Finance Officer job at Mercy Corps

Location: Gwoza, Borno
Position Status: Full-time or Part-time

Program / Department Summary

• The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Nigeria, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance.
• The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. In its role as a support to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

General Position Summary

• Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Senior Finance Officer, the Finance Officer will assist the Gwoza office to ensure the accuracy and completeness of accounting records and will have primary responsibility for managing the monthly accounting cycle and the routine daily accounting tasks and payment.
• The Finance Officer will assist in review and analyze records, reports, financial statements and management practices to ensure adequate internal controls are in place to mitigate risks in compliance with laws, regulations, donor requirements and Mercy Corps policies and procedures

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision:

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Team Management:

• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Finance and Accounting Management:

• Assist in the