Finance Coordinator – Iraq

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Finance Coordinator

Code: SR-29-9783

Duty station: Erbil with visits to Federal Iraq

Starting date: 23/04/2025

Contract duration: Untill 31/12/2025

Reporting to: Head of Mission

Functional Supervisor: Regional Finance Coordinator

Supervision of: Finance Team

Type of Duty Station: Accompanied duty station

General context of the project

INTERSOS has been present in Iraq since 2003 and currently operates across Ninewa, Salah Al Din (SAD), Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah Governorates. INTERSOS thematic sectors of intervention are Protection, Education and Health. The INTERSOS coordination office is in Erbil with bases located in Tikrit, Mosul, Telafar and Sulaymaniyah and programming presence in other areas of Ninewa, SAD and the Kurdistan region. As of 2021, INTERSOS has over 340 national staff, 18 expat staff and over 200 volunteers working in Iraq. By applying an integrated programmatic approach, INTERSOS provides essential lifesaving services to women, men, girls and boys in IDP, refugee and host communities in its areas of intervention.

In the Protection sector, INTERSOS is one of the main actors in Iraq, providing a comprehensive package of protection services spanning both in-camp and out-of-camp locations. The services include protection monitoring (flagging urgent protection concerns and trends to UNHCR and the protection cluster, including beneficiary profiling and direct referral to specialized services), MHPSS, case management (for GBV, Child Protection and PwSN), and legal assistance, counselling and court representation. Current health programming includes supporting the provision of free and integrated primary health care (PHC) as well as Mobile Medical Teams (MMTs), ensuring availability of essential medicines, implementing a pilot project to strengthen non-communicable disease diagnosis and treatment in primary health clinics, and facilitating outreach health services through community health volunteers (CHVs). In Education, INTERSOS has supported access to formal and non-formal education for Syrian refugees and Iraqi IDPs in camp and urban settings, particularly in Kurdistan.

The current context in Iraq provides an exciting opportunity for its programming to transition from what has largely been traditional humanitarian interventions (during and after the conflict with ISIS in significant parts of the country) to longer-term durable solutions, stabilization and development interventions.

General purpose of the position

Define, coordinate and monitor the implementation and management of finance strategies, policies, internal control and all financial administrative in the mission, in line with the context and operational challenges and INTERSOS protocols, standards and procedures, and with the Regional Finance Coordinator’s directions, in order to provide accurate, transparent, timely and reliable financial information to the organization and third parties on the allocation of resources in the projects.

Main responsibilities and tasks:

Strategy and budget

• As an active member of the Senior Management Team, participate in the definition of the missions’ objectives and strategies planning, implementing and monitoring the financial operational and budget needs, anticipating changes and challenges and planning accordingly, in order to ensure budget is appropriate.
• Help to define the financial strategy for the mission and the country, assessing and mitigating the financial risks of the mission, and the project economic and financial plan together with the Head of Mission and linking with the Project Managers.
• Provide regular and adequate indicators to monitor the financial position of the mission and provide relevant cost analysis, regularly monitor of expenses vs budget, analyse variances and suggest corrective actions when needed.
• Provide support to the Head of Mission and Programme Coordinator on drafting new projects and budget preparation, ensuring the collaboration of other support Departments (HR, Log, Security).
• Develop relationships with other CFCs from iNGOs to determine best practices for financial matters.

Accounting and Treasury

• Ensure the accounting process is efficient and accurate, foreseeing an adequate level of verification and segregation of duties based on the dimension and the staff of the mission. The accounting database must be compliant with the INTERSOS’ standard accounting practices, reconciled on a monthly basis following the standard internal control mechanisms and enforce an effective monitoring of payment of suppliers, social/tax institutions and staffs salaries.
• Coordinate the efficient management of the treasury including to ensure the smooth running of operations and maintain control on security risks. This includes among other things, definition of minimum levels of cash, cash-flow forecast for projects and NGO, management of local bank accounts, bank/cash reconciliation, transfer of funds to field bases, relations with banks and/or other financial institutions at mission level, identify in advance the financial issues and cash crunch.
• Ensure proper implementation and respect of INTERSOS policies and guidelines and compliance with donors procedures, ensuring they are aligned with legal requirements and within the national legal framework, and designing or adapting relevant local policies, procedures and tools for optimized management of the mission’s financial resources.
• Sensitize key executive staffs as coordinators, budget holders and relevant management on financial risks and the extent of their financial responsibilities.
• In collaboration with Regional Finance Coordinator manage the funding agreements with donors e.g. coordinating and preparing proposals and financial reports and managing donor contracts.
• Ensure the implementation of a relevant mission organizational set up and a reliable internal control system, in order to meet all financial obligations while keeping financial ethics respected within the mission and making use of the New Accounting Information System, or when not available, using the tools and templates provided by the procedural protocols.

Administration and HR

• Is responsible for mission administrative-accounting documents and all finished project documentation. Submit to the Regional Finance Coordinator and the HQ Finance Director the accounting reports and the supporting official documentation on individual projects and contracts.
• Collaborate with HR department to accomplish the administrative requirements related to staffs related matters.
• Coordinate and oversee the monthly and yearly closing of accounts guarantying that the statement reflects the financial reality of the mission.

People management

• Is responsible for the management, supervision and development of the finance team, including coaching, training, motivating and ensuring their capability, detecting potential conflicts and finding solutions when necessary.
• Participate to the HR processes (recruitment, training, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, potential, detection, staff’s development and internal communication) in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required for the activities he is accountable for.
• Capacitate partner organisations financial staff in line with INTERSOS global standards and best practices.

Logistics

• In collaboration with the Logistics Coordinator ensure the proper execution of goods, works and services procurement processes in conformity with INTERSOS and donors’ guidelines.

Required profile and experience

Education

• Essential degree in Economics/Finances

Professional Experience

• Essential 4 (four) years’ experience in budget management and in team management
• Desirable previous experience with NGO’s in developing countries

Professional Requirements

• Mission working language essential

Languages

• English, Arabic and Kurdish deseriable.

Personal Requirements

• Strategic vision
• Leadership
• Teamwork and cooperation
• Behavioural flexibility
• People management and development
• Service orientation
• Commitment to INTERSOS principles

General Conditions

Accompanied duty-station

Remuneration According to position and seniority

Transportation Round-trip flights for humanitarian worker + partner. For any mission lasting at least 12 months, at 9 months one free plane ticket to the Country of residency and back to the mission for humanitarian worker + partner.

Medical insurance Medical Insurance; reimbursement for vaccines, medical certificate, and PCR test for deployment; psychosocial support on request for humanitarian worker + dependents.

Visa Visas for humanitarian worker + partner

Annual leave 2.5 days per month

Installation costs N/A

School fees N/A

Induction Online orientation course

Notes 1INTERSOS applies a “Learning & Development Policy” which includes the possibility to receive capacitation and participate in internal and external training. Priority will be given to Staff working for INTERSOS for over two years. Staff with seniority >2 with a demonstrated good performance and high commitment will be invited to be part of the INTERSOS Pool and to create their “Personal Development Plan”.

The Personnel Development Coordinator will then accompany them individually to shape their capacity-building plan.

Notes 2 The categorization of Family, Non-Family, and Accompanied Duty stations is subject to security criteria, access to health and education services, and is non-negotiable.

Accommodation

House allowance

R&R

R&R not applying