Mercy Corps est une organisation mondiale de premier plan, animée par la conviction qu’un monde meilleur est possible. Dans les catastrophes, dans les difficultés, dans plus de 40 pays du monde, nous nous associons pour mettre en œuvre des solutions audacieuses – en aidant les gens à triompher de l’adversité et à construire des communautés plus fortes de l’intérieur. Aujourd’hui, et pour l’avenir.
Mercy Corps has been present in Central African Republic (CAR) since 2007, focusing its interventions on leading humanitarian response and recovery for crisis-affected populations through cash assistance, water and sanitation, and protection of vulnerable populations, especially survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). At the same time, we are working to build resilience and lay the foundations for a more prosperous future, by promoting peace and reconciliation between communities, supporting economic development and access to employment, building access to markets and financial services, and strengthening governance outcomes.
The situation in the Central African Republic remains volatile and difficult to predict. However, Mercy Corps is committed to meeting the immediate needs of people affected by conflict, while addressing the causes of poverty and injustice by promoting peace, good governance and economic development. With funding from USAID, AFD, the United Nations and other private donors and foundations, Mercy Corps works together with communities in CAR to respond to these needs and support long term relief, recovery, and resilience outcomes.
Mercy Corps plays a key role in coordinating with other NGOs and United Nations bodies, including being a member of the executive committee of the CCO (Coordinating Committee of INGOs), the NGO coordination platform for international NGOs in the CAR, composed of 50+ organizations.
Program / Department Summary
The Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. This deployment is to oversee the running of the finance department through providing support to ensure monthly finance close out to enable the CAR CO to meet deadlines in terms of reporting and HQ package submission; support with new business development and reporting, and ensuring that Mercy Corps’ processes and policies are in place. The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Bangui, CAR including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The incumbent will also provide management support to field offices in Bambari, Bangassou, Berberati and Bouar.
General Position Summary
The Finance Manager is a member of the senior management team and part of the Mercy Corps Finance Department, and as such is responsible for all aspects of financial management of the country programs, working collaboratively to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures as well as donor regulations. S/he works under the direction of the Country Director and is responsible for all financial functions in CAR, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grant financial management and compliance. The Finance Manager, in support of the Program Department, provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Strategy and Vision
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment of empowerment.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions and resources to achieve objectives and contribute to country-wide strategy development.
Financial Operations
Ensure timely and accurate management of Mercy Corps Mali finances including but not limited to the following responsibilities:
• Oversee and manage daily countrywide accounting and finance functions including the timely recording of transactions, cash management, banking, tax obligations, payroll, inventory, receivables, and payables.
• Plan and implement systems for financial operations in both the main country office and in field offices in accordance with the Mercy Corps Field Finance Manual and donor regulations, including systems for cash flow management, budgeting, consolidation of accounting information, internal controls, financial reporting, financial record-keeping, grant management and compliance.
• Provide financial review of purchase requests, purchase orders and payment requests to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps policies and procedures and project budgets.
• Review month end sub journals to ensure clarity of descriptions, exchange rate and correct coding of expenses.
• Prepare allocation tables and complete Journal Entries for allocations monthly.
• Ensure monitoring of advance accounts and accrual and suspense accounts ensuring they are cleaned on a regular basis.
• Maintain banking relations and plan and monitor country cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of Mercy Corps programs.
• Provide monthly standard accounting submissions to Mercy Corps Headquarters, including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenditures by fund code/project, required sub grantee reporting in tandem with the Country Director, as well as other financial information in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensure compliance with Mercy Corps procurement policies and procedures for all goods and services.
• Develop and maintain local office policies and procedures and provide training for all issues related to local financial matters.
• Develop annual fiscal year budgets with the Country Director and develop and implement grant budgeting and forecasting systems with Program Managers.
• Maintain appropriate local insurance coverage in coordination with the Admin. Department to protect Mercy Corps.
Grant Management and Compliance
Ensure accurate planning of existing and proposed activities and on budget and in-compliance spending of funded initiatives through (but not limited to) the following activities:
• Ensure effective, transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
• Annual planning in coordination with the Country Director of multiple grant budgets to ensure that all costs, including office expenses and staff are covered by incoming donations, budgets and implementing projection systems with Program Managers.
• Review and monitor partners’ financial reporting and compliance. Provide additional technical assistance to partners as necessary to maintain compliance standards.
• Provide monthly financial management reports to the Country Director and Program Managers, including budget vs actual reports of expenditures by fund code/budget line per project, and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner. Complete follow up actions based on Program Manager Review and outcomes of grant meetings.
• Lead budget development for new initiatives ensuring realistic and complete budgets in the required format.
Program and Financial Compliance
• Fulfill Mercy Corps’ Program Management Minimum Standards based on the organization-wide guide.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
• Ensure compliance with donor and Mercy Corps regulations related to emergency programming.
• Draft and/or review scope of work to hire and manage any technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget.
• Ensure that audit recommendations are applied across all departments.
Team Management
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Develop the capacity of the team, deepen understanding of their roles and assist with career development.
• Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally through regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Supervise, hire, and orient new team members as necessary.
Security
• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
Influence and Representation
• Interface with the (donor) representatives to convey information about programs as appropriate.
• Communicate with our partners, to verify their systems and that they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.
• Participate in sharing best practices with NGOs and governmental agencies.
• Consistently demonstrate flexibility, resilience and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrate an awareness of his/her own strengths and development needs.
Organisational Learning
• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
Accountability to Beneficiaries
• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Supervisory Responsibility
All Finance department staff (at least 5 direct)
Reports directly to: Country Director
Works directly with: HQ Regional Finance Officers, members of Operations, Program, HR and Heads of Base in Bouar, Bambari, Bangasssou and Berbarati.
Knowledge and Experience
• A BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance required; advanced degree preferred.
• At least 4-7 years of progressive financial management experience, including supervisory experience required.
• At least 4 years’ experience in grants management as well as an understanding of US Government, EC, UN regulations required.
• At least 3 years’ international experience required; international NGO/PVO field office experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting preparation and presentation and the proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports.
• Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.
• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required; proficiency in French is required.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Previous experience in insecure environments.
Success Factors
The successful candidate will have an ability to interact effectively across international and national program and finance teams successfully, both in a managerial as well as training capacity. S/he will be able to support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful financial information, have a demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. An impeccable professional standard of finance and procurement ethics and the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential. The Finance Manager must be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.
The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations. ln CAR, patience, diplomacy, tenacity, compassion, determination and a sense of humor are all success factors.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The role is based in Bangui, CAR. The location is unaccompanied. Housing within a shared compound with other team members, with freedom of movement beyond the house/office. Staff will have access to electricity, water, and internet, though they should expect occasional outages. Access to health care is limited. This position requires 25% of time traveling to field offices, some of which are in insecure environments. As an unaccompanied position, this role qualifies for hardship allowance and R&R benefits.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
