Regional (senior) Finance Officer job at IMPACT Initiatives

About the Organization

Created in 2010, IMPACT is a Geneva-based NGO and the largest independent data provider in contexts of crisis. We aim to support a range of stakeholders in making better, more informed decisions in humanitarian, stabilisation, and development settings. We believe that a key pathway to better planning and decision-making is direct engagement with local communities and their leaders.

Through our team of assessment, data, geospatial, and thematic specialists, we promote the design of people-centred research and set standards for collecting and analysing rigorous, high quality data in complex environments. IMPACT also aims to foster partnerships and build capacities with key stakeholders.

Job Description

Uganda is currently hosting more than 1.5 million refugees and asylum seekers, the largest number in the region. Most have fled civil unrest and conflicts in neighbouring countries of South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, and Burundi. Refugee flows into Uganda are likely to continue due to ongoing conflicts, violent wars, unrest and human rights violations in neighbouring countries. The vast majority of refugees are hosted in settlements in 12 refugee-hosting districts in northern and mid/south-western Uganda, while 5% of them reside in urban Kampala.
In Uganda, the response coordination is held by UNHCR and by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). The Uganda government, in coordination with the humanitarian partners, has granted a welcoming policy for all asylum seekers. The asylum seekers, once registered as refugees, receive a piece of land in one of the refugee settlements and a monthly general food assistance from WFP. In the past years Uganda has been affected by a general decreasing of humanitarian funds that have triggered a prioritization of the humanitarian assistance.
FUNCTIONS
The Regional Senior Finance Officer will be responsible for ensuring high quality & accurate financial reporting and sound financial management of the IMPACT-managed activities. The RSFO supports country teams in Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya in ensuring effective and timely financial management of the IMPACT-managed programmes and assists the Country Coordinators/Representatives in ensuring effective and timely financial management of the country offices.
The Regional Senior Finance Officer will report directly the Country Coordinators/Representative for the countries he/she is responsible for. Formal line management (HR management) will sit with the Country Representative in the host country (Uganda). Technical management will sit with the global Head of Finance (HoF), who will monitor his/her technical performance. When supporting a given country team, the work of RSFO is also overseen by the Country Coordinator/Representative for all delivery (output) matters (i.e., financial reports, budgets, advice to local management, priority of tasks, training to staff etc.). The RFO will liaise on regular basis with ACTED Finance team as IMPACT/REACH is hosted by ACTED in the field.

Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Management and Reporting

Proactively support REACH dedicated Finance Officers in preparing quality program budgets and timely submit financial reports to IMPACT HQ in accordance with IMPACT and donor specific guidelines.
Prepare and maintain country annual accounts in accordance with IMPACT’s Financial Policies and procedures.
Support the country offices to prepare the annual budget and revised forecasts on an accurate and timely basis as well as the calculation of shared support costs
Prepare any regional budgets and forecasts as required, including the mapping of phasing of the multi-country programmes
Prepare all financial donor reports in the region thanks to an access to IMPACT’s global accountancy systems and ensure submissions to donors are completed on a timely and accurately basis.

Financial Monitoring – Country Programmes

Undertake visits to Countries to help ensure quality is maintained in all aspects of financial management;
Review the monthly reporting tools prepared by each country office
Coordinate and facilitate internal and external audits for country offices, as needed;
Provide a gap fill service for the financial management of country programmes as required due to staff absence from leave or resignation.
Serve as surge capacity resource in finance upon request.

Financial Monitoring – Regional Budgets and Multi Country Programmes

Provide timely and accurate financial monitoring reports for the regional and MCP budgets
Assist the Regional and MCP budget holders with variance and burn rate analysis on a monthly basis
Ensure timely and accurate preparation of MCP external donor financial reporting

Financial Systems Development & Capacity Building

Assess the capacity of current country finance teams and make recommendations about training needs, organizational structure, and staffing changes;
Develop training for finance staff, as well as program and other staff, on financial processes and the importance of financial compliance;
Work with the IMPACT HQ to improve financial systems in the region and assist in introducing change where requested as part of the global improvement to provide timely and appropriate financial information to senior management team, project managers and budget holders;
Provide suggestions and inputs to the continuous development of the financial administration procedures, routines, and SoPs

Qualification, Experiences and Competencies

Professional/academic qualification in finance or accounting (Master degree, audit or relevant field)
Relevant experience of minimum 2 years in finance management and programming in an international NGO or International organization in the region
Experience in preparing budgets, cash flow statements and financial plans.
Experience in preparing narrative and financial reports.
Demonstrated excellent knowledge of accounting software – SAGA / SAGE;
Strong competency in Microsoft Office package;
Good supervisory skills and communication skills;

Good interpersonal communication and relationship building skills;
Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and dynamic environment;Attention to detail and a proactive, problem-solving approach are required;
Prior team management experience required;
Fluency in English and effective communication skills are required;
Ability to travel internationally 30-40% and/or the ability to undertake temporary duty assignments to support country offices.