Deputy Director of Finance

Job Description

They will play an active role in the formulation of strategic and operational plans for the country programs, taking ownership of ensuring and monitoring the delivery of financial plans through detailed financial analysis. The DDF holds overall responsibility for establishing policies and leading the financial and accounting aspects of the Democratic Republic of Congo CP. The focus will be on implementing financial management policies, practices, and systems that align with local laws, US regulations, and donor requirements while also facilitating the efficient execution of country programs. S/He will collaborate closely with the country’s senior management team to ensure acceptable levels of performance regarding cross-departmental business policies and procedures and collectively troubleshoot and develop solutions.

They will act as the principal finance business partner to the SMT and Country Director (CD), Regional staff as well as conforming to IRCs financial control environment and CFO standards and objectives.

Based in Goma- Democratic Republic of Congo, the Deputy Director, Finance will have dual reporting to the CD and the Regional Finance Director-EA, including straight-line accountability to the Global Chief Finance Officer.

Major Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Analysis

Provides financial information that supports the CD and SMT in making business decisions in line with IRC and Regional & Country Program strategies.
Provides strategic analysis on the overall financial health of the country program to the CD and SMT.
Contributes actively and offers feedback in the development of Country Programs Strategic Annual Plan.

Controllership

Ensures compliance with IRC and donor policies and procedures within the country, leading all aspects of in-country practices.
Develops in-country finance procedures to complement global policies as needed.
Reviews financial activities closely and shares insights with the Country Director on the financial performance of the office, issues with internal controls, or financial management.
Ensures timely completion of monthly financial reports.
Ensure timely implementation of internal and external audit recommendations related to the Finance Department.
Manages activities and schedules of the finance department to meet the financial reporting requirements and timeframes set by headquarters and donors.
Identifies reporting format requirements and develops formats to facilitate the management of country operations and grant expenditures.
Lead the preparation and approval of all donor financial reports, ensuring compliance with accounting, legal, and contractual requirements, with review by the CD and Regional Controller prior to submission.
Conducts regular internal control reviews of operations in the country.
Facilitates external, internal, donor, or government audits.
Oversees the protection of the country’s assets (cash, inventory, fixed assets) through the enforcement of internal control policies and procedures.
Stays updated on local government requirements related to finance, ensuring adherence to
tax and other legal obligations.
Serves as the primary liaison with IRC HQ on all finance, accounting, grant budget management, and cash management.

Treasury

Provides supervision for all country program bank relationships and activities related to bank accounts, including the negotiation of fees, interest rates, and currency exchange rates.
Oversees the review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations in Kyriba system.
Maintains up-to-date and accurate cash forecasts to effectively plan for future spending, including commitments that entail future spending obligations for the IRC.
Ensures the maintenance of appropriate balances to support grant implementation and regular withdrawal of cash held at headquarters.
Ensures the development and implementation of a plan to minimize the country’s foreign exchange exposure to currency gains and losses.
Supervises the collection of contractual and other receivables.

Budget/Forecast

Oversees the preparation and revision of grant proposal budgets and finance reports; supports programs by offering guidance on costing and contributing to the creation of budgets for submission.
Prepares and maintains the country’s annual operating budget, ensuring adequate coverage for in-country operational expenses and regularly updating the budget.
Presents and facilitates the review of actual budget expenditures with the CD and program managers.

People Management

Establishes a matrix outlining roles and responsibilities within the finance department, ensuring that staff job descriptions are current. Provide guidance and supervision to the finance team to discuss job expectations, set objectives, and provide appropriate and timely feedback on the performance of direct reports.
Recruits and retains qualified personnel capable of carrying out finance-related tasks.
Ensures that comprehensive and meaningful performance reviews are completed annually and implements career planning and development plans for all finance staff.
Designs and implements a training program specifically tailored to improve the skills of the country’s finance staff.
Provides oversight for finance training and technical support to non-finance staff, aiming to improve their proficiencies in accounting, reporting, and internal control.
Create an inclusive team climate focused on the achievement of team and individual results, and that emphasizes the importance of mutual respect, trust, listening, ownership, learning, productivity, accountability, and openness.
Adhere to IRC’s performance management system, providing regular, timely, and thoughtful coaching, feedback, performance assessment, and professional development for all direct reports, while making sure that they do the same for their direct reports.
Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, focusing equally on interpersonal exchange, as well as work.
Promote and monitor staff care and well-being and ensure to create systems and practices where work supports life and continuously role model such practices.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Country Director and the Regional Finance Director-CA
Position directly supervises: Deputy Finance Controller-Accounting, Deputy finance Controller Internal audit, Deputy Finance Controller- Budgeting & Financial Reporting
Other Internal and/or external contacts: Country Director and Country Management Colleagues, Local and HQ Finance teams.
External: Financial Institution, Ministry of Finances

Qualification :

Post-graduate with a minimum of 5 years of experience in a humanitarian context (in complex and volatile context)
Experience must include work in a similar role within international humanitarian/emergency contexts
Exceptional coordination and inter-personal skills
Background in situation analysis, needs assessments and emergency response project implementation.
Demonstrably excellent written and oral communication skills; strong English writing skills required.
Experience with integrated emergency response required.
Proficient in MS Office, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint
Flexibility to adapt to changing demands and the ability to work under pressure are essential
Knowledge of the DRC context (especially Eastern part of the country)

Work experience :

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce, Finance or equivalent required; recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a master’s degree in Accounting preferred
Extensive experience working in development or humanitarian response, including proven experience living and working in the relevant field in developing and transitioning countries
Minimum of five years of managerial experience in finance
Requires extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems, standard spreadsheet and database programs (e.g. SUN System, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power BI, and Vision Excel Analyzer).
Desirable: experience in supporting a transition to an ERP system.
Desirable: IRC experience
Essential: fluency in French
Good written and verbal skills in the English language
Must be comfortable in being a proactive member of the senior management team. Must have a proven track-record of proactively identifying and communicating potential problems and proposing solutions.
Must be able to function effectively in a complex work environment, setting appropriate priorities and manage challenging priorities and pressure
Ability to carry out responsibilities independently with minimal technical support
Must have excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional patience and be able to interact, partner and thrive in a diverse environment
Committed to staff training and development and effective at facilitation