Regional Finance Officer, Central Africa

Job Title: Regional Finance Officer, Central Africa

Reports to: Regional Director

Department: Central Africa Regional Office (CARO)

Salary Grade: 11

About CRS:

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Job Summary:

As the region’s financial controller and expert, you will provide overall strategic financial management direction and will support the regional and Country Programs’ (CPs) efforts in ensuring that the agency finance strategy is implemented throughout the region in support of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your expertise will help ensure the implementation of robust financial policies, procedures and practices put in place to control an increasingly complex and challenging funding and operational environment.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Monitor, analyze and provide guidance to regional and CPs’ Senior Management Teams, project leads and CP Finance leads on budget development and management; accounting and financial reporting policies, tools, and guidelines; and cash flow/treasury management to ensure effective financial resources management throughout the whole budget cycle and over the life of various projects.
• Review and assess CPs’ financial management systems, policies, processes, and practices, and assist with resolving issues and implementing preventive and corrective actions to ensure consistent attainment of financial management ‘standards of excellence’ and compliance with agency and donor financial management requirements.
• Prepare and provide accurate and timely regional-level financial analysis reports and other reports on financial trends and indicators to provide guidance with decision-making and efficient and effective financial resource management.
• Lead on assessing professional development needs of Finance staff in the region and ensure focused plans for mentoring and capacity building to strengthen financial management service quality.
• Act as the regional liaison and a key point of contact on all finance-related matters with HQ, donors, internal and external auditors, and other external stakeholders.
• Provide guidance to CPs on risk management and internal controls in preparing for internal and external audits and in responding to audit issues and follow up with the implementation of the audit recommendations.
• Make significant contributions to the agency Finance Community of Practice and CRS Global Finance agenda.

Required Languages – Proficiency for oral and written English required. French speaking helpful.

Travel– Must be willing and able to travel up to 50%.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Two Regional Finance Managers

Key Working Relationships:

Internal:

• Region**:** Regional Director (RD), Deputy Regional Director – Operations (DRD-Ops), Deputy Director – Program Quality (DRD-PQ), Country Representatives (CRs) and Country Managers (CMs), Finance Managers (FMs), Heads of Operation (HoOps), Heads of Programming (HOPs), and Technical Advisors (TAs), Information & Communication Technology Specialists (ICTS).
• Agency-wide Finance Department:Sr. Director, Overseas Finance, Global Controller, Regional Finance Officers (RFOs), Director of Domestic Finance, Director of Donor Financial Assurance and Reporting, Sr. Advisor for Finance Policy, Sr. Advisor for Financial Technical Support, Manager of Overseas Accounting Unit, Manager of Financial Reporting & Analysis, Global Treasurer, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Overseas Accounting Unit (OAU) Analysts, Grants/Contracts Analysts, Financial Systems Analyst II, Internal Audit, Manager, Stewardship Unit and Risk and Compliance Unit.

External: Sub-recipients (including Catholic Church partners), donor representatives as needed, external auditors and financial training and systems vendors.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to negotiate, influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision
• Excellent strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions
• Very good review, monitoring and planning skills with a strong eye for detail
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong understanding and experience in US Government funding regulations for International NGOs.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications. Excellent knowledge of financial reporting software.
• Proven experience in presenting, facilitating, coaching, and capacity building on financial management topics.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in International Development or International Relations, or a specialized Master’s degree required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of three years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing light to moderately complex projects required, preferably with an international NGO.
• Experience in business development, pre-positioning and capture planning, project design and proposal development, including excellent technical writing.
• Experience in project design and proposal development. Experience in writing content for proposals.
• Experience and skills in networking and relations with donors, peer organizations, and faith-based and civil society partners. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Demonstrated application of technical principles and tools for program quality.

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

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

• Personal Accountability
• Acts with Integrity
• Collaborates with Others
• Builds and Maintains Trust
• Open to Learn
• Strategic Mindset
• Develops and Recognizes Others
• Leads Change

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

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

Note: All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside their home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical examination.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer