Reporting and Audit

• Arrange for the external audit of locally prepared financial statements (statutory or donor), liaising with HQ finance to ensure compliance with HALO policies and procedures.

Staff Management and Development

• Ensure that financial staffing capacity is fit for purpose for the needs of the programme.
• Develop local staff’s capacity and career development, ensuring financial consistency and quality across the programme.

All HALO staff are expected to undertake the following general duties:

Work within the framework of HALO’s core values and standards.

Ensure familiarity with and adhere to all HALO policies and procedures.

Undertake roles in developing countries and where standards of living may be basic.

Undertake the role in a manner appropriate to the cultural context and within the local legal framework.

Essential Experience:

• Experience in financial management experience overseas
• Experience in grants management
• Experience in managing personnel, mentoring, and advising senior management.
• Experience developing the capacity, structure, and capability of teams.
• Experience working in the INGO sector
• Experience of ERP systems

Essential Skills and Knowledge:

• Financial planning and reporting
• Good understanding of financial risk management in developing countries
• Ability to implement and monitor policies and procedures in challenging environments
• Proven ability to lead, manage, motivate, and develop a team
• Interpretation and implementation of donor/client contract requirements
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to coordinate activities
• Excellent literacy, numeracy, and IT skills, including data manipulation
• Fluent spoken and written English language skills
• Ability and willingness to work strategically and undertake routine administrative tasks

Qualifications:

• Professional accounting qualification or clearly demonstrable qualified experience.

HALO requires its applicants to work in line with our values, which are:

• Courage

• Discipline
• Integrity
• Respect for Others
• Loyalty
• Selfless Commitment

Our benefits:

• Local overseas allowance of $350 monthly
• Private Medical Insurance
• Shared accommodation in a rented HALO guest house, provided at nil cost.
• 49 days of leave annually (weekend inclusive, equivalent to 7 weeks of pay leave)
• Three economy return flights to the member’s official home address (or an alternative location up to an equivalent cost)
• Comprehensive insurance package: life assurance and emergency medical insurance, including evacuation and repatriation.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter (no more than 2 pages) outlining how your skills and experience match the requirements of the role by no later than 18th May 2024. If there is a sufficient calibre of applicants, we reserve the right to close the role earlier than the date noted.

** PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS WITHOUT A COVER LETTER TAILORED TO THIS POSITION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED**

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

The HALO Trust is committed to a culture that is both diverse and inclusive and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

The HALO Trust is committed to ensuring that it provides a safe and trusted environment which safeguards and promotes the welfare and well-being of anyone who comes into contact with, or is part of, the Charity, with a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours which challenge this.