Program Manager I – Finance Manager

Position Title: Program Manager I – Finance Manager

Dept/Location: Central African Republic/Bangui

Req. No.: I 342

Background:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the overseas relief and development arm of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It was founded in 1943 and works in over 100 countries globally. CRS began working in the Central African Republic (CAR) through the Cameroon Program since March 1999. Activities focused primarily on helping Church partners build stable peace in the country with support through a peace and justice project. Three years later, CRS provided technical and financial support to the Church for the implementation of an Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project. Since late 2006, the security situation in CAR has deteriorated. Fighting between the national army and other armed groups, as well as increased banditry has displaced approximately 190,000 people in the North-West/North-Central areas of the country, and the North-East where there is a spillover from conflicts in Sudan and Chad. The weakness of the Central African state goes beyond its inability to ensure the security of its territory. Landlocked and with extremely limited trade with the outside world, the country has never been able to develop its potential, and today lies 159th on the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) list of the 169 countries in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 47.7 years. Seventeen per cent of CAR’s children never reach their fifth birthday, and those who survive have little chance of ever seeing the inside of a classroom or a functioning health centre. Economic opportunities are scarce; even when people have access to a livelihood, insecurity and impassable roads reduce trade to a trickle. To respond to the current humanitarian crisis and to better support our church partners, CRS opened an office in Bangui in late April 2007, carrying out emergency distributions to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in the northwest. CRS/CAR is currently working with local partners to address human suffering and poverty, as the country moves towards early recovery in the north and longer-term development in the south. CRS/CAR is focusing on food security, livelihood recovery (SILC, small enterprise development), HIV/AIDS awareness, OVC programming and peace and justice.

Primary Function:

The Finance Manager will be responsible for the financial administration of one CRS/CARO program and all its financial aspects; training and managing the finance staff; financial administration and reporting for this program; ensuring financial compliance between CRS and partners, donors, local authorities; and maintaining financial documentation in an organized and proper state.

Key Responsibilities:

Specific Responsibilities Financial Management

1.       Ensure that the CP financial accounting environment is in compliance with CRS policies and procedures, GAAP and local legal requirements. 
   

2.       Ensure regular analysis of the Trial Balance and other financial analysis reports. 
   

3.       Work with CRS staff and partners to develop and implement effective financial monitoring tools.
   

4.       Ensure compliance with donor requirements in the area of accounting and finance issues. 
   

5.       Ensure budget management for CP activities. 
   

6.       Assist in the implementation of the new CRS cost allocation policy. 
   

7.       Provide budgetary analysis on program budgets.
   

8.       Work with the partners to develop or refine financial policies and procedures.
   

9.       Provides technical support and coaching to CRS staff and partners. 
   

10.    Interpret and explain HQ financial policies to CRS staff; and ensure that staff is aware of changes on a timely basis. 
    

11.    Actively implement any finance related audit recommendation. 
    

12.    Correct deficiency identified through Internal Control Questionnaire.  
    

Cash Management and Forecasting

1.       Supervise cash management processes and manage relationships with banking institutions. 
   

2.       Coordinate response to Cash Flow feedback from HQ. 
   

3.       Review and submit to HQ the Cash Flow Forecast. 
   

4.       Review and provide recommendations regarding opening/closing of local office bank accounts. 
   

5.       Review bank reconciliation forms and follow up on long outstanding items.  
   

Accounting

1.       Maintain the SUN financial database, including both budget and actual ledgers. Ensure that approved transactions are entered on a regular basis (at least weekly). 
   

2.       Verify Cash disbursement vouchers, cash receipt vouchers and general journal vouchers. 
   

3.       Ensure a successful and timely Sun systems month-end closing process. 
   

4.       Maintain complete documentation for all finance issues. 
   

5.       Ensure timely and accurate submission of monthly and yearly financial reports to HQ. 
   

6.       Serve as the primary liaison with HQ Finance for the country financial issues.  
   

Budgeting

1.       Provide review and assistance in the development of newly submitted budgets. 
   

2.       Coordinate the preparation of the country Annual Program Planning (APP).
   

3.       Obtain the donor source number for external awards.
   

4.       Review all BMFs prior to submission for approval. 
   

5.       Verify budget templates before upload into SUN. 
   

Reporting

1.       Submit in a timely and accurate fashion the monthly and yearly financial reports to CRS HQ/Overseas Finance. 
   

2.       Support program managers with financial reports. 
   

3.       Prepare financial reports for CRS staff and donors.
   

4.       Review Local Office Quarterly Financial Analysis reports. 
   

5.       Prepare the Quarterly Financial Analysis Reports for regional review. 
   

6.       Ensure the timely closure of all grants. 
   

7.       Review financial narrative in reports to donors. 
   

Partnership

1.       Work with the partners to develop or refine financial policies and procedures. 
   

2.       Ensure the integrity of CRS financial reporting and the effective control of financial assets at partners’ level. 
   

3.       Regularly monitor and assess each partner’s ability to accurately record and post all financial transactions.
   

4.       Organize regular training to ensure that partners have the ability to manage financial resources provided by CRS. 
   

5.       Ensure that partners comply with donors’ requirements.  
   

Supervision Responsibilities:

1-2 accounting staff

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Country Representative, Head of Office, Finance Department; Program Managers; MQC, CARO Regional Finance Officer; HQ CARO Finance Analyst and other overseas finance staff

External: Partners; Donor representatives charged with financial review; The Bankers of the organization; The Government Authorities Qualifications:

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

· Serves with Integrity

· Models Stewardship

· Cultivates Constructive Relationships

· Promotes Learning

Program Manager Competencies:

These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each program manager to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

· Sets clear goals and manages toward them

· Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders

· Manages financial resources with integrity

· Applies program quality standards to project design and organizational learning

Qualifications:

1.       Bachelor degree in a directly related field, such as Financial Accounting, Economics, Financial Management, Business Administration. 
   

2.       Three or more years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience in a financial management position with an international organization or company. Audit experience a plus. 
   

3.       Demonstrated familiarity with major public donor requirements (USG preferred), international accounting standards and/or US GAAP, auditing principles and procedures
   

4.       Knowledge of CRS finance, accounting, and budgeting policies, procedures and standards preferred
   

5.       Advanced skills in Sun Systems and Vision Q&A. 
   

6.       Fluency in spoken and written English and French; 
   

7.       Excellent written and oral communication skills 
   

8.       Proven knowledge of standard software including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point; 
   

9.       Demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure and to organize and prioritize competing demands. 
   

10.    Able to work with a team and train/transfer skills to finance department 
    

11.    Strategic, analytical and planning skills; ability to think ahead and plan over a 12-month period. 
    

12.    Able to work independently. 
    

13.    Ability to develop effective systems considering organizational effectiveness and impact on people. 
    

14.    Thorough understanding of and commitment to CRS/CARO strategy and Finance performance indicators, especially its implications for organizational change. 
    

Foreign Language Required:

Fluency in spoken and written English and French

Disclaimer:

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

To apply, visit www.crs.org/about/careers

EOE/M/F/D/V

Closing date: 08 Jul 2011 — Catholic Relief Services