Senior Finance Officer, London.

• Job Title: Senior Finance Officer
• Location: London
• Reporting to: Europe-Asia Department Manager with dotted line to the Finance Team
• Duration: One year with possible extension/permanent contract
• Salary: £41,550 Gross per annum
• Deadline: 17:00 UK time, Friday 05 July 2024
• Interview: This is a rolling base recruitment. If your application meets the job requirements, you will be contacted as soon as possible.

Conciliation Resources

Conciliation Resources is an independent international organisation working with people in conflict to prevent violence, resolve conflicts and promote peaceful societies. We believe that building sustainable peace takes time. We provide practical support to help people affected by violent conflict achieve lasting peace. We draw on our shared experiences to improve peacebuilding policies and practice worldwide.

The Senior Finance Officer will work closely with UK-based colleagues, managing regional and cross-organisational peacebuilding projects and grants in the Europe-Asia Department (EAD) and the Research Advisory and Policy (RAP) Department. This includes finance support to peacebuilding implementation and research projects, ensuring efficient grants management, accurate and timely financial processes and compliance with Conciliation Resources’ and donor requirements.

Job Purpose

Conciliation Resources is headquartered in London, with branch and satellite offices. The Senior Finance Officer position, to be based in London, will support the Europe-Asia and RAP Departments with a range of finance functions including reporting and planning. The Senior Finance Officer will be expected to spend approximately 50-60% time on finance related support for fundraising and projects in the South Caucasus, 20-30% time on cross-organisational and South Asia projects and fundraising, and 20-30% time for RAP. The Senior Finance Officer will work closely with relevant programme and project teams to understand the finance needs of specific projects, grants and commercial contracts, provide hands-on finance support and will provide technical finance assistance to staff and partners as appropriate, to ultimately support the delivery of the work of Conciliation Resources.

The post-holder is expected to work closely with the programmes teams and other staff implementing peacebuilding projects, as well as our organisational partners. The post-holder is also required to work in close collaboration with the London-based finance team, including through a dotted-line reporting relationship. This is a key role in both delivering and developing specific project processes of financial management, and being able to respond to and solve problems. The postholder will lead on financial partner reporting for specified partners, including liaising directly with partners, keeping an overview of reporting deadlines/status and balances held, when transfers are needed, and preparing partner transfer requests.

Person Specification

Required knowledge, experience and skills

• Experience communicating financial information and financial issues to non-finance specialist staff and experience of supporting partners and/or grantees with financial management.
• Experience reviewing financial documentation against minimum standards
• Qualified through experience or part/full professional/academic qualification in accounting such as CPA, ACCA or CIMA or progress towards.
• Proficient knowledge of MS Office (excel) and database software.
• Experience of using financial accounting software to produce and analyse management and monitoring reports and operating in a multi-currency environment.
• Working knowledge of an accounting system preferably Sun systems.
• Experience of undertaking a range of financial administrative duties including data input and retrieval.
• Experience of handling financial reporting to institutional donors such as the UK FCDO, and EU, including commercial contracts
• Experience forecasting and modelling programme budgets
• Excellent computer and IT skills, preferably in a Mac environment including Excel and Word.
• Excellent numeracy and accuracy skills with a high level of attention to detail.
• Good problem-solving skills.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong organisational skills including planning, developing, implementing and maintaining financial administrative systems.
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.
• Willingness to be proactive and self-servicing, with a proven ability to work as part of a team as well as independently.
• Commitment to CR’s goals and values.

Desired knowledge, experience and skills

• Knowledge of relevant tax regulations, including VAT, in contexts where Conciliation Resources operates
• Knowledge of AASB accounting standards for Not-for-profit/Charity accounting.
• Experience providing training on financial standards and processes
• Knowledge of languages relevant to the contexts where Conciliation Resources works in the Europe-Asia Department, including Russian.