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International Rescue Committee Finance Controller , Yemen

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit (EPRU) is managing the launch of emergency programming in the volatile country of Yemen where there remains substantial unmet humanitarian needs. The IRC envisages a humanitarian response program targeting displaced and war affected populations, with interventions in the sectors of water and sanitation, non-food item distribution, health and child protection.

SCOPE OF WORK: The Financial Controller has overall policy and management responsibility for the finance and accounting functions for the country program. The Finance Controller’s responsibilities include general controllership, staff training, management, and treasury and budget functions.

The Finance Controller will report to the Emergency Field Director/IRC Yemen Director. The Finance Controller will be based in Sana’a.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Specific Responsibility Controllership • Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and funding source policies; • Establishes finance and supporting function policies, systems and procedures, as required;
• Meets all financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by New York and donors; • Ensures balance sheet reconciliations are reviewed and completed on a timely basis;
• Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Country Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance; • Directs the preparation of, and approves all donor financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements. Facilitates and co-ordinates external, internal, donor or government audits. Develops schedules and performs or supervises the completion of country internal control audits, and initiates actions necessary to correct internal control weaknesses; • Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures; • Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.

Specific Responsibility Staff Training, Capacity Building & Management • Develops and implements a training program for the country’s national finance staff to ensure staff development and Finance Controller’s nationalization, and minimize IRC’s exposure when staff are absent or depart; • Ensures comprehensive and constructive performance reviews are completed on a timely basis, and facilitates discussion of performance and career options with all country finance staff.

Specific responsibility Treasury • Supervises all country office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates. In compliance with IRC policy establishes country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings. Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliation’s;
• Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending; • Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to facilitate grant implementation. Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.

Specific Responsibility Budget • Assists with the preparation and revision of program and grant proposals and budgets including operating budget with budget guidelines to assist program managers in formulating budgets; • In compliance with donor requirements and IRC policy develops the “Field Operations/Overhead” budget and recommends a methodology for allocation of overhead to grant budgets. Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding; • Presents and facilitates the review of actual to budget expenditures with the Country Director and program managers.

Specific Responsibilities Sub-grantees/Partners • Work with operation, grant and program on sub grantee/partner pre award assessment. • Develop training plan for sub grantees/partner on grant financial management and donor specific requirements;
• Review sub grantees/partners book of accounts and financial documents as per the grant agreement. And ensure transfer of fund, reporting requirement, and liquidations are as per sub grant agreement.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelors degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized institution or a Masters degree in Accounting; • Minimum three years of non-profit managerial financial experience; • Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems preferably in SUN, standard spreadsheet and database programs; • Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support from within the program organization. Must be a patient and good communicator who can function in an organizational environment involving a diversity of cultures, languages, and personal interests and agendas. Good at role of facilitator and team player in solving problems. Committed to staff training and development.

WORK ENVIRONMENT The Finance Controller will be based in Sana’a with periodic travels to the field office in Aden. The current security level in Sana’a is ORANGE; civil conflict is ongoing elsewhere in the country, and travel outside Sana’a will be restricted to essential work related journeys and closely monitored. Strict adherence to security guidelines is requested of all IRC staff. The Finance Controller will be provided with comfortable shared housing in Sana’a. This position is non-accompanied.