Finance Manager Jordan & Syria

Background:

LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world.

A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work and our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centred and community-based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures. www.lutheranworld.org/WorldService.

Scope of Work:

The position is part of the senior leadership team to provide close support and management of Finance functions in accordance with the LWF policy and strategy for Jordan and Syria. Has overall responsibility for compliance with the LWF Finance policy and procedures, compliance with donor guidelines and regulations, and providing support on Grants Management, internal and external reporting.

The position reports to the LWF Jordan Country Director and shall take advice in financial matters from the WS Global Finance Coordinator in Geneva.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Finance

1. Oversee and ensure that accounting systems are maintained to provide the information required for planning and monitoring and reporting for program operations, for safeguarding assets, discharging liabilities and legal responsibilities.
2. Ensure that the policies, procedures and practices of the LWF World Service as expressed in the relevant manuals, policies and guidelines, in particular the LWF World Service Finance Manual and Sage Manual are understood and fully adhered to.
3. Supervise the preparation of all mandatory monthly and yearly accounts including the monthly finance and management reports for the Country Director of the country program in Jordan and the LWF World Service head office in Geneva, ensuring that accounting policies are properly and consistently applied and to submit such accounts in accordance with the relevant deadlines in the LWF World Service Finance Manual.
4. Supervise the preparation of separate financial reports for funding agencies in accordance with the terms of the contracts.
5. Where required, submit requests for installments of funds from funding agencies in a timely manner, ensuring a reliable cash flow for the program.
6. Responsible for overall control of expenditure against budget for all projects. The Finance will ensure that program staff are provided with regular and accurate financial reports and analysis to inform timely and cost-effective project management and decision-making.
7. Oversee the preparation of, and verify the accuracy of, budgets for all project proposals, ACT appeals for emergencies, bilateral applications to institutional donors and any other projects.
8. Check cash flow projections ensuring that they are in accordance with procedures, and manage the cash flow of the country program in order to ensure that sufficient funds are always available.
9. Ensure that purchasing is carried out in accordance with the LWF World Service Procurement manual including review and suggestions for improvement of systems as needed.
10. Review the monthly payroll and ensure the timely payment of salaries, taxes, insurances and benefits
11. Ensure that internal controls are properly in place, including regular visits to project offices, and suggest improvements as per need or as per recommendation from LWF World Service internal audits.
12. Act as contact with external auditors on accounting matters and, in consultation with the Country Representative, to make available to them all records required for the purpose of auditing the accounts, including any additional audits for funding agencies.

Coordination

1. Ensure the overall compliance with the LWF World Service Operations Manual.
2. Ensure that procedures for hard copies, electronic data storage, backups, and security for all documents are followed in accordance with the LWF World Service Operations Manual, with particular attention to all finance-related documents.
3. Monitor and administer the financial data within the NewDea platform and by-annually spot check required documentation on the World Service platform Newdea, feeding back missing documents to the Country Representative and Program Coordinator.
4. Liaise at the appropriate level with banks, tax authorities and other financial or government institutions.
5. Corporate Policy and Compliance
6. Assist and support project staff in the management and implementation of operational and partner projects, ensuring compliance with logistics and financial systems and procedures, including providing training for LWF or partner staff as required.
7. Ensure all work is undertaken in accordance with internal management systems and procedures.
8. Promote opportunities to encourage an openness to learning from all staff and assist in the identification of issues / themes from project experience for analysis, dialogue and formulation into emerging best practice and policy, for disseminated in country and stakeholders.
9. Support the Country Director in ensuring compatibility with local cultural norms, paying particular attention to gender issues.
10. Team Management
11. Lead and manage direct reports ensuring clarity over plans and priorities, providing supervision, guidance and mentoring, encouraging effective teamwork and inclusiveness and building a team spirit through regular meetings and events.
12. Provide management support to direct reports in their management of others, and their implementation of role objectives, work plans and budgets.
13. Implement LWFs performance management system with direct reports, with objective setting, probationary reviews, regular catch ups, 6-monthly performance appraisals, development planning and exit interviews, carried out for staff.
14. Contribute to developing and model a team culture characterized by a shared vision, commitment and mutual accountability that reflects LWFs code of conduct and desired culture
15. External Representation
16. Assist the Country Director with representation to the government (or informal de facto authorities), helping to ensure constructive working relationships are maintained to allow humanitarian programming.
17. In conjunction with the Country Director and other staff, represent LWF to other NGOs, UN agencies and visitors ensuring coordination and attendance at relevant interagency technical, and security coordination networks as necessary.
18. Represent LWF and operational program work to in-country donor representatives, supporting positive relationships and ongoing communications.

Other;

Any other requested task assigned by the line manager and within the scope of the LWF work and staff qualification.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS:

The LWF and LWF workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the Code of Conduct as well as the Core Humanitarian Standard and relevant LWF policies such as Protection from Sexual Abuse, Exploitation and Harassment (PSEAH), Child Protection and Gender Justice Policy. The staff member must conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to the LWF and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Requirements:

Essential:

• Professionally qualified accountant, CPA or & equivalent qualification.
• Minimum five years’ of proven experience in similar roles.
• Knowledge of the reporting requirements of LWF, ACT Appeals, Global Affairs Canada, FAO, UNOCHA, USAID, UNHCR, EU and other government funding agencies.
• Knowledge and experience of cooperation with United Nations, governmental agencies and international development cooperation in the field of humanitarian assistance.
• Strong leadership, conceptual and analytical skills and demonstrated organizational, management and supervisory skills.
• Team-oriented, flexible and excellent communication skills.
• Advanced computer skills including accounting programs (preferably SAGE).

Context/specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the context in Jordan- both host community and refugee camps an advantage.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities in a fast paced and complex setting.
• Knowledge of minimum Protection Standards
• Self-awareness and proven ability to operate successfully in different cultural environments.
• Ability to achieve results and maintain consistent high standards of professional behaviour and achievement, including when working within remote managment
• Ability to manage stress, flexible and accommodating in difficult and frustrating working circumstance.