Head of Grants & Finance, Afghanistan

Country: Afghanistan

Position: Head of Grants & Finance

Duty station: Kabul, Afghanistan with field visits to project areas.

Introduction

Cordaid has been active in Afghanistan for more than 10 years, with a strong focus on Health Care strengthening system, Food security, Women Leadership and Justice & Security. Currently, Cordaid has been implementing different projects through its partners in the province of Kabul, Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, Nangahar, Balkh, Parwan, Daikundy, Kunduz.

Position and responsability

The Head of Grants & Finance is the Head of the Finance unit, is responsible for all aspects of overall financial management including back donor funded projects.

The Head of Grants & Finance is part of the Country Management Team and reports to the Country Director. S/he will work closely with the all the Business Units Programme Coordinators as well with Cordaid HQ in the Netherlands, including the HQ-based Finance Officer. S/he will coordinate and work together with the partner organizations and delegates his subordinate/s on project financial management.

Objectives of the posting

Budgets

In collaboration with CD, relevant programme staff and implementing partners:

• Prepare budgets, both for (externally financed) projects as well as support units, on annual basis or other frequency, as may be appropriate;
• On basis of budget performance, prepare budget revisions for approval to relevant parties;
• Carry out regular budget monitoring (budget vs expenditure) and advice relevant staff and Country Director, pro-actively and on request, on all areas of attention on budget performance;
• Prepare and maintain cash flow forecast based on the various budgets.
  Financial management
• Engage in cost recovery process with making financial analysis enable to support country office toward sustainability;
• Manage financial part of grant contract between Ministry of Public Health & Cordaid for back donor projects;
• Responsible for grant/finance compliance of back donor projects;
• Organize back donors grants in separate bank accounts of individual projects and manage sub-grant contracts financially including fund release (bank to bank) to implementing partners;
• Assist country office individual projects grants & financial management include overseeing internal control mechanism;
• Review monthly, quarterly and yearly financial reports, cash forecast and payment request submitted by implementing partners;
• Finalize and prepare financial reports for back donors after consultation of program staff & Cordaid HQ Finance Officer, and ensure that expenditures are in line with the planned activities;
• Provide financial report & information to Cordaid finance officer in the different business units in The Hague as mandated;
• Develop project budgets of different business units in line with proposal and log-frame in a coordinated approach with program staff and partner organizations;
• Assist & support program staff in managing their project/s with financial technical support in analyzing, overspend or under-spend on each budget line through interim reports;
• Monitor procurement process of partner organization and actively engage in supporting bulk procurement coordinated through procurement team;
• Manage financial management part of PBF (Performance Based Financing) projects and report to Cordaid HQ;
• Review partner financial reports with support documents, internal control mechanism and create appropriate feedback/comment before finalizing final reports;
• Assess financial capacities of implementing partners and follow up of capacity building process in collaboration with management team;
• Provide capacity building/training for implementing partner organizations in streamlining financial management, monitoring, reporting and internal control;
• Process & initiate external audit selection, prepare ToR for audit and follow up of audit recommendation through management letter for further improvement;
• Part of fundraising team through coordinated approach and mapping of potential donors for Afghanistan programme.

Reporting

• Prepare timely financial reports in line with narrative part in accordance contractual obligations (follow-up) for back donors and Cordaid funded projects;
• All reports are prepared for approval to the Country Director prior to sending Cordaid HQ and back donors, which includes cash & bank reconciliation, budget depletion overviews, cash balance sheet and cash request for the forthcoming period;
• Prepare financial reports for external donors as per grant contract agreement and ensure that these are complete and financially compliance together with narrative reporting;
• Provide staff with budget or financial information upon request;
• Prepare any other financial report, financial assessment and financial scan for partner organization as may be required.

Other

• Maintain a solid understanding of all Cordaid financial rules and regulations, as laid down in the Field Manual and other official documentation, and acts in accordance with these;
• Pro-actively provides advice to Management on areas of suggested improvement in financial management, overall operational functions and internal office issues;
• Provide advice to partner organisations on financial matters in relation to Cordaid support;
• Any other assignment that can reasonably be asked by Cordaid management.

Qualifications and competencies

Essential

• Degree in financial management, preferably Master's in Business Administration;
• At least seven years' experience in working with an INGO, of which at least five years in a senior financial position;
• Good and proven experience with working with various external (institutional) donors;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Strong organiser of one's own work (knowing how to prioritise);
• Be diplomatic, culturally sensitive, result-oriented, innovative and a strong team player;
• Excellent English writing and communication skills;
• Computer skills to include a solid working knowledge of Excel;
• Negotiations skills with different parties, such as (institutional) donors, partners etc.;
• PBF knowledge and experience.

Desirable

• Work experience in Afghanistan and working experience in multi-cultural environment;
• Work experience to manage back donors grants such as EU, World Bank, USAID, Government Funds, etc.;
• Proficiency in financial software, including Pastel/Sage and Dynamics.

Specifics of duty station

The Head of Grants/Finance will be based in Kabul and will travel to the project areas in different provinces of Afghanistan whenever required and desired. This is a non-accompanied posting.

Contract information

Initial contract will be for 12 months, renewable, with a one month probationary period. Starting date will be as soon as possible. We offer a contract with a competitive salary and a benefit package. For Expatriate benefit includes comprehensive insurance cover, R & R, social security, pension contribution and accommodation in a common Cordaid house in Kabul.

Further information & how to apply

For additional information, please contact mrs Esma Caglar (for the content) or mrs Fatiha Najid (for the conditions), phone: +31 70 3136 300 in Cordaid Head Quarter in The Hague. This position is opened for both Afghan National and International candidates.

Applications including a motivation letter and extensive CV in English, with the contact details of three professional references, including most recent employer / supervisor, should be submitted before

September 14th 2014. Please note that we accept applications through our website onlyhttps://www.cordaid.org/en/about-us/working-cordaid/vacancy-overview/ , then select the relevant vacancy, and click on the 'apply' button.

An assessment might be part of the procedure.