Deputy Director of Finances

Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 25 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) began work in Afghanistan in 1988, and now works with thousands of villages across twelve provinces. .

Job Overview/Summary: As a member of the AfghanistanTeam (SMT), the Deputy Director Finance 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 Deputy Director Finance, s/he 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 Deputy Director of Finance will collaborate closely with the Deputy Directors of Programs and Operations to ensure acceptable levels of performance of cross departmental business policies and procedures and collectively troubleshoot and develop solutions.

Major Responsibilities

1. Strategic Planning & Analysis

• Provides financial information to support the Country Director and SMT in making business decisions in line with IRC, Regional & Country Program 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 Country Program’s Strategic Annual Plan

1. Controllership

• Ensures that all in-country practices are in compliance with IRC and donor policies and procedures, lead 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 performs 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.
• Identify requirements for and develop reporting formats to aid in the management of country operations and grant expenditures.
• Provides country management and program staff with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for all grants and unrestricted funds.
• 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 Controller 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

1. 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.
• 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
• Oversees finance training and technical support to non-finance staff for skills improvement in the areas of accounting, reporting and internal control

1. 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.
• Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliation’s.
• 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.

1. Budget and Forecast

• Oversees the preparation and revision of grant proposal budgets; supports programs with guidance on costing and inputs 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.
• Presents and facilitates the review of ‘actual to budget’ expenditures with the program Directors and Coordinators.

1. Other

• Act as deployment Lead for the roll out of new IRC ERP in all offices of IRC Afghanistan, ensure that effective change management practices are applied for smooth roll out and adoption of the ERP system.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Country Director: Afghanistan, Regional Finance Director Asia (technical, including straight-line accountability to CFO.
Position directly supervises: Senior Finance Coordinator, Finance Coordinator, Senior Data Analyst Manager, Senior Finance Manager

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Deputy Directors, RSC Director, Internal Auditors; other key Program Staff.

***External:*Banking Managers, Donors and local government staff (taxation and regulation related), External Auditors.

Job Requirements:

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a master’s degree in Accounting.
• Experience: Minimum Four years experience of managerial experience in the financial area of a non-profit organization or five years of managerial experience in finance in an international commercial organization.
• Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheets, and database programs.
• Skills and Abilities: Good written and verbal skills in the English language.
• Must be comfortable in being a proactive member of the top-management team. Must seek to identify and communicate potential problems and propose solutions to the level of management appropriate to effect solutions.
• Must be able to function effectively in a loosely structured, but complex work environment and to set appropriate priorities and deal effectively with numerous simultaneous requirements
• Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support from within the program organization.
• Must be a patient and good communicator who can function in an organizational environment involving a diversity of cultures, languages, and personal interests and agendas.
• Good at role of facilitator and team player in solving problems.
• Committed to staff training and development.

Working Environment

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Position Reports to: Country Director, Regional Finance Director

Position directly supervises: Finance Coordinator

Other internal contacts: DDFM, DDO, DDP, Grants and Compliance, MEAL HR,

External: Financial institution, Ministry of Finances

The work environment:

Based in Kabul and will travel throughout the country to field program locations (30%). The security level remains at 3 (orange phase). This is an unaccompanied position.

Housing: Lodging in Kabul and field offices is in shared IRC guesthouses. All IRC sites have electricity and internet although some interruptions can be experienced. Food and is the individual’s responsibility.

Standards of Professional Conduct:

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality:

IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability

Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality

IRC acknowledges and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.IRC is also committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits.

This position is equally open to national and international qualified candidates.