Country Financial Controller – Niger

About the role: This is a 24 month, replacement role with partner-only accompanied terms (fully accompanied potentially possible) based in Niamey, Niger with 20% of the time scheduled and spent in the programmes areas (Tahoua, Diffa), with a salary of Grade 5 €48,648 – €54,053 per annum

You will report to the Country Director and will have overall responsibility for the Finance team, managing a team of 5 staff. You will also liaise with other Senior Management Team members, budget holders, HR, Logistics, Dublin and Regional Finance staff, local banks, auditors, partners & donor finance staff.

We would like you to start in January 2024

Background: Concern has been operating in Niger since 2003, and currently works in the sectors of food security, education, health (including nutrition and WASH), and livelihoods and resilience, with an expanding portfolio of projects in Tahoua, Diffa and Tillaberi regions. Concern is the lead organisation of the CMAM/Health Surge Approach in Niger and at Regional level in the Sahel and is involved in operational

research on the treatment of malnutrition. Concern’s programming in Education in Emergencies has been

recognised for its quality and innovation, and continues to expand with different donors.

Concern Niger has long-term funding to implement an Integrated Resilience Programme to address the problem of the link between climate change, conflict and extreme poverty/vulnerability in Niger, 5-year funding for “Food Systems for Food Security” programming and is embarking on a new project with the Sahel Regional Fund.

Across all programmes, Concern engages closely with key Ministries at the national level, as well as with their respective departments at the regional, departmental and communal level, for greater impact in transforming the lives of the extreme poor.

The annual budget for 2024 is estimated at 9M EUR.

**Your purpose:**As a member of Concern Niger’s SMT, the Country Financial Controller (CFC) is responsible for the effective management of Concern Niger’s finance function. This will include ensuring internal controls are in place, managing the finance team, partner finance oversight, training, treasury management, financial planning/budgeting, and reporting. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring proper financial management and reporting on all grants received by Concern Niger. Maintaining and managing controls & procedures to safeguard and account for all assets, funds and interests of Concern’s operations is a crucial part of the role. The CFC will undertake staff training & development. The CFC is also a member of the senior management team and will participate in key decisions relating to all programmes in accordance with organizational policies and the Country Strategic Plan.

You will be responsible for:

Financial Systems and Controls

• Ensure that country financial management systems and records are adequate in order to identify and protect the assets and interest of the organization.
• Ensure that the systems and procedures in place enhance, as far as possible, the efficiency and effectiveness of the manner in which assets are utilized.
• Maintaining and monitoring an effective and efficient system of internal controls (i.e. ledger, cashbooks, balance sheet reconciliations, cash and bank management etc.) which comply with Concern Worldwide’s financial guidelines and minimise the risk of fraud or misappropriation.
• Ensuring financial systems of the country programme are operating in line with standard Concern procedures and they meet the monitoring and reporting requirements of the Country Management Team, Donors and National Authorities
• Ensure that the country financial operations comply with legal and statutory requirements e.g. audit and financial reporting to all relevant national authorities.
• With the support of the finance team, keep up to date with donor regulations and ensure that all controls are in place to meet donor compliance.
• Support the SD in ensuring there is a complete record of capital assets and that they are adequately safeguarded
• Organising and supporting financial assessments, reviews, monitoring and training of local partner organisations;
• Undertaking regular field visits to assess the financial systems in place & implement improvements wherever needed
• Closely monitor all financial activities, and keep the CD/Senior Management Team advised of all situations that have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial management performance.
• Accepting, advancing and pursuing any new objectives or responsibilities that may be assigned by the Country Director including transfer of existing duties and/or re-assignment to other responsibilities should the organisation so require
• Undertaking financial assessments & evaluation of partners, in line with Concern’s standard financial procedures
• Participating in the review, monitoring and capacity building of partners
• Assist the Shared Service Accountant (SSA) based in Dublin to ensure that the global accounting package (Microsoft Great Plains) is maintained in a proper manner and utilised in an appropriate and effective manner.
• As the field general ledger will maintain be maintained by the SSA, the CFC is responsible for maintaining all financial documents and back up at field level so that all transactions must pass the audit trail. The CFC should also provide all back up details to SSA related to the support cost allocation, donor reporting and quarterly and year-end reporting.

