Finance Manager

Context

The Middle East is currently experiencing a profound crisis. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq are both a reflection and a transmitter of this crisis, with growing potential to further destabilise neighbouring countries and the wider region. These crises have resulted in a humanitarian disaster affecting more than 13.5 million people who were forced to flee their homes from Syria, and more than 17 million people in need of humanitarian aid (12.2 in Syria and 5.2 in Iraq).

Lebanon is now home to the largest number of Syrian refugees per capita relative to its total population, putting a severe strain on the country’s fragile infrastructures, economy, and security. The population of Lebanon was estimated at about 4.8 million (including almost half a million Palestinian refugees in 2013. Even though Lebanon has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, up to date it has taken in about a fourth of its own population. According to UNHCR, in September 2016 about 1,017,433 persons from Syria were registered as refugees in Lebanon.In the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan 2017- 2020 (2018 update) (LCRP), the total number of people living in Lebanon is estimated at 5.9 million, with 3.3 million people in need. Among the Syrian refugee population in Lebanon, which today comprises over 1.5 million people.

Background information on Qudra Specific Objective 3

’Qudra – Resilience for Syrian refugees, IDPs and host communities in response to the Syrian and Iraqi crises’ is a regional action financed by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the  Madad‘ Fund and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), seeking to strengthen the resilience of Syrian refugees, IDPs and host communities in response to the Syrian and Iraqi crises.  The programme launched in June 2016, is being jointly implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Expertise France (EF) and Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID) in programme partner countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and North Iraq.

In Lebanon, MoSA and Expertise France ensure the consistency and the implementation of the Specific Objective 3 of Qudra. The project seeks to improve social stability between communities in Lebanon through a comprehensive and local approach of protection for children and adults. To do so, activities will revolve around four pillars: (i) support to the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), (ii) focus on child protection activities, (iii) protection activities and (iv) dissemination of information. Expertise France will work within the framework of the National Plan of MoSA for CP and GBV

The programme will be implemented in SDCs of MoSA. Expertise France and MoSA had selected 4 local NGOS: Abaad, Afel, Akkarouna and Mouvement Social as implementing partners to implement activities related to child protection and protection. These NGOs will hire the necessary staff and implement the activities following a precise programme.

Description of the Tasks under the guidance of SDCS director

Through SDC and Mobile Units when existing/needed

Description of the Tasks:

Duties and Responsibilities

Management and team leadership:

• -Responsible for effective overall management of the finance unit
• -Manage/direct the Finance staff for teamwork, accuracy, timeliness, detail and systems thinking

Management of grants, budgets and spending:

• Create and manage an operational budget for the program
• Manage the various grants to ensure accurate spending, while tracking expenditures and variances
• Monitor funds, ensuring that up to date records of expenditures are kept and that they comply with budget allocations and donor requirements
• Interpret financial information for non-finance staff to ensure program activities and procurement reflect available budget

Responsible for financial aspects:

• Identify potential shortfalls in funding and alert Director of Finance and managers as appropriate
• Prepare budgets for new proposals

Supervise accurate accounting and reporting:

• Monitor account payables/receivables and provide monthly feedback
• Ensure submission of accurate and timely monthly finance reports to headquarters
• Supervise country office cash management, maintenance of optimal bank balance, bank reconciliation, monitoring currency gain/loss, and draft correspondence with bank
• Supervise the production of accurate and timely donor financial reports and maintain correspondence with donors and HQ on financial matters
• Review and provide input for all kind of contracts, initiate and fulfill payments, and assume responsibility for creditors and debtors
• Ensure compliance with Statutory matters like TDS, VAT
• Ensure SFCG Lebanon has a smoothly functioning and efficient Finance Department

Competencies and Skill:

• 5+ years working for an international NGO
• Experience with budgeting, grants management and reporting to International Donors
• Capacity to negotiate with partners and to make decisions affecting those partnerships
• Strong leadership and management skills
• Demonstrated ability to effectively to work with a diverse team, with attention to mentorship and professional development of staff;
• Experience in relevant region;
• Possess strong oral and written communication skills and be able to establish and maintain good relationships with colleagues and partners
• Advanced skills in MS Office.