Regional Finance Manager
- Recruiter
- IRC International Rescue committee
- Location
- Amman, Jordan
- Salary
- Competitive salary
- Posted
- 23 Apr 2019
- Closes
- 16 Jun 2019
- Ref
- 5d04c6ebe4b05cc0fb6d8fd6
- Job role
- Finance manager
- Sector
- Not for profit / charity
- Experience level
- Manager
Job Overview/Summary:
Under the supervision of the Regional Finance Director (RFD), the Regional Finance Manager (RFM) will be the focal point for all finance administration-related activities in the Regional Office that support the Middle East team hosted in the Amman regional office.
The RFM will also be responsible for all accounting and finance functions of the regional office, including; assisting the RFD in the development and revision of the annual operating budget and regional grants budgets, review and analysis of actual spending to budgets, preparation of journal entries, preparation of internal and external reporting; etc.
The RFM will be supported by Jordan finance team for the processing and reconciliation of regional office accounting transactions.
Major Responsibilities:
Finance verification of Documents :
Review and verify all requests submitted by regional or HQ staff hosted by the regional office related to: Purchase Requests, Travel Requests, Travel Expense Reports, and other to ensure they are complete, accurate and supported by all relevant documentation and are authorized according to Authorization Approval Matrix.
Make sure that:
• IRC policies and donor regulations are strictly adhered to;
• Expenses are allowable, allocable and reasonable;
• Correct account and charge codes are used;
• Calculations are correct (this includes test of the mathematical accuracy of invoices, receipts and supporting documents to payments).
Cost tracking and payments:
The Regional Finance Manager will be supported by Jordan Office Finance team in data entry, payment processing, monthly payroll allocations, and reconciliation of balance sheet items.
• Work with Shared Service Unit to track, review and verify bills received for facilities (office, guesthouses, and staff residences) including utilities, internet, maintenance, office and kitchen supplies, new furniture or equipment;
• Provide technical advice or support as needed to the Shared Service Unit regarding the follow up on payments to vendors for services and items procured for the Regional Team;
• In coordination with HR, provide orientation for new regional staff on IRC Middle East finance practices, processes and policies;
• Provide technical advice to regional staff on finance related matters and support as needed;
• Run spreadsheet for regional office payment requests and reconcile with Jordan Country office finance team at the end of the month; including shared costs, HQ allocation and pending payments
Tracking and Coding of Shared Office Costs:
• Work with Share Service Unit to prepare annual hosting agreements for all staff hosted by the regional office. Obtain approvals and relevant codes. Update agreements as needed throughout the year;
• Keep shared office costs spreadsheet up-to-date based on the facility allocation map provided by the Shared Service Unit;
• Ensure shared office costs are accurately coded;
• Ensure that shared costs and staff costs are reallocated on monthly basis to the correct units and the budget holders of those units are notified beforehand in case of unusual expenses.
Planning and Budgeting:
• Support the RFD in the development and update of the regional office Annual Operating Budget; consult with relevant staff as needed to get input on regional staff payroll and local allowances, regional staff direct costs (travel, meetings, training, workshops, software, subscriptions, consultancy, etc.) and regional office costs (including shared costs);
o Assist regional staff to identify those activities needed to support the implementation of COs proposals and estimate total expected coverage and gaps.
• Determine actual and projected coverage of regional costs:
o Support regional staff with the realignment of costs when applicable;
o Prepare and maintain a detailed mapping of the Middle East Grants –including grants details using documents such as Country offices FM1 reports (Awarded Grants and Grants in Pipeline) and spending Plans per CO monthly BvAs;
o Use the mapping to assess the proportion of individual grants spending to total Middle East portfolio during the grant proposal period and the level of effort (LOE) that may be required from regional staff to support each grant. Communicate the LOE of regional staff to CPs on a regular basis using a standard tool.
• Identify donors’ reporting requirements and develop standard reporting formats to aid in the consolidation of grant budgets and expenditures. Review and consolidate regional grants proposals using Donor format – verify if the costs are pulled correctly from CO and Regional Budgets into the Donor format and communicate inconsistencies;
• Lead on Syria Resilience Consortium (SRC) grants budgets for proposal development, quarterly and final grants reporting and audit;
• Support country offices as requested in proposal development, reporting or specific projects.
Analysis of Actual Spending and comparison with budget:
• Use Q&A to prepare monthly BvAs for regional funds/grants – Unrestricted, Temporary Restricted and Grants- and compare Actual spending to budgets;
• Ensure that program activities are on track according to plan;
• Ensure that all costs are supported with proper supporting documentation and comply with donor regulations on allowable costs;
• Maintain a system to track commitments and outstanding contract amounts;
• Provide management and budget holders with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for all grants and unrestricted funds;
• Identify and investigate source of discrepancies/miscoding and discuss necessary remedial actions;
• Propose and prepare budget revisions/realignment as necessary;
• Prepare adjusting entries for review and approval.
Review, reporting, and forecasting:
• Review all costs charged by country offices (mainly Jordan office) to the regional budgets before they are submitted to HQ Finance for clearance on a monthly basis. Ensure they are backed by complete documentation and correct regional codes are provided for recoding;
• Produce required monthly and ad-hoc reports for regional Office;
• Prepare donor reports enough time before deadline to ensure the reports are reviewed thoroughly and are accurate;
• Report any discrepancies/miscoding/missing entries that need to be adjusted manually in the report (using the IRC approved methodology) if the actual adjusting transaction cannot be entered in the accounting system before the end of reporting period;
• Develop accurate cash forecasts of the regional program needs.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Regional Finance Director
Position directly supervises: Finance Officer if the position is required/filled based on the level of work
Indirect Reporting: None
Other Internal and/or external contacts: This position works closely with all Middle East regional staff, assisting and advising them on finance and budget-related needs. Works with Jordan Finance Controller and Finance team, and Technical controller, as well as Country Program Finance focal points.
