Finance Controller – Istanbul, Turkey

SPARK is looking for a Finance Controller (FC) who has excellent knowledge of Financial Accounting, Project Accounting, Risk Management, Internal Control Environment, and Management Reporting. The FC is expected to be service-oriented, calm under pressure, an independent planner with good communication skills, and a good team player. He should have experience and knowledge to work cross-functionally, build internal control processes and the capacity of the finance team.

Under direct supervision of the Chief Financial Officer and in close coordination with the Regional Finance Manager Middle East, the FC is responsible for ensuring an effective control environment in the region and providing value-added support to the program team about financial matters. Furthermore, the FC will ensure compliance with company policies and donor contracts, manage financial risks, project audits, and review key partnership contracts/payments.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

The responsibilities and tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Design, execute and maintain financial control for the region that supports and guides the project management cycle.
• Identify key financial risks and establish proper controls.
• Design and implement key control matrix in the region to ensure improved financial controls.
• Contribute to an organizational culture with higher knowledge and awareness about the need and importance of financial, legal, and organizational compliance.
• Contribute to a culture with the right balance between entrepreneurial pragmatism and administrative accuracy.
• Perform Internal Audit in various countries
• Ensure financial compliance with the SPARK and donor regulations and procedures;

• Review partner and donor selection, review of contracts and ensure all partner payments are in line with policies and financial controls.

• Proactively identify potential areas of compliance vulnerability and develop appropriate controls.

• Review and highlight any issues with Balance Sheet account reconciliations

• Support the Program team in reviewing Project financial reports.

• Identify areas of improvement in internal controls, financial accounting, and management reporting.

• Improve Finance Manual and keep it updated.

• Assist Finance team in improving key areas of budgeting, staff cost planning,

• Take a lead role in project audits

• Periodic review of project spending to ensure that costs are charged as per donor contracts.

• Review and spot checks procurement of goods and services to ensure that process is in line with the policy.

• Assist Regional Finance and HQ Finance teams in ad-hoc projects when needed.

• This job description covers the main tasks that are anticipated. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary

Requirements and Skills

• MA in Finance/Accounting, Business Administration (with Finance specialization) or a professional accounting qualification from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy;
• Minimum 8 plus years relevant experience in financial management, Financial Accounting, project finance and Internal Audit within the private sector or international NGOs.
• Extensive experience in project cost allocation.
• Previous experience of managing a $15+ million budget as Finance Manager or Finance Controller.
• Proven experience in handling large scale- multi-donor funding, reporting systems;
• Knowledge of audit tracking, accounting, and budgetary procedures and techniques, procurement of goods and services, stocks and assets control;
• Prior experience with EU/international donor/UN grants is an asset;
• Prior experience working in higher education or livelihoods programs is an asset;
• Full professional proficiency in English; Arabic is an asset.
• Turkish nationals only.

SPARK Offers

A challenging and interesting position in an international environment;
Full time position 40h per week;
Dynamic team to work with.

About SPARK

SPARK develops higher education and entrepreneurship to empower young, ambitious people to lead their fragile and conflict-affected societies into prosperity. SPARK is a dynamic and growing, international not-for-profit development organization with 100+ staff members, in more than 14 offices around the world. SPARK supports refugees in the Middle East by providing them with scholarships in universities and higher education institutions in the region. SPARK also supports young entrepreneurs in fragile states, to start or grow their businesses.