South Sudan: Finance Controller

Introduction

Cordaid is a Dutch, international non-governmental organization which combines 100 years of experience and expertise in emergency aid and structural poverty eradication. Cordaid believes in a world without poverty and exclusion. We strive for a just and sustainable society where every person counts. We stand for knowledge and talent sharing between North and South, between farmers and businesses, between activists and policymakers. Where poverty, conflict and exclusion tear up societies, we connect people and communities. We also stand for professionalism, expertise and solidarity across borders, to make a difference where it is most needed. Together with more than 600 partner organizations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America we structurally improve the living conditions of the poorest and most excluded populations - the bottom billion.

Cordaid has been active in South Sudan for more than 20 years, with a strong focus on civil society capacity-building. Currently, it has programs in the area of Emergency Response, DRR, Health, Food Security, Security & Justice, Women Leadership and Investments.

Presently, Cordaid is expanding its program in different parts of the country. For that purpose, additional technical capacity is required.Therefore, Cordaid would like to recruit a Finance Controller as detailed below,

Finance Controller

Based in Juba with about 10% field travel

Reporting line

The Finance Controller reports to the Country Director, with a functional line to the Regional Finance Controller. S/he supervisors the departmental staff and provides technical support to the Programme Finance Officers and ensures that the finance staff in the field are trained and supported to be efficient.

Overall Objectives of the position:

To ensure effective and efficient management of the financial and administrative functions of Cordaid South Sudan Office. S/he is also responsible for accurate and prompt reporting and the realization of the Country Office budget targets.

The position is part of the Senior Management Team.

Finance activities, responsibility and accountability

1. Develop, implement and continuously review the organisation’s financial, administrative and management systems and processes, and ensure compliance with Cordaid, donor’s & statutory requirements, and adherence to financial reporting procedures and internal control mechanisms
2. Take responsibility for all banking activities, including negotiating fees and interest rates, monthly bank reconciliation, and submit the ledgers to the Country Director for authorisation.
3. Minimize Cordaid’s foreign exchange losses by timely acquiring updated official currency exchange rates to ensure the organisation financial records reflect the updated and accurate rates.
4. Manage and monitor the organisation cash liquidity levels and status by taking account of the organisation cash planning and forecasting.
5. Critically review all payment requests, including work and salary advances, and ensure that correct procedures have been followed, and the documentation is adequate, prior to obtaining the authorization of the Country Director.
6. Ensure that staff understand the chart of accounts and budget codes, and use them correctly for allocation and tracking expenditure
7. Verify the accounting process (entries and adjustments in the accounting system), and ensure that they conform to established accounting principles and also verify the batches of the captured transactions and upload to transit to the Head Office for updating the AX accounting system for South Sudan.
8. Manage the organisation’s departmental weekly cash plans and ensure that the weekly cash counts and monthly spot cash checks are conducted and recorded.
9. Lead in budget preparations, profit and loss statement and provide the SMT with technical advice and trend analysis.
10. Advise managers on the interpretation and implementation of Cordaid’s business policies and procedures, ensuring consistency and fairness in application, and in accordance with existing policies and local legal requirements.
11. Provide financial advice and assess adherence by the management and project staff on Cordaid’s, local regulations and donor compliance processes. Identify any non-compliance procedures and ensure prompt corrective action.
12. Timely prepare and submit financial reports with analysis for guidance to indicate the administrative spending trends, variances and the budget status and/or performance.
13. Manage and report on Cordaid South Sudan’s cost recovery
14. Manage and control approved funds payments, reimbursement and off-setting statements and transactions between the Head Office and the Sound Sudan office. Follow-up, track and confirm that such transactions have been effected against our books.
15. Manage the month-end and year end processes and ensuring the completion and meeting of all the donor and regulatory transactions (i.e. PIT) and requirements.
16. Manage the accounts receivables and accounts payables, and ensure timely payments and reimbursements.

Compliance and donor management

1. In liaison with the Senior Management Team, prepare detailed budgets for all project proposals/concept notes consistent with Cordaid’s budgeting policies and principles
2. Enforce compliance with Cordaid and donor regulations
3. Lead the financial monitoring of programme activities in line with donor agreements and share observations and recommendations with the Senior Management Team (SMT).
4. Ensure that Programme Finance Officers lead in preparing donor reports in a timely manner, ensuring the highest quality and in accordance with Cordaid and donor requirements (This may involve substantial editing, translation and contributing to writing to ensure the reports are in coherence to the donor standards, templates and requirement).
5. Develop and maintain funds management tools, such as funding trackers, reporting calendars, templates, and compliance guideline documents; and ensure the team is aware of these timelines
6. Coordinate and complete proposal revisions, follow up and negotiate cost extension requests as and when needed in liaison and collaboration with the programme managers and the Country Director.

Administrative responsibilities and accountability

1. Ensure that the financial, administrative and documentation processes meet the audit and donor requirements, and maintain key related documentation for grants/contracts, MOUs, Teaming Agreements, and other relevant documents for audit preparation.
2. Lead in the management and resolution of issues identified by auditors and ensure the implementation of relevant audit recommendations.
3. Ensure that staff are sufficiently trained on standard financial/donor compliance and enforce compliance with standards and procedures.
4. Establish practices that ensure efficient and seamless support and coordination with the field offices and identify gaps and discrepancies in programme delivery and reporting
5. In collaboration with the human resources department – Review the monthly employee payroll and ensure that all country regulatory payments are done for human resources to remit by the set deadlines.
6. In collaboration with the Logistics and Procurement Manager, ensure that all administrative and procurement procedures are aligned with Cordaid’s and donor’s requirements.
7. Identify and contribute to the organisation’s development by proposing alternative solutions to improve existing structures, financial and administrative procedures and processes to ensure cost efficiency, improved organisation performance and overall organisation strategy effectiveness.
8. Develop, implement and set a secure finance document recording and maintain a finance standard filing, retrieval and archiving systems in accordance with Cordaid and donor records retention policies.
9. Supervise and manage all finance staff at Juba office and ensure effective delivery of work and manage the staff performance and ensure to provide functional line support to the finance staff in the field.
10. Ensure that the financial capacity enhancement of partner organisations is enhanced and that Programme finance officers periodically assess, identify weaknesses and develop and monitor an improvement plan for partner organisations and the field offices

Qualification and experience required

1. Advanced university degree in Accounting, Business Management/Administration.
2. Full membership of a professional accounting body e.g. CPA, ACCA an advantage
3. Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a similar position with either a humanitarian organization or in the private sector
4. Proven knowledge of humanitarian donor regulations and experience in developing complex proposals and / or overseeing reporting / compliance management.
5. Strong negotiation, analytical and management skills
6. Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
7. Must be self-disciplined person, multi-tasked and takes initiative
8. Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information.
9. Proficient in micro-soft office packages (excel and word) and other financial packages such as AX dynamics.

Further information and how to apply

Interested and qualifying applicants can submit their application letter including a CV in English to the following email hr.southsudan@cordaid.org

Mention the vacancy reference number in subject line:

CSS13/04/18 Finance Controller

Deadline for submission is by the 11^thof May 2018

Cordaid is an equal opportunities employer and women are strongly encouraged to apply

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.