Country Financial Controller Full Time

Job Title: Country Financial Controller (CFC) – Burkina Faso

Reports to: Country Director

Terms: 2-year Fixed Term Contract w/ Unaccompanied terms

Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Salary: OS5 / €50,107- €55,674

Requirements:

Based in Ouagadougou (80%) w/travel to field bases (20%) potential internationally for work

About Concern:

Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Role Purpose:

The Country Financial Controller (CFC) is responsible for managing all aspects of the finance function of the Concern Worldwide Burkina Faso country Programme so that we achieve our objectives in line with Concern Worldwide, donor and government policies, procedures, rules and regulations. Concern has been working in Burkina Faso since 2021 with both humanitarian and development programming.

Responsibilities:

You will be responsible for:

Financial System and Controls

• Ensure that country financial management systems and records are adequate in order to identify and protect the assets and interest of the organization.
• Ensure that the systems and procedures in place enhance, as far as possible, the efficiency and effectiveness of the manner in which assets are utilized.
• Maintaining and monitoring an effective and efficient system of internal controls (i.e. ledger, cashbooks, balance sheet reconciliations, cash and bank management etc.) which comply with Concern Worldwide’s financial guidelines and minimise the risk of fraud or misappropriation.
• Ensuring financial systems of the country programme are operating in line with standard Concern procedures and they meet the monitoring and reporting requirements of the Country Management Team, Donors and National Authorities.
• With the support of the finance team, keep up to date with donor regulations and ensure that all controls are in place to meet donor compliance.
• Support the Operations Director in ensuring there is a complete record of capital assets and that they are adequately safeguarded.
• Organising and supporting financial assessments & evaluation of partners, in line with Concern’s standard financial procedures, monitoring and training and capacity building of local partner organisations.
• Undertaking regular field visits to assess the financial systems in place & implement improvements wherever needed.
• Closely monitor all financial activities and keep the CD/Senior Management Team advised of all situations that have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial management performance.
• Assist the International Account Service (IAS) based in Dublin to ensure that the global accounting package (Microsoft Great Plains) is maintained in a proper manner and utilised in an appropriate and effective manner. As the field general ledger will maintain be maintained by the IAS, the CFC is responsible for maintaining financial documents and back up at field level so that all transactions must pass the audit trail. The CFC should also provide all back up details to IAS related to the support cost allocation, donor reporting and quarterly and yearend reporting.

Financial Reporting and Donor Reporting

• Assist the CD and budget-holders in preparing budgets and revisions in line with strategic plans and organisational objectives. This involves supporting, facilitating and consolidating the financial budgets.
• Ensure proper recording of income and expenditure to comply with Concern and donor regulations.
• Provide all financial information (Cash/bank /Journals) to IAS timely so that he/she can produce monthly accounts on time.
• Review and prepare journals with accurate backing documentation for entry into Microsoft Great Plains by the IAS.
• Assist the IAS to produce monthly Donor Management Accounts (budget vs. actual) and work with the programme teams and department managers to understand their expenditure reports (DMAs) and budgets. Analyse the major variances and collect the comments from budget holder on major variances and present it to SMT.
• Overseeing the timely and accurate preparation of financial reports for Concern’s Head Office (Financial Reporting Pack) and donors.
• Ensure all balance sheet items are reconciled on a timely basis, in accordance with Concern Worldwide policies & procedures.
• Finalise the year-end accounts in both Concern and SYCEBNL formats, submit them for audit/certification by external auditors, and provide any ad hoc financial reports to Concern’s head office.

Staff Management and Capacity Building

• Providing leadership and direction for the in-country Finance Team.
• Undertake specific training, capacity building and other relevant initiatives to ensure national staff perform their roles and responsibilities with accuracy and professionalism and also create the space for national staff to develop into credible candidates to fill vacant positions in the finance team and to provide strong cover for leave.
• Providing training and support to financial and non-financial staff regarding Concern’s financial procedures and internal controls.
• Undertake financial training of budget-holders, to assist them in enforcing financial controls and making decisions based on financial reports.
• Ensuring Concern’s values and policy commitments, including accountability and equality, are reflected in the work of the Finance Team/Department.
• Ensure that Job Descriptions of field finance are up to date.
• Ensure that PDRs are completed for all country finance staff at least annually.

Donor Management

• Ensure that donor reports tie back to the general ledger from GP and donor original budgets.
• Ensure staff positions are mapped to donor funding, ensuring that gaps are identified and included in future donor proposals, with decisions made on eliminating positions if there isn’t sufficient funding for the role in consultation with CMT.
• Ensure all relevant donor guidelines, policies, proposals, periodic reports and other communications are readily available, categorized by grant, and documented in soft and hard copy filing.
• Review of prepared donor budgets.

Other financial duties

• Facilitate internal, external and donor audits and associated reviews of field systems.
• Ensure that all statutory deductions & taxes in respect of national staff are complied with & to liaise with relevant authorities in this respect.
• Work with system team to establish an effective monitoring system for the donations in Kind (DIK) so that all items received from donor as DIK and distribute to beneficiaries are recording properly and reconciliation procedures need to develop to pass the audit trail.
• Assist Country Director to update the delegation of authority document in line with fundamental changes (New project/ closed project/ staff structure/emergency response/ etc.)
• Implement the finance systems related feedback provided by Regional Accountant or internal auditors.
• Assist in the development and implementation of the Country’s Strategic Plan.
• Contribute to the development of the country’s strategic direction and to the overall leadership of the country programme.
• Any other finance-related assignments.

Country Specific Tasks

• Ensure compliance with all other in-country legal and regulatory requirements relating to finance and audit.
• Ensure the preparation and timely submission of SYCEBNL financial statements.

Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies

• Ensure adherence of self and finance staff to the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies.

Confidentiality

• Ensure the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever acquired in the course of duty, relating to the practices and business of Concern Worldwide, to any other person or Organization without authority, except in normal execution of the above duties.
• Ensure strict guardianship and security of financial data and documents at all times, including secure storage, accurate & complete filing and limiting access to the finance office to authorised personnel only.
• Ensure strict adherence to Concern Financial Procedures and Fraud Policy and remaining within the boundaries of these policies at all times.

Role Holder Requirements:

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential

• Accountancy Qualification (e.g. CPA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA)
• 3 years post qualification experience in a similar international organization
• Experience in donor budgeting and financial reporting
• Experience in developing staff technical and management capacity
• Experience managing large and multi donor (especially ECHO, FCDO, WFP, Irish Aid etc.) programme budgets
• Must be fully fluent in French and able to work in English.
• Empathy with Concern’s goals and values, particularly equality
• Strong commitment to capacity building, protection and participation including Concern’s P4.

Desirable

• Knowledge of development issues and concepts.
• Experience of working/living in an insecure and harsh environment.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
• Good team worker.
• Good Communication and negotiation skills.
• Knowledge of computer applications i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, communications systems.

We would also like:

• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Good communication and training / capacity building skills.
• Proven organisational, planning and management skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative and lead diverse teams.
• Flexible and adaptable to a changing environment.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Empathy with Concern’s mission, vision and goals, and our target group.
• Willingness to travel frequently to rural field locations and spend periods of time away from the capital in which the CD position is based.

Tagged as: Burkina Faso, Concern Worldwide