Finance Coordinator

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, medical, humanitarian, and independent organisation that provides assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, exclusion from health care and natural disasters. MSF provides assistance to people solely on the basis of their needs and without distinction of origin, religion, sex, gender, or political affiliation. Present in over 70 countries, MSF relies on diverse teams (with different profiles, experiences, nationalities, etc.) throughout the world, to implement its social mission.

Your Responsibilities

The Finance Coordinator is responsible for defining, coordinating and monitoring the implementation and management of finance strategies, policies, internal control and all financial administrative and legal issues in the mission, in line with the context and operational challenges and MSF protocols, standards and procedures, in order to provide accurate, transparent, timely and reliable financial information to the organization and partners about the allocation of resources to field projects.

The main responsibilities include:

• As an active member of the Coordination Management Team, participating in the definition of the missions objectives and strategies in collaboration with the CMT, planning, implementing and monitoring the financial operational and budget needs, anticipating changes and challenges and planning accordingly, in order to ensure budgets and forecasts are accurate.

• Defining the financial strategy for the mission together with the Head of Mission, assessing and mitigating the financial risks of the mission and ensuring the implementation of a relevant mission organizational set up and a reliable internal control system, in order to meet all financial obligations while keeping financial ethics respected at all times within the mission

• Ensuring proper implementation and respect of MSF policies and guidelines, ensuring they are aligned with legal requirements and within the national legal framework, and designing or adapting relevant local policies, procedures and tools for optimized management of the mission’s financial resources

• In collaboration with the technical referent at HQ, managing the funding agreements with donors e.g. coordinating and preparing proposals and financial reports to donors and managing donor contracts

• Coordinating and ensuring the efficient management of the treasury including the whole accounting of the mission, in order to ensure the smooth running of operations at all times and maintaining as much control as possible on security risks. This includes among other things, defining minimum levels of cash, anticipating planned expenditures, managing local bank accounts and transfer of funds, managing contacts with banks and/or other financial institutions at mission level, and monitoring the payment of suppliers and staff salaries.

• Providing regular and adequate indicators to monitor the financial health of the mission and providing relevant cost analysis, regularly monitoring of expenses vs budget, analyzing variances and suggesting corrective actions when needed. Being responsible for the management, supervision and development of the finance team, including coaching, training, motivating and ensuring their capability, detecting potential conflicts and finding solutions when necessary. Sensitizing key executive staff such as coordinators, budget holders and relevant management on financial risks and the extent of their financial responsibilities

• Ensuring the proper application of HR policies and associated processes (recruitment, training, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, potential, detection, staff’s development and internal communication) in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required for the finance activities

• Coordinating and overseeing the monthly and yearly closing of accounts with the aim that the statement reflects the financial reality of the mission.

Depending on our activities and needs, your responsibilities may be adapted and evolve according to the specificities of each project.

You will not be facing these challenges alone—other MSF team members, both international and locally hired staff, will provide technical support, including extensive guidelines and protocols.

Your Profile

Requirements:

• University Degree in accounting, finance, management, business administration or any other relevant field
• Minimum of five years’ relevant work experience in finance and budget management
• Minimum of two years’ experience in team management
• Excellent IT skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Fluency in English
• Strong team player
• Willingness to work in all kinds of contexts worldwide, including unstable areas
• Adaptable and eager to work in a multicultural team
• Flexible and able to cope with stress
• Self-driven with a solution-oriented approach
• Ability to train others
• People-oriented and diplomatic approach
• Commitment to MSF’s work and values
• Available for missions from 6 to 12 months

Assets:

• Good command of French or Portuguese
• Previous experience working with humanitarian NGOs
• Experience working with MSF
• Experience working in developing countries

MSF offers

MSF is looking for people residing in the country. You will receive:

• An exciting work experience as your skills will make a difference to the people around you
• Initial training before your first mission
• Detailed briefing on identified project
• Contract for the duration of the mission
• Remuneration (indemnity salary based on previous work experience and country of residency)
• Welfare coverage, such as medical care and vaccination package, accident insurance, including repatriation
• Food and accommodation
• Perdiem (calculated according to local cost of living) to cover daily expenses
• Travel costs and visa administration
• Debriefing and personal career planning as well as training opportunities
• Psychosocial assistance before, during or after mission upon need
• One week of holiday for every three months of mission
• Departure on mission is non-accompanied (no family or couple departures).