Finance Manager (Building for Peace Fund- B4PF) - Middle East Office - Open to National candidates

Contract

This is a Professional contract (NRC) contract. More about Professional contract (NRC) contracts.

Background

The Building for Peace Fund (B4PF) is a Grant Facility that aims to contribute to conflict prevention, peacebuilding and reconstruction in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The B4PF introduces an innovative partnership model forging long-term strategic relationships in fragile contexts with Local Non-Governmental Organisations (LNGOs), centred around quality funding, capacity development and learning.

Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the KfW Development Bank, the Facility will focus its funding on projects that combine infrastructure and service provision with peacebuilding/social cohesion components. The longer-term institutionalisation of the B4P Fund Manager role is being considered by KfW. In the interim, NRC has been selected to lead the B4PF. Key roles in the Fund Management Unit are being recruited.

NRC designed the Fund Manager Unit (FMU) organisational structure around the three key expected functions of the Fund manager: project finance, technical assistance, and knowledge exchange. The FMU will lead and enter on behalf of NRC into contractual agreements with grantees and ensures that contractual obligations to the donor are fulfilled. The FMU maintains general quality standards and ensure the existence and implementation of financial and procurement policies. It undertakes due diligence procedures, project controls and risk management. Finally, it undertakes financial management and reporting; and manages the grant-cycle, monitor and report on agreements.

Job Purpose

The B4PF Finance Manager will be a team member of the B4PF Support Unit. The role holder will support the Head of Finance, Contracts and Compliance (HoFCC) to develop the B4PF Operational Manual, and in particular to design financial monitoring and reporting procedures for projects implemented by grantees. The role's primary responsibilities will be to implement mitigation measures included in the Operational Modality document to mitigate the B4PF financial and fiduciary risk. The Manager will work closely with grantees to ensure that financial activities are in line with NRCB4PF and KFW best practices, policies, and procedures.

What you will do

Development and management of systems

• In cooperation with NRC MERO Finance Unit, implement NRC’s financial system, routines and procedures, including ensuring that FMU costs are correctly reported and allocated in line with the NRC-KfW B4PF budget and that supporting documentation is archived in line with NRC Securing Supporting Documentation policy.
• Maintain overall budget control and monitor cash flows and forecasts, oversee budgeting and monitoring of costs, provide cost analysis and make recommendations for determining effective resource utilization
• In cooperation with NRC MERO Finance Unit, provide accurate forecast to prepare Request For Replenishment (RFR) to KfW, facilitate budget revision process as needed.
• Ensure awards management system is updated and accurate for finance related data.
• Support the HoFCC to design and implement B4PF financial reporting and monitoring procedures. Develop tools to document monitoring and review activities implemented in line with B4PF Operational Modalities document and the Risk Protection Mechanism.
• Represent the Fund Management Support Unit upon delegation and undertake ad hoc responsibilities as required.

Grantees oversight and monitoring

• As part of the Organization Capacity Assessment process, identify, analyze, and evaluate gaps in grantee’s key financial management processes and procedures, including segregation of duties, and counter-terrorism screening procedures.
• Provide guidance to grantees on risk assessments to ensure compliance with organizational standards and ethics, including sanctions and counter-terrorism legal framework.
• Provide a helpdesk to grantees on building project budget, monitoring and reporting procedures,
• Review and consolidate budget, forecast and financial reports from grantees in a B4PF Grants Financial Plan (GFP) to monitor implementation and approve RFR from grantees.
• Regularly conduct Expenditure Monitoring and Verification exercises in line with the Operational Modality assigned to the grantee. Monitor grantees compliance with B4PF-KfW financial requirements and provide feedback and recommendations to grantees accordingly.
• Support the FMU and grantees during donor, Auditors and Third-Party Monitoring visits, and external reviews and audits. Ensure appropriate measures are taken by grantees to address audit findings and recommendations.

Grantees - Capacity strengthening

• Develop finance capacity building plan for grantees, including a Grant Technical Assistance Plan and a Project Technical Assistance Plan.
• Develop finance training materials and deliver trainings to grantees; oversee the trainings provided by service providers to grantee’s finance staff. Also, deliver counter-terrorism screening procedures and anti-corruption training to grantees and track attendance.
• Actively integrate grantees feedback into tools, lessons learned document and guidance and ensure strong mutual learning between grantees and between grantees and the B4PF.

Professional Competencies, Qualifications and Skills required

• Bachelor's degree in finance or any related field
• Minimum 3 years of experience from working as a Financial Manager in a humanitarian/recovery context
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts
• Experience of working with local NGO, including remote management, and monitoring of grantees as well as experience of working within an NGO Grant Facility, or proven familiarity of what this would entail is an asset
• Knowledge and skills in cash-based interventions and financial service provider assessments
• Knowledge of different financial regulations and compliance requirements across MENA region
• Experience of data collection, analysis and report writing as well as solid knowledge of computer software and modern accounting systems
• Prior experience working with institution donors such as ECHO, EU, GIZ, KfW, FCDO, USAID, etc.
• Fluency in English and Arabic both written and verbal

Behavioural competencies

• Handling insecure environments
• Planning and delivering results
• Working with people
• Analyzing
• Communicating with impact and respect
• Coping with change

Leadership profile behavioural competencies

• Build meaningful relations
• Empower people
• Act with integrity
• Deliver results

What We Offer

NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and physical ability.

We offer an opportunity to match your career to a compelling cause and a chance to meet and work with people who are the best in their fields.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply and join our work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility: At NRC we think outside the box. We encourage ideas and give responsibility to all employees at all levels, to help solve the complex issues that we face. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take initiative.

We are also looking for people who share our values:

• To be dedicated in what we do;
• To be innovative with our solutions;
• To act as one unified and inclusive team;
• To be accountable to the donors that make our work possible; the people we exist to serve, and to each other… the members of our NRC family.

Additional Information:

Duty Station: Amman, Jordan

Travel: Approximately 30% regional travel

Grade 9 in NRC's grading structure

Reporting to: Head of Finance Contracts & Compliance - Middle East

For more information regarding the role, here is the detailed job description.

We invite applications from all qualified and interested national candidates. Send in your application by latest October, 18th 2023.

Please ensure you attach copies of your academic and professional certificates.

For any queries, please email us at [email protected] with the job title as the subject line.