MEER Regional Finance Director

With over 70 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)Job Description:

REGIONAL FINANCE DIRECTOR - MEER

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Regional Finance Director will provide strategic leadership to WV offices in Middle East Eastern Europe (MEER) in all areas of the Finance function by providing advisory support, quality assurance, capacity building and risk mitigation ensuring proper accountability to all stakeholders.

Provide strategic leadership and quality service / support to all National Offices (NOs) in MEER to deliver accurate, compliant, and efficient financial services & information within partnership standards, to provide information that can support effective decision making and efficient resource allocation & utilization to maximize ministry effectiveness contributing to Our Promise.

The Regional Finance Director is responsible for implementing all Global Center (GC) mandated financial initiatives and can be asked to represent Global Field Finance in a few specific working groups or meetings.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Advise and support Regional Leader (RL), Senior Director of Operations (SDO) and Senior Director, Global Engagement in their leadership and engagement on matters related to finance in MEER.
• Advise and support the Business Support Unit Finance Directors in all areas of NO Finance, creating an environment to improve performance.
• Provide ongoing analysis and input on the regional performance, compliance, and risk in the area of finance to MEER Leadership Teams.
• Lead setting up of regional performance standards including administrative and Yield To Ministry (YTM) cost ratio benchmarks and financial accountability systems and processes in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
• Provide leadership and advice in preparing for and responding to challenges of local financial systems, economic crisis, sanctions, and other crisis situations impacting finance, including working with partners.
• Advise and support the National Directors (NDs) in establishing all aspects of effective financial management systems and practices and addressing issues relating to performance, compliance and risk relating to finance.
• Lead and coach Regional Finance Team to deliver high quality finance service to all NOs and types of programs.
• Along with the Regional Director of Supply Chain Management and the NO Leadership, establish a plan for each country on how to incrementally increase the percentage of spend through ProVision, based on their current context and maturity.
• In collaboration with the global Shared Services and National Offices teams, lead the transition of relevant financial processes from NOs to Shared Services.
• As functional manager, jointly work with Business Support Unit Finance Directors in the recruitment for all Regional Finance staff.
• Practice servant leadership and be a role model for the staff team, peers and others and is able to give Spiritual Leadership.
• Represents Global Field Finance in liaison with the Senior Director, Global Engagement, and other RFDs on a few specifics Working Groups and/or meetings, following agreement from the SDO.

Strategy

• Develop strategic business plan in support of and in alignment with overall Our Promise strategy and the global Finance strategies and priorities.
• Contribute and monitor the development of regional business plan ensuring that global and regional financial priorities are implemented, and implications monitored in a timely manner.
• Contribute to formulation of global finance strategies, priorities and plans ensuring that regional priorities are integrated and prioritized.
• Provide advice on financial aspects of growth targets, resource allocation and portfolio management led by the Regional Strategy Director.
• Support the National Offices in developing finance strategies, priorities and plans in alignment with the regional and global strategy and priorities.
• Contribute to organization wide regional strategy communication and change management plan.
• Contribute to review and monitor Transitioning Field Offices (TFO) transition plans.

Stewardship

Work closely with Regional Finance Team and National Offices and provide critical guidance, monitoring, and data analytics in all areas of finance including:

• RO and NO planning, budgeting, and forecasting
• National Offices program spending, overspending, carry forward process and utilization.
• Grant Financial Management in NOs and cost recovery from Grants (including Disaster Management Responses).
• Monitor administrative cost of NOs and efficiency against the standards across the region and advice on management response as necessary and appropriate.
• Monitor National Offices cash position and approve NOs monthly funding requests to Global Treasury (GT).

Capacity Building

• Contribute to capacity assessment, development, and implementation, as part of the overall P&C Talent Management plan, to ensure an integrated regional capacity building plan informed on finance priorities and strategy.
• Identify the development needs of the Regional Finance Teams, NO finance staff including for emergency deployment during Disaster Management operations and liaise with the Global Finance Talent, Learning & Development team, and other stakeholders on Grant financial management capacity building, to enrol staff in relevant training programs.
• Based on global and local standards, advise National Offices on Finance core competencies and capacity requirement at national level. (including advise and support in recruitment and induction of finance leadership and National Directors where requested).
• Coach, advise and mentor Business Support Unit Finance Directors in identifying their strength, gaps, addressing it and facing challenges.
• In collaboration with the Global Finance Talent, Learning & Development team, share / facilitate access to financial resources and support opportunities for national offices and Regional Office. These may include developing or conducting training, engagement of trainers, establishing institutional links, identifying opportunities for staff exchange or mentoring.

