Finance Coordinator – Iraq

About the role:

This is an unaccompanied 12 month, new role based in Duhok (Iraq), with occasional travel to Syria, and with a grade 4 annual salary of €44,133 to €49,038.

You will report to the Country Financial Controller (CFC) and will line manage the Finance Officer and Finance Assistant. You will liaise closely with the Finance Coordinator, Finance Manager (Syria), Finance Officers, Finance Assistant, Logistics Team, Compliance staff, and the Internal Auditor as well as the Cash Facilitator, partners, banks, vendors, and external auditors.

We would like you to start in January 2024.

Your purpose:

The Finance Coordinator (FC) will support Country Financial Controller (CFC) to manage the finance department activities. S/he will provide the necessary technical support and advice to the team and take part in decision making for effective financial management of the Concern Worldwide Syria Iraq country programme. S/he will ensure that the Concern Worldwide financial policies and procedures are implemented in a standardized and consistent manner. The FC will represent the finance function on advice of CFC.

The Finance Coordinator (Iraq) will:

Financial Systems and Controls

• Support the CFC in ensuring the control environment is strong and being consistently implemented through the country programme and in line with Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Conduct daily, weekly and month end cash count as assigned by the CFC.
• Support the CFC in ensuring country practice is in line with Concern’s policies and procedures or appropriate derogations are in place where necessary.
• In consultation with the CFC, conduct periodic visits to field offices.
• Ensure appropriate and approved soft and hard copy files are maintained for all journals sent to Dublin for posting.

Treasury

• In coordination with the Finance Coordinator and Syria based Finance Manager, ensure that the appropriate finance procedures are set up and operated in Concern Syria Iraq Programme (e.g. Hawala payments, cash movements, backup check, authority levels, coding, payments, filing, floats etc).
• Verify payments and review all supporting documents to compile with Concern financial & procurement procedures for payments to be made in Duhok or via Hawala to Syria up to limits agreed with CFC.
• Supervise country-wide office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates, updating signatory within 2-4 weeks of joining / leaving of a signatory.
• Ensure the compliance keep track of the recommended balances in the bank account.
• Ensure sufficient funds are available to the country programme at all times by submitting the monthly cash forecast & request to Dublin by the agreed deadline.
• Develop and implement a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.
• Ensure salary transfers are made before end of each month at all locations for national staff.
• Ensure staff final settlements are processed and completed within a week of receipt by Finance.

Financial Reporting and Donor Reporting

• Assist budget-holders in preparing budgets and revisions in line with strategic plans and organizational objectives. This involves supporting, facilitating and assisting the CFC in consolidating the financial budgets.
• Ensure proper recording of income and expenditure in compliance with Concern and donor regulations.
• Contribute to the production of monthly management accounts (budget vs. actual) and work with the programme teams and department managers to understand their expenditure reports (management accounts) and budgets.
• Assist the CFC in ensuring timely and accurate preparation of financial reports for Concern’s Head Office (i.e. Financial Reporting Pack).
• Review financial procedures for all donor grants to make sure they comply with donor rules and regulations, and suggest new policies or processes changes to enhance workflow and have sufficient control to ensure this.
• Participate in the annual country level external audit and as well as donor fund projects audit process (includes preparing the ledger and transaction list for auditors).
• Assist the CFC in handling queries related to internal and external audits and provide/facilitate feedback (responses) to issues and recommendations raised during/post audits.
• Undertake a quick review of the audit test (e.g. matching donor reports to the transaction list) before commencement of audit.
• Participate in the production of financial statements (accounts) for external auditor, local authorities and year-end reporting to Concern Head Office.

