Programme & Partnership Accountant – South Sudan Full Time

About the role: This is a 12 month, replacement role with unaccompanied terms based in Juba with a salary of Band 2 salary € 35.789 – 39.766.

You will report to the Country Financial Controller and will line manage Field Management Accountants, Finance Officers (FOs), Assistant Finance Officers (AFO), Cashier and work closely with Country Management team, Budget Holders, Shared Service Accountant, Desk Officer, Field and Juba Finance Team, Partner Organisations

We would like you to start as soon as possible.

Your purpose: To provide support to the CFC to ensure the effective functioning of the finance department in the field locations by providing day to day technical support and work with national and NGO partners. The post holder will coordinate finance issues and build the capacity of national staff for both Concern and partners, and support national staff to manage and carry out the work on the finance function. The post holder will report directly to the CFC. You will be located in Juba but the position requires 60% travel to field locations (currently: Unity, NBeG and Kajo-Keji of Central Equatoria)

You will be responsible for:

Financial Control:

· Guided Country Finance Controller and his/her team, ensure that Concern Worldwide financial policies and procedures are adhered to and implemented in a standardised manner.

· Maintain up-to date knowledge of and implement local government requirements and regulations related to financial matters including statutory deductions from national staff salaries such as income tax, social security, etc.

· In consultation with the CFC Conduct periodic visits to field offices

· Closely monitor all programme financial activities, and keep the Programme Director, Systems Director and Country Finance Manager advised of all situations which have the potential to negatively impact internal controls or financial management performance.

· Assist the field office budget holders in conducting the budget revision process, ensuring that appropriate levels of technical support and guidance are provided to all budget holders during the process of preparing the subsequent revisions.

· Manage the field finance department’s activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by donors and Dublin HQ.

· Maintain Month End Closure file, including all signed journals and feedback from budget holders

· Ensure that steps are taken to mitigate the risks of fraud, including conducting random checks on large payments carried out in the field

Financial and Donor Reporting:

· Assist budget holders with preparation of donor budgets; interpretation of budgeting guidelines; ensure compliance with donor regulations and ensure their incorporation into the country annual operating budget & revisions

· Assist the Country Finance Manager with external (donor, audit firm, partner organisation, government, etc.) and internal control audits as required.

· Reconcile all balance sheet items on a timely basis, in accordance with Concern Worldwide policies & procedures

Staff Management & Capacity Building:

· Train National Finance staff in Concern systems and general accounting best practice

· To facilitate and provide basic training, technical support and guidance to the country program staff, particularly budget holders, for skills improvement in the areas of budget preparation and monitoring, budget revision, reporting, and internal control. This includes assisting them in understanding their management accounts.

· Develop and implement staff development plan for field office finance department staff

Donor Management:

· Assist in preparing donor financial reports and ensure the reports are shared with relevant persons in HQ, DO, RA, PDs and CFC

· Ensure that donor reports tie back to the general ledger from GP and donor original budgets

· Follow up and support on mapping of donor budgets against Concern Chart of Account.

Other Financial Milestones:

· Contribute to the development, review, and revision of financial and systems related procedures

· Undertake the financial assessment of potential Partners on a timely and comprehensive basis

· Summarize financial assessment findings and recommend whether engaging with a Partner is workable with resources available.

· Ensure all the relevant staff members (CFC, PD Programmes, Project Manager and Country Director) sign off financial assessment

· Ensure that all CILPAT documentation is being maintained on the Partner File for future reference

· Monitoring For each Partner, using CILPAT and any other available material as a basis, prepare a Partner Monitoring Programme

· Carry out Systems Review visits in accordance with the Partner Monitoring Programme.

· Perform regular Transaction Audits in accordance with the Partner Monitoring Programme

· Ensure an updated risk assessment is completed at least annually and is signed off by Senior Management after each field visit. Prepare and disseminate a Partner Visit Report

· Ensure programme staff are aware of their responsibilities regarding monitoring of partners. Ensure sign off from appropriate senior Programme representatives is obtained on the CILPAT, Partner Monitoring Programme and Annual Risk Review

· Ensure Partner Reports and findings are circulated to all interested parties within Concern and the Partner. Ensure all documentation relating to Concern‘s financial relationship with the partner is filed correctly and updated where necessary

· When needed, assist the Country Financial Manager in the process of obtaining explanations of variances between budget and actual spending and income and make necessary adjustments in cases of incorrect accounting entries

· In coordination with the HR Manager, manage the budgeting of national staff and HR budget monitoring

· Any other tasks mutually agreed with the AC, PD and/or CFC

· Supervise all programme office safe relations and cash box account activities

· Oversee the timely preparation, review and approval of all safe account and cash reconciliations on as regular a basis as necessary for effective financial control

· Assist the PD and CFC in ensuring compliance with Concern Worldwide policies and procedures in respect of cash management and assume responsibilities in the implementation of country specific policies such as authorisation limits, cash holding limits, cash movements, credit terms, advance payments, use of cash payment instruments.

· Be responsible for the review of fund transfer requests from the field and the timely preparation and follow-up/handling of Cash Transfer Requests to the field offices to ensure that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate programme implementation

Concern Code of Conduct and Associated:

· Ensure adherence to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies

· Ensure finance staff understanding and adhere to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies

· Ensure the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) are understood by finance staff

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.

Confidentiality

· Ensure the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever acquired in the course of duty, relating to the practices and business of Concern Worldwide, to any other person or Organization without authority, except in normal execution of the above duties

· Ensure strict guardianship and security of financial data and documents at all times, including secure storage, accurate & complete filing and limiting access to the finance office to authorised personnel only.

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential

· University degree with a background in finance, management, administration or a related field.

· Part or fully qualified Accountant.

· 3/4 years finance experience including donor and management reporting, accounting, staff and partner management and some capacity building initiatives (coaching, mentoring or training). Some overseas experience in emergency or development contexts a distinct advantage.

· Experience in donor budgeting and financial reporting.

· Experience working with a diverse range of institutional donors (especially USAID, ECHO, UN Agencies).

· Experience in managing large programme budgets.

· Strong analytical skills.

· Experience in training finance and non-finance staff

· Good oral and written English communication skills.

· Good team player and able to adapt to different cultures.

· Experience of working in a high-pressured, results focused and dynamic environment.

· Good understanding of donors and donor requirements.

· Strong computer skills particularly Microsoft office.

· Exposure to accounting software; knowledge of Microsoft Great plains would be an advantage.

Desirable

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Experience of work in South Sudan / Great lakes / Horn of Africa region.
• Experience in working in a complex emergency context.
• Experience in working with partners.

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Empathy with Concern’s goals and a commitment to capacity building, protection and participation.
• Excellent communication and training / capacity building skills.
• Ability to mentor and capacity build national staff.
• Proven organisation, planning and management skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative and lead diverse teams.
• Openness to learning whilst being flexible and adaptable to a changing challenging environment.
• Strong interpersonal and team work skills with patience and sense of humour.
• Ability to work under pressure often to strict deadlines.
• Knowledge of computer applications i.e. Microsoft packages: Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Willing to travel frequently.