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Finance Controller

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.
Violence in 2006 and 2007 has had disastrous effects on the population of the Central African Republic (CAR), particularly in the northern regions. This comes after ten years of structural crisis, which along with a history of instability, has resulted in the destruction of state institutions, infrastructure, and the economy. Despite positive steps towards stability after elections in 2005, conflict in the north, along with increased insecurity and social instability, pushed one million people across the line from generalized poverty to a humanitarian emergency.
The IRC responded to the deteriorating situation by initiating operations in 2007. Initially in Kaga Bandoro (Nana Gribizi prefecture) and later in Bocaranga (Ouham Pende prefecture), programming has focused on health care, water and sanitation services, and protection (including child protection, gender-based violence). In December 2012, a number of groups formed the Seleka coalition and successful took over control of a large portion of CAR. After talks with President Bozize, a new government was formed comprised of Seleka and former government officials. In March 2013, the new government collapsed and Seleka forces captured Bangui. Since this time, widespread looting has occurred throughout the country with most INGO and UN offices ransacked. Now that the situation was normalized somewhat, INGOs and the UN are again deploying staff to deliver vital humanitarian assistance.
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, treasury and budget functions.
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.
- French fluency and English proficiency required
WORK ENVIRNOMENT:
This position will be based in Bangui. This position is non-accompanied given the security situation at this time but we will reassess the status as the situation normalizes.