Financial Reporting and Donor Reporting

• Assist the CD and budget-holders in preparing budgets and revisions in line with strategic plans and organisational objectives. This involves supporting, facilitating and consolidating the financial budgets.
• Ensure proper recording of income and expenditure to comply with Concern and donor regulations.
• Provide all financial information (Cash/bank /Journals) to SSA timely so that he/she can produce monthly management accounts (budget vs. actual) on time and work with the programme teams and department managers to understand their expenditure reports (management accounts) and budgets. Also analyse the major variances and collate the comments from budget holder on major variances and present it to SMT.
• Prepare journals with accurate backing documentation for entry into Microsoft Great Plains by the SSA
• Assisting the SSA to produce monthly management accounts (budget vs. actual) and working with the programme teams and department managers to understand their expenditure reports (management accounts) and budgets
• Overseeing the accurate preparation of financial reports and ensuring both organisational and donor requirements are met within agreed timeframes
• Overseeing the process of for new project/programme budgets and reviews
• Maintaining a donor financial management system in order to optimize funding and to ensure efficient and accurate reporting to donors, including donor compliance
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial reports for Concern’s Head Office (Financial Reporting Pack) with the assistance of the SSA
• Review and complete the financial reporting pack prepared by Shared Services Accountant including country commentary and CMT approval and dealing with feedback from Dublin jointly with Shared Services Accountant. Support the timely & accurate preparation of donor reports for external donors / agencies.
• Ensure all balance sheet items are reconciled on a timely basis, in accordance with Concern Worldwide policies & procedures
• Finalise year end accounts for the external auditors and provide any ad-hoc financial reports for Concern’s Head Office with the assistance of the SSA
• Provide financial analysis where necessary especially on maximizing available funds and advice to CD.

Staff Management and Capacity Building

• Providing leadership and direction for the in-country Finance Team
• Develop a second layer of staff who can fill the gap whenever any position is vacant in the finance team
• Undertake specific training, capacity building and other relevant initiatives to ensure national staff perform their roles and responsibilities with accuracy and professionalism and also create the space for national staff to develop into credible candidates to fill vacant positions in the finance team and to provide strong cover for leave.
• Providing training and support to financial and non-financial staff regarding Concern’s financial procedures and internal controls
• Undertake financial training of budget-holders, to assist them in enforcing financial controls and making decisions based on financial reports.
• Ensuring Concern’s values and policy commitments, including accountability and equality, are reflected in the work of the Finance Team/Department;
• Ensure that Job Descriptions of field finance are up to date
• Ensure that PDRs are completed for all country finance staff at least annually

Donor Management

• Ensure that necessary donor reporting deadlines are met
• Ensure that donor reports tie back to the general ledger from GP and donor original budgets
• Ensure staff positions are mapped to donor funding, ensuring that gaps are identified and included in future donor proposals, with decisions made on eliminating positions if there isn’t sufficient funding for the role in consultation with CMT
• Ensure all relevant donor guidelines, policies, proposals, periodic reports and other communications are readily available, categorized by grant, and documented in soft and hard copy filing
• Review of prepared donor budgets

Other Duties

• Facilitate internal, external and donor audits and associated reviews of field systems
• Ensure that all statutory deductions & taxes in respect of national staff are complied with & to liaise with relevant authorities in this respect.
• Review and established an effective monitoring system for the donations in Kind (DIK) so that all items received from donor as DIK and distribute to beneficiaries are recording properly and a reconciliation procedures need to develop to pass the audit trail.
• Assist Country Director to update the delegation of authority document in line with fundamental changes (New project/ closed project/ staff structure/emergency response/ etc.)
• Implement the finance systems related feedback provided by Regional Accountant or internal auditors.
• Assist in the development and implementation of the Country’s Strategic Plan
• Contribute to the development of the country’s strategic direction and to the overall leadership of the country programme
• Any other finance-related assignments

Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies

• Ensure adherence to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies
• Ensure finance staff understanding and adhere to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies
• Ensure the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) are understood by finance staff

Confidentiality

• Ensure the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever acquired in the course of duty, relating to the practices and business of Concern Worldwide, to any other person or Organization without authority, except in normal execution of the above duties
• Ensure strict guardianship and security of financial data and documents at all times, including secure storage, accurate & complete filing and limiting access to the finance office to authorised personnel only

Your skills and experience will include:

• Accountancy Qualification (e.g. CPA, ACA, ACCA)
• 3 years post qualification experience in Concern or a similar organization preferably as international staff.
• Experience in developing staff capacity both on technical and management aspects
• Experience managing large and multi donor (especially USAID, ECHO, DFID, etc.) programme budgets
• Must be fully fluent in English and French

We would also like:

• Knowledge of development issues and concepts
• Academic background of or strong practical experience in macro-economic and/or fiscal policy.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
• Good team worker
• Good Communication and negotiation skills
• A good understanding of computer applications i.e. Microsoft word, Excel, communications systems and basic trouble shooting skills
• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Empathy with Concern’s goals and a commitment to capacity building, protection and participation
• Good communication and training / capacity building skills
• Proven organization, planning and management skills
• Ability to work on own initiative and lead diverse teams
• Flexible and adaptable to a changing environment