Under the supervision of the Regional Finance Director (RFD), the Regional Finance Manager (RFM) will be the focal point for all finance administration-related activities in the Regional Office that support the Middle East team hosted in the Amman regional office.
The RFM will also be responsible for all accounting and finance functions of the regional office, including; assisting the RFD in the development and revision of the annual operating budget and regional grants budgets, review and analysis of actual spending to budgets, preparation of journal entries, preparation of internal and external reporting; etc.
The RFM will be supported by Jordan finance team for the processing and reconciliation of regional office accounting transactions.
Major Responsibilities:
Finance verification of Documents :
Review and verify all requests submitted by regional or HQ staff hosted by the regional office related to: Purchase Requests, Travel Requests, Travel Expense Reports, and other to ensure they are complete, accurate and supported by all relevant documentation and are authorized according to Authorization Approval Matrix.
Make sure that:
• IRC policies and donor regulations are strictly adhered to;
• Expenses are allowable, allocable and reasonable;
• Correct account and charge codes are used;
• Calculations are correct (this includes test of the mathematical accuracy of invoices, receipts and supporting documents to payments).
Cost tracking and payments:
The Regional Finance Manager will be supported by Jordan Office Finance team in data entry, payment processing, monthly payroll allocations, and reconciliation of balance sheet items.
• Work with Shared Service Unit to track, review and verify bills received for facilities (office, guesthouses, and staff residences) including utilities, internet, maintenance, office and kitchen supplies, new furniture or equipment;
• Provide technical advice or support as needed to the Shared Service Unit regarding the follow up on payments to vendors for services and items procured for the Regional Team;
• In coordination with HR, provide orientation for new regional staff on IRC Middle East finance practices, processes and policies;
• Provide technical advice to regional staff on finance related matters and support as needed;
• Run spreadsheet for regional office payment requests and reconcile with Jordan Country office finance team at the end of the month; including shared costs, HQ allocation and pending payments
Tracking and Coding of Shared Office Costs:
• Work with Share Service Unit to prepare annual hosting agreements for all staff hosted by the regional office. Obtain approvals and relevant codes. Update agreements as needed throughout the year;
• Keep shared office costs spreadsheet up-to-date based on the facility allocation map provided by the Shared Service Unit;
• Ensure shared office costs are accurately coded;
• Ensure that shared costs and staff costs are reallocated on monthly basis to the correct units and the budget holders of those units are notified beforehand in case of unusual expenses.
Planning and Budgeting:
• Support the RFD in the development and update of the regional office Annual Operating Budget; consult with relevant staff as needed to get input on regional staff payroll and local allowances, regional staff direct costs (travel, meetings, training, workshops, software, subscriptions, consultancy, etc.) and regional office costs (including shared costs);
o Assist regional staff to identify those activities needed to support the implementation of COs proposals and estimate total expected coverage and gaps.
• Determine actual and projected coverage of regional costs:
o Support regional staff with the realignment of costs when applicable;
o Prepare and maintain a detailed mapping of the Middle East Grants –including grants details using documents such as Country offices FM1 reports (Awarded Grants and Grants in Pipeline) and spending Plans per CO monthly BvAs;
o Use the mapping to assess the proportion of individual grants spending to total Middle East portfolio during the grant proposal period and the level of effort (LOE) that may be required from regional staff to support each grant. Communicate the LOE of regional staff to CPs on a regular basis using a standard tool.
• Identify donors’ reporting requirements and develop standard reporting formats to aid in the consolidation of grant budgets and expenditures. Review and consolidate regional grants proposals using Donor format – verify if the costs are pulled correctly from CO and Regional Budgets into the Donor format and communicate inconsistencies;
• Lead on Syria Resilience Consortium (SRC) grants budgets for proposal development, quarterly and final grants reporting and audit;
• Support country offices as requested in proposal development, reporting or specific projects.
Analysis of Actual Spending and comparison with budget:
• Use Q&A to prepare monthly BvAs for regional funds/grants – Unrestricted, Temporary Restricted and Grants- and compare Actual spending to budgets;
• Ensure that program activities are on track according to plan;
• Ensure that all costs are supported with proper supporting documentation and comply with donor regulations on allowable costs;
• Maintain a system to track commitments and outstanding contract amounts;
• Provide management and budget holders with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for all grants and unrestricted funds;
• Identify and investigate source of discrepancies/miscoding and discuss necessary remedial actions;
• Propose and prepare budget revisions/realignment as necessary;
• Prepare adjusting entries for review and approval.
Review, reporting, and forecasting:
• Review all costs charged by country offices (mainly Jordan office) to the regional budgets before they are submitted to HQ Finance for clearance on a monthly basis. Ensure they are backed by complete documentation and correct regional codes are provided for recoding;
• Produce required monthly and ad-hoc reports for regional Office;
• Prepare donor reports enough time before deadline to ensure the reports are reviewed thoroughly and are accurate;
• Report any discrepancies/miscoding/missing entries that need to be adjusted manually in the report (using the IRC approved methodology) if the actual adjusting transaction cannot be entered in the accounting system before the end of reporting period;
• Develop accurate cash forecasts of the regional program needs.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Regional Finance Director
Position directly supervises: Finance Officer if the position is required/filled based on the level of work
Indirect Reporting: None
Other Internal and/or external contacts: This position works closely with all Middle East regional staff, assisting and advising them on finance and budget-related needs. Works with Jordan Finance Controller and Finance team, and Technical controller, as well as Country Program Finance focal points.