Book keeping, Month – end processes and Donor management

• Provide technical oversight, support and training to Duhok Finance officer and Assistant(s) relating to their duties in respect of managing cash and bankbooks, supporting documentation review, Hawala transfers, Duhok office cash flow management, cash flow forecasting, overseas payments processing and making cheque and cash payments.
• Undertake the first review of bank reconciliations prepared by Finance Assistant(s).
• Undertake the initial review of the Duhok cash and bankbooks completed by the Duhok Finance Assistant(s).
• Deal with Field Payment Listing (FPL) and Recharges queries at Dublin/Concern field level.
• Coordinate with the Finance Coordinator in carrying out and completing all other aspects of the monthly management accounts including all journals, support costs allocation procedures.
• Oversee monthly reconciliations of balance sheet items and ensure these are done before management accounts are out.
• Collate feedback on management account from budget owners and keep its record for incorporation of this in future planning/budgeting.
• Prepare prepayments schedule and do the monthly expense journal for any due expense.
• Having a well-organized archiving system for all finance files and supporting documents and ensure all are in a safe and easily accessible place.
• Liaise with budget owners with respect to feedback on draft management accounts.
• Ensure the Chart of Accounts is maintained up-to-date and is consistently applied.
• Work with Country Financial Controller in becoming familiar with the routine operations performed on Great Plains accounting software and month end processes.
• Coordinate with CFC in donor management, including ensuring all files are up to date, drafting donor reports and ensuring all related deadlines are met.
• Perform the initial review of Iraq & Syria payroll in advance of CFC review.
• Ensure all based national staff and all international staff timesheets are submitted as require on a timely basis.
• Ensure payments are made only to appropriate parties in line with contracts/amendments /authorizing documents, which are on file in this regard.
• Coordinate and Cooperate with Logistics to ensure regular physical stock counts (monthly) reconciling physical stocks with stock cards and/or stationery lists according to existing Concern logistics procedures.
• Map staffing to donor funding to ensure that gaps are identified and included in future donor proposals, decisions made on eliminating positions if there isn’t sufficient funding for the role
• Undertake periodic joint review of donor reports with budget holders based on agreed upon arrangements
• 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.
• Organize grant closeout meetings in coordination with the CFC and Programme Director
• Ensure that necessary donor reporting deadlines are met

Partner Financial Management

• Liaise with partner senior management to assess development needs of partner staff, and coordinate with CFC and FC in designing and delivery of capacity building sessions for partner staff based on assessed needs.
• Ensure the Concern Integrated Local Partner Assessment Tool (CILPAT) is completed in line with partnership Policy in a timely manner and filed appropriately.
• Provide the Assessment team with final recommendation report from Finance within agreed timeframe.
• Prepare and deliver the orientation of partner(s) on Concern’s finance compliance and procedures.
• Oversee project agreement compliance by all partners.
• Participate at least twice in a year in partner financial review with field staff.
• Organize capacity building sessions for partners based on plans provided by fields or relevant departments.
• Schedule site visits with field teams based on Terms of Reference agreed with the CFC and document observations and a follow up plan.

Training & Staff Management

• Ensure JDs of staff assigned and also staff for which the FC has technical support responsibility are up to date.
• Take responsibility for the annual Performance Development Review (PDR) process of the staff for whom s/he has line management responsibility.
• Ensure finance staff line managed by the FM have obtained the optimal development opportunities as agreed in their PDR.
• Support the CFC in conducting financial management trainings for Concern staff in particular non-finance staff.
• Support the CFC in conducting financial management trainings for partner staff on donor and Concern agreement compliance.

Others

• Adhere to national legislation – gathering information on fiscal legislation (taxes, customs duties, VAT, taxes on leasing contracts, annual declarations etc.) and transmitting it to the CFC. If necessary, undertake this task in liaison with external consultants.
• Plan and coordinate external/donor/internal/inter-office reviews so that final signed accounts and reports are provided to relevant stakeholders as per agreed timelines.
• In coordination with CFC, constantly strive to improve existing financial policies and procedures in consultation with team to ensure best value of money for the organization.
• Prepare financial reports required by local authorities of the Directorate of Non-Governmental Organisations (DNGO) in both Kurdistan and Baghdad inside Iraq in order to maintain Concern’s registration active and up to date.
• Ensure that all statutory deductions & taxes in respect of national staff are complied with & to liaise with relevant authorities in this respect.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

• Actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E);
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed;
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Support and Cover

• Review the work of other Finance team members, as required/assigned.
• Coordinate with finance team to arrange necessary cover for any staff away for long time.
• Conduct field visits to partners and field offices inside Syria as work required.

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential:

• Bachelor degree in either accountancy or economics.
• 3 years post qualification experience in Concern or a similar organization preferably as international staff.
• 6 years of relevant experience with INGOs.
• Experience managing large and multi donor (especially USAID, ECHO, DFID, etc.) programme budgets.
• Fluent in English.

We would also like:

• Fluent in Arabic.
• Knowledge of development issues and concepts.
• 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.