Assistant, Finance Reporting

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 Reporting Assistant is responsible, under the overall control and technical direction of Head, Finance and Administration, for the financial management & reporting of Europe, as well as providing support to the Senior Finance Analyst in relevant financial matters of the Regional Finance Unit (RFU).

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Monthly Financial Reporting

– Ensure timely preparation of monthly reports (within 3 working days):

• Download financial data from Business Object (BO), and work on KPI reports sent by Geneva.
• Manually input financial data into excel spreadsheet.
• Check, validate and compare information and take appropriate action to solve discrepancies.
• Inform Finance Analyst on action points and follow up if required (eg. overdue pledge and outstanding Pledge based financial statement).
• Prepare monthly excel files on payroll coding, donor reporting and administration services invoice.
• Consolidate action points from Analyst for reporting during monthly meeting.
• Update payroll coding in the system and maintain files for signed payroll coding request form.

– Assist in preparing ad-hoc reports and analysis when requested by Regional Finance and Administration Manager.

Month End Closing

– Ensure timely month end closing as per the deadline (usually 14th of the month):

• Update deadline table and assist Analyst with document checking when required.
• Clear all discrepancies and error on Exception Report prior to closing. Ensure clean month end balance sheet (including inter-co clearance, bilateral matching & service income).
• Opening and Closure of period in CODA.
• Administrative services invoice report and follow up on timely submission.

System Maintenance

– Validate the request from country prior to maintaining the APPLE system:

• Review request to open a project.
• Update and maintain accurate data on Appeal manager, Project manager and Pledge manager.
• Project code Closing & Freezing.
• Monitor and follow up on extension of project time-frame for Emergency Appeal (EA).
• Monitor and keep track of Cash disbursement Memo and threshold including Segregation of Duties (SoD).
• Ensure system access for CODA and APPLE users are validated as per latest approved SoD.
• Ensure bank signatories in APPLE are valid names as per latest approved SoD.

Managing project management cycle

• Follow up on projects without appeal and operating budget.
• Ensure all KPIs are address and rectified including Expenditure above Budget/PEAR.
• Ensure timely closure of all appeals and projects.
• Prepare monthly reconciliation on C2 delegate provision and follow up with HR on pending invoice.
• Monitor and follow up on appeal or project closure which has pending accruals or provision to be cleared.
• Reconcile and clear all dormant balance sheet, projects, and appeals.
• Follow up on timely submission of quarterly retrospective expenditure approval.

Other financial tasks

– When necessary to consolidate Regional office finance information for Geneva Finance:

• Audit query & extract original documents for audit transactions.
• Request/Restore boxes from warehouse.
• Doubtful pledges, Financial Leases, Fixed Asset review, Bank account details.
• Stationery request & any other task

-Provide adequate support to RFU team when required.

Duties applicable to all staff

• 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

Required:

• Relevant degree (minimum bachelor’s degree) or equivalent experience in Administration, financial management accounting

Preferred:

• Relevant professional /academic qualification in finance or accounting

Experience

Required:

• At least 3 years relevant working experience in a financial role
• Experience in working with web-based accounting systems
• Work experience with other international organizations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agencies, multi-cultural environment

Knowledge, Skills and Language

Required:

• Well-developed interpersonal skills
• Advanced computer skills, working knowledge with windows, spreadsheets, word processing and accounting packages
• Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
• Accuracy and fine attention to detail
• Organised and self-starter in work prioritising
• Fluently spoken and written English.

Preferred:

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) or Russian

Competencies and Values

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust