Organization: International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Reports to: Country Director
The
International Rescue Committee helps people whose lives and livelihoods are
shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of
their future. It was created by Albert Einstein more than 80 years and has been
working in Uganda since 1998. It has particularly working in the conflict zones
where tens of thousands of people have been kills and over 1.6 million
displaced. Following a peace agreement in 2006, Ugandans are returning home and
looking to rebuild their lives. The IRC is there to protect women and children
from violence and exploitation by fostering a safe environment and encouraging
education, and is supporting farmers and small businesses, and helping
communities promote peace and long-term development.
Job Summary: The Financial Controller takes the overall policy
and management responsibility for the finance and accounting functions within
the Uganda country program. The Finance Controller’s responsibilities include
ensuring policy compliance and controls, field office support, staff training
and capacity building, management of finance functions, treasury and budget
functions. The finance controller has a responsibility of working with various
local and international sub grantees and partners. The position will supervise
and oversee about 7 finance staff in Kampala and Field offices.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Ensuring finance
policy compliance:
- Ensure that the country office finance
functions are in line with the IRC global finance policy and established
organizational practices - Ensure that donor rules and regulations are
adhered to in finance management of specific projects - Establish and implement Uganda specific
finance systems, and guidelines - Work in liaison with the Country Director to
discuss on finance management policies and provide timely advice on any
issues related to compliance, fraud, under or over spending of project
grants and finance staffing issues - Closely look at the issue of cost
effectiveness and provide recommendations and guidance to the management
team - Understand and share information related to
local government (throughout Uganda) statutory requirements related to
financial issues and ensures compliance with tax regulations and any other
legal requirements
2. Establishing effective
internal finance controls
- The incumbent will also ensure that
established internal control systems for IRC are in place. Review on
effective implementation of these systems regularly and reporting any
discrepancies to the Country Director - Manages the protection of the country’s
assets (cash, inventory, NEP) through the enforcement of internal control
policies and procedures - Ensure that the authorization matrix for the
country program is updated and approvals are in line with the matrix - Keenly review should include the allocation
of salaries based on timesheets, and an overall assessment of the general
controls that are in place, provide recommendations if necessary. - Document in-country policies regarding
advances and maximum cash balances and general cash and banking situation
in the Country Office - Regular review for adequacy and
reasonableness, the documentation for delineating authority for approving
transactions, procurements, disbursements - Ensure that authorized signatory list and
bank information forms are regularly updated and hardcopies are on file - Identify requirements for and develop
reporting formats to aid in the management of IRC Uganda program
operations and grant expenditures. - Undertake internal control audits, report the
same and in discussion with the CD, initiate actions necessary to correct
any internal control weaknesses. - Facilitate and co-ordinates external,
internal, donor or government audits - Use the Field Office Monitoring tool to
ensure effective finance function at field offices - Documentation- ensure that all relevant
finance documents are appropriately filed (soft and print copy), ensuring
quality referencing for the filed documents, safety of the documents - Establish and implement practices to ensure
efficient and seamless support and coordination with the field offices - Carry out regular field office visits in
order to support, guide and monitor implementation of internal controls,
identify support needs, and train finance and non finance staff - Use the Field Office Monitoring Checklist
(FOMC) as a tool to ensure effective finance function at field offices - Regularly monitor program activities in line
with donor proposals and share observations with the concerned team
members - Undertake monitoring of the partner
organizations and provide training on IRC and donor guidelines - Ensure that cash transfers to the field
offices are taking place and any challenges are communicated and addressed
3. Quality finance
reporting and documentation
- Prepare and submit monthly financial reports
as stipulated with the IRC Finance Manual- ensuring integrity of information
and explanations, and timely submission - Prepare and submit donor reports as and when
necessary- ensuring reporting in the due format of the donors, accuracy of
information and timely submission - Keenly analyze finance information to
generate information on overall finance management issues- i.e. spending
trends, operation vs program costs, funding gaps, funding pipeline
analysis for 2-3 years etc - Ensure timely preparation of various monthly
finance reports for the country program and provide the same for approval
of the Country Director. The reports include- trial Balance, collate bank
statements, monthly financial grants summary, monthly grants tracking
sheet, monthly reconciliation file etc - Prepare monthly budget vs actual (BVA) report
for all donor grants and share the same with senior management team.
Participate in BVA review meetings and share any observations and
recommendations - Update the operating budget for the country
program on an ongoing basis specifically highlighting issues around over and
under budgets, funding gaps for specific field sites and positions or
costs, and share recommendations
4. Perform accounting and
finance management functions
- In compliance with IRC policy, establish
country policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign
currency holdings. - Ensure the development and implementation of
a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency
gains and losses. - Liabilities – Severance/Accounts
Payable/Taxes Payable- ensure that the IRC severance policy is not in
conflict with local labor laws; ensure that items in accounts payable
relate to open grants; discuss the office methodology for accrual and
payment of taxes to ensure it is in compliance with local law. - Oversees all country office bank relations
and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and
currency exchange rates. - Design, implement, and monitor 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. - Manage the preparation of Cash Transfer
Requests to New York and ensures that appropriate balances are maintained
to facilitate grant implementation. - Use the SUN finance software in performing
various finance functions- reporting to the IRC head office, coding of
expenses, information consolidation and reporting
5. Preparation of project
budgets for donor grants:
- Responsible for the preparation and revision
of program and grant proposals and budgets in line with donor guidelines,
and IRC and donor formats - Keep the country operating budget as a
reference in development of grants budgets - Guide finance and non-finance staff in
preparation of grant budgets and review the same - Keenly review and finalize partner grant
budgets ensuring cost effectiveness, clarity of budgets
6. Quality finance staff
Management:
- Supervise and oversee all finance staff
within the country program- Kampala and field offices (8 staff) - Ensure regular training of the staff on
compliance issues and monitor performance - Organize a finance workshop (every 4 months)
for all finance team and - Guide the Country Director on finance
staffing issues for the country program, including issues of non-performance,
staffing gaps, training needs etc - Identify capacity building needs for the
finance staff and ensure their participation in relevant training - Carry out regular training and orientation of
the non-finance staff on issues such as preparation of budgets, BVA report
analysis and monitoring of spending
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal candidate should preferably hold a
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or
Finance from a recognized institution and a Master’s degree in Accounting
or ACCA/CPA - At least five years’ experience at a senior
supervisory level (finance functions) with international organizations - Previous experience with donor (DFID, EU,
USAID, UN etc) regulations, budgets and reporting requirements - Past experience in overseeing budgets above
USD 5 million - Demonstrated experience in working with
computerized accounting systems preferably in SUN, standard spreadsheet
and database programs - Willingness and ability to undertake field
travel and spend quality time monitoring operations - Must be sincerely committed to staff
coaching, training and mentorship, with demonstrated success in this area.
NB: Female and Ugandan nationals are strongly
encouraged to apply. International allowances are not available, position open
to Ugandan Nationals only.
All
suitably qualified and interested candidates should apply online by clicking on
link below.
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