Knowledge Management

• Lead the process of continuous improvement in financial management practices and tools that will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of finance.
• Encourage mutual learning between National Offices in MEER as well as between other regions and Support Offices.
• Facilitate formation and coordination of regional finance forum or network that contributes to strategy action and promotes learning.
• Leverage the use of the Finance Community of Practice and other Finance resources in WVCentral.

Quality Assurance & Risk Management

• Support National Offices in ensuring adherence to guidelines, policies, protocols, and standards related to finance.
• Monitor the quality, accuracy and timeliness of National Office financial reports including Grant financial report and other information required by the Global Center /RO leadership and provide advice for management response as necessary and appropriate.
• Implement anti-corruption and fraud strategies in RO and NOs.
• Support National Office in ensuring that controls are in place to achieve at least “acceptable risk” audits or better, particularly where risk/benefit analysis suggests a better score is sensible, and ensure audit recommendations are implemented adequately and timely.
• Coordinate with NO and GC Audit and on Integrated incident management (IIM) reported issues related to Finance and advise NO / RO leadership on future mitigation.
• Support RL and SDO in addressing performance, compliance and risk related to finance of National Offices, including emerging risks.
• Support National Office in tightening financial systems, policies, procedures, and internal controls to reduce risks, including risk related to increasingly working with external partners and blocked party screening.
• Coordinate with GT to hedge NO currency risks and advise NOs on investments, risk including in-country Severance Fund investment and return.
• Support regional Vision Fund leadership when needed in MFI/VFI finance controls and risk, but its accountability lies with VFI / NO.

Internal Liaison and Coordination

• Act as a strategic link and focal point for regional finance connecting National Offices, Support Offices and Global Center for mutual support.
• Develop and maintain network with, Global Centre, SO-IPG, Regional Director of Supply Chain Management, Regional Strategy Director, and People & Culture (P&C) on financial issues.
• Work closely with Regional Audit Director (RAD) on all financial audit issues and risk rating.
• Participate and actively contribute in the partnership forums, working groups and networks related to finance or other functions as deemed necessary by regional leadership and global finance, and also be a voice for NOs.
• Work with other members of the MEER regional team to promoting sound financial practices contributing to increased efficiency and effectiveness across all ministry and support functions.
• Contribute to development of global policies, procedures, guidelines and standards relating to Finance and provide leadership in contextualizing and mainstreaming these within the region.

External Relations

• Clearly articulate to all stakeholders including external vendors and WV service providers WV’s policy where required to ensure integrity in our practices.
• Liaise with donors and other partners where required on financial matters to support and enhance World Vision’s credibility.

General

• Lead and support Christian activities that enrich and develop mutual growth in Christ.
• Perform any other tasks assigned by Line Manager, Functional Manager, Regional Leader, and Partnership Leader for Financial Management & Reporting.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters degree in Accountancy. Business Administration (Finance): MA or MS or MBA
• CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or CA (Chartered Accountant) or CWA (Cost and Works Accountant) or CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
• HEAT training.
• Understanding of WV systems linked to financial management (mainly SunSystems, PBAS, Horizon, Coupa and Concur)
• Strong analytical, collaboration and communication skills
• Champions and manages innovation.
• Highly flexible and agile in style with the ability to produce creative and pragmatic solutions to complex problems.
• 3 - 5 years as Finance Director in WV National Office
• Have an excellent understanding of all areas of WV Finance both at NO and at RO level.
• Leadership and Management Skills
• Analytical and decision-making skills.
• Computer and presentation skills.
• Fluency in English.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Require significant WV Finance Leadership experience and desirable to have working experience in MEER.
• Having worked in a Regional role and have managed remote teams.
• Proven record of developing people in a cross-cultural and in restricted contexts.
• 1 – 3 years corporate finance experience
• 3 years Senior leadership experience in organization
• Experience working in a challenging environment (either in a fragile context or a relief environment)

TRAVEL AND/OR WORK ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENT

• This position requires ability and willingness to travel up to 30 – 40 % travel visiting NOs and WV international meetings.
• Co-coordinating a virtual NO / dispersed regional finance team.
• Supporting training, workshops, and conferences.
• Consultations and conference calls across partnership time zones.
• Preparing guidelines, contextualizing policies, training materials, presentations.
• Supervising and approving RO transactions, financial reports etc.
• Working under time pressures for monthly financial reporting, annual closing, budgeting, analysis and reporting etc.
• Coaching, clarifying and training finance staff.
• Position will be based within MEER where WVI is registered, and preferably in Cyprus.

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local and International Applicants (IA's) Accepted