About US:
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 has 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 also has the responsibility of working with various local and international sub grantees and partners. The job holder will also manage and mentor 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:
· Ensure that established internal control systems for IRC are in place. Regularly 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
· Regularly 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.
· Supports 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
3. Field Office Support:
· 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
· Actively 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
4. Undertake quality finance reporting and documentation:
· Prepare and submit 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
5. Perform accounting and finance management functions:
· Work in compliance with IRC policy to 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.
· Manages 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.
· Supervise 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
6. Preparation of project budgets for donor grants:
· In charge of 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
· Review and finalize partner grant budgets ensuring cost effectiveness, clarity of budgets
7. Quality finance staff Management:
· Mentor and supervise 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 CD 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
· Conduct 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 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 of experience at a senior supervisory level (finance functions) with international organizations
· Prior exposure and experience with donor (DFID, EU, USAID, UN etc) regulations, budgets and reporting requirements
· Past experience in overseeing budgets above USD 5 million
· Proven 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.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send an updated CV, copies of certificates and cover letter clearly indicating the position applied for to: The Human Resource and Administration Manager, International Rescue Committee, P.O. Box 24672 Kampala; OR
Email to: UA-IRCJobs@Rescue.org. You may also Apply online by clicking on link below.
Deadline: 16th October, 2015