Alumni Talent Pool: Finance Lead Roles

Mercy Corps

22h • Onsite

About The Position

The Alumni Talent Pool is open exclusively to former Mercy Corps team members who were employed within the past 4 years and completed at least 1 year of service. Mercy Corps has created an Alumni Talent Pool to support emergency response, transitions and complex program start-up, by fast-tracking Mercy Corps alumni into temporary Senior Finance roles. The initiative focuses on matching qualified team members with urgent country-based needs, for short-term placements (3 months on average). This is an opportunity for senior managers that offers more professional and personal flexibility and access to diverse experiences. Mercy Corps alumni who were employed within the last four years qualified to fill Senior Finance Roles (Emergency Finance Lead, Finance Manager, Subaward Manager) will be eligible to join the Alumni Talent Pool. Once selected into the Pool, members will have access to short-term opportunities in countries where Mercy Corps operates. Responsibilities and supervisory structures will vary depending on the type of assignment.

Requirements

• BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance required.
• At least 5 years of field experience in international relief and development operations, including overseeing financial operations and budget management functions.
• Prior team management experience required.
• Prior experience with Mercy Corps within the last four years (with at least one year of Mercy Corps work experience.)
• Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting preparation and presentation and the proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports.
• Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Good oral and written English skills required.
• Willing and able to deploy internationally at short notice for assignments.
• Able to work effectively in a highly stressed and potentially physically challenging emergency response set up in early and later stages of responses.
• Availability to work non-standard hours as needed, especially when supporting an active emergency or critical incident response.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Experience leading teams, managing performance of supervisees, and coaching/ mentoring staff.

Nice To Haves

• Professional level proficiency in at least one other Mercy Corps’ working language (French, Spanish, Arabic) is a plus.
• Applications from French and/or Arabic speakers are particularly interested.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a strategy for operational startup to support a rapid, high quality emergency response.
• Work closely with Program, Administration, Security and Operations on the set up of new offices, partnerships and financial systems.
• Assess the operating environment in the emergency and adapt ways of working in compliance with Mercy Corps’ policies and procedures.
• Set up financial and internal control systems to support rapid program delivery.
• Develop and manage country portfolio budgets in coordination with the country leadership.
• Oversee the implementation and monitoring of fiscal plans and country budgets, including forecasting and reporting, in coordination with Program Managers.
• Recruit, onboard and train team members to fill critical functions on the finance team.
• Create a sustainable work environment of mutual respect that attracts motivated, skilled and effective team members and enables them individually and collectively to strive to achieve excellence.
• Supervise and lead a diverse team of direct and indirect reports in field offices.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts; build constructive internal relationships; help team members identify problem solving options and ensure integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Guide and oversee the overall financial operations in the country, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies.
• Implement financial and internal control systems to support rapid program delivery.
• Develop and monitor annual fiscal year budgets with the Country Leadership.
• Develop and implement award budgets and forecasting systems with Program Managers.
• Plan, manage and monitor country cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of Mercy Corps programs.
• Provide timely financial reports to stakeholders, including internal management reports and periodic reporting to headquarters.
• Work collaboratively with Program, HR and Operations teams to maintain efficient financial support services and proactively address challenges.
• Supervise a diverse team, proactively coaching and training team members for high performance.
• Ensure smooth and effective financial accounting operations in the country in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies.
• Manage country-wide accounting functions including the timely recording of financial transactions, cash management, banking, payroll, receivables, and payables.
• Oversee the annual and monthly accounting cycles, including the running of monthly processes in Mercy Corps Financial system and other integrated systems.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to headquarters including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenditures by project, and required sub-grantee reporting.
• Assist with internal and external audits and reviews as required to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps and donor requirements.
• Work collaboratively with Program, HR and Operations teams to maintain efficient financial support services and proactively address challenges.
• Supervise a diverse team, proactively coaching and training team members for high performance.
• Guide and oversee the overall subaward financial monitoring strategy in the country, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies.
• Assist Program Managers in managing subawards during the award cycle: setting up coded budgets, monitoring spending, reviewing budget forecast, requesting budget modification (if needed) and advising on subaward closeout.
• Ensure review and monitoring of partners’ financial reporting and compliance.
• Provide technical assistance to local partners as needed to maintain high compliance standards.
• Work collaboratively with Program, HR and Operations teams to maintain efficient financial monitoring of all subawards and proactively address challenges.
• Provide guidance and support to other team members to maintain high organizational subaward compliance standards.
• Supervise a diverse team, proactively coaching and training team members for high performance.
• Works to ensure Mercy Corps’ Safeguarding Standards are integrated and upheld in all areas of HR work.
• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits (when on assignment).
• Ongoing Learning: All team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees