International Finance Analyst
Position Summary
The
International Finance Analyst (IFA) is the IF Department team member charged
with supporting a regional portfolio of countries, and ensuring that the
financial reporting and compliance standards for European donor-funded projects
are met throughout the region. The IFA is responsible for supporting the
country operations in adhering to internal and external policies and
regulations through technical financial support in areas such as financial
reporting, recruiting and training, communications, compliance, and adherence
to budget.
As well as working closely
with Finance and Programme team members, and with various other support office
departments including Compliance, the IFA will also liaise on financial matters
with external stakeholders including European donors and other NGO partners.
Key Responsibilities
Proposal Development
- Serve as review point for country-led proposal budget
development and revisions by providing financial data and correct donor
templates as needed and making recommendations regarding budgeting to
ensure that reasonable provision is included for appropriate costs which
comply with donor guidelines.
- Review and when necessary, create financial narrative
justifications to accompany budgets and liaise with donors to ensure that
any proposal budget queries are cleared promptly.
- Track and monitor submitted awards/proposals and assist with
preparation of requested additional information, including financial
aspects of due diligence process, as required.
- Review the financial clauses of contracts received and advise
on financial matters as required.
Project Financial
Management
- The IFA is the focal point responsible for overall financial
monitoring on grants for both external donor requirements and internal
Mercy Corps policies and requirements.
- On award of a grant, design and develop coded budgets to meet
grant needs and using financial system reporting tools, design and
construct Budget versus Actual reports suitable for all stakeholders.
- Provide ongoing monitoring of grants through monthly budget
versus actual reports to strict deadlines ensuring that all issues are
highlighted and promptly communicated to stakeholders. Coordinate with the
implementation team to ensure issues are being addressed on a timely basis.
- Prepare required reports to donor agencies (EC, ECHO, FCDO,
etc) along with related supporting schedules and payment requests.
- Review budgets and advise the country team on grant budget
modifications required to reflect technical and implementation changes,
ensuring any amendments are in accordance with donor requirements.
- Support country team’s adherence to Mercy Corps internal
policies and standards as well as adherence to Mercy Corps’ Complex
Programs management standards.
- In conjunction with the Compliance Team, maintain effective
contact with country offices regarding financial reporting and grant
regulations, advising and training.
- Serve on Complex Programme Boards within the portfolio,
providing financial and compliance information to ensure issues are being
managed or escalated as required.
- Monitor grant-level cash flow and submit funding requests to
donor agencies on a timely basis as required by the grant agreement and MC
internal procedures.
Audit Assistance
- Assist in preparation for the MCinE annual statutory audit,
including input on International Finance issues such as project closures
and co-financing and liaising with country offices
to ensure sampled transitions are timeously received and submitted
documentation is compliant.
- Advise on country-level or donor-specific audits, including
providing requested information and responses to audit queries and
management letter responses.
- Monitor and support implementation of country action plans in
the clearance of external or internal audit findings relating to the
implementation of European grants.
Strategy, Planning &
Learning
- Coordinate with peers to share knowledge and develop best
practices for IFAs and country Finance Managers.
- Identify finance-specific knowledge essential for other teams
and develop guidance for IF team, FMs and non-finance staff on relevant
finance topics.
Country Office Support and
Capacity Building
- Serve as member of the hiring team and provide technical
vetting of senior country office finance staff.
- Travel to the countries being supported and provide technical
financial support, training and oversight. Review and provide feedback on
the country finance operations and MC and donor compliance.
- In relation to MCinE grants, monitor and report on country
office finance staff training needs and requirements ensuring areas
identified are promptly addressed.
- Assist with the opening and closing of a country programme by
providing financial guidance and assistance.
- Provide additional onboarding to new senior finance staff on
MCinE grant financial management and policies.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Senior International
Finance Analyst
Works Directly With: Country Finance and
Programme teams, various support office departments including Finance,
Programmes, and Compliance, and external stakeholders including European donors
and other NGO partners.
Accountability to
Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy
Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability,
specifically to our program participants, community partners, other
stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and
development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal
partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Qualifications
- Degree in Accounting or Finance, part-qualified accountant or
qualified by experience in a relevant field
- Experience of computerized accountancy packages
- Proficiency with MS Office software required (Outlook, Word,
Excel, PowerPoint) – with a high proficiency in Excel essential
- Business spoken and written English is required, with
proficiency in a relevant second language considered an advantage
- Previous finance or grant management experience preferred
- Experience working in an International NGO preferred
How To Apply
