Job Overview
- As a key member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the
Deputy Director Finance (DDF) provides financial leadership and management
necessary to ensure that the Kenya CP has the appropriate financial
infrastructure and systems in place to support the strategic vision and
mission of the organization.
- 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 Kenya 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 Nairobi, 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 donors’ 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-EA
- Position directly supervises: Senior Finance Managers, Finance
Coordinator, Finance Analyst
- Other Internal and/or external contacts: Country Director and
Country Management Colleagues, Local and HQS Finance teams.
Job Requirements
- Master’s degree in accounting, Business Administration,
Commerce or Finance required and recognized professional certificate in
accounting such as CPA.
- Extensive experience working in development or humanitarian
response, including proven ability to live and work 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 (Integra).
- Good written and verbal skills in the English language
Demonstrated Skills And Competencies
- 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.
- Requires the ability to function effectively in a complex work
environment, setting appropriate priorities, and handling competing
demands 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.
How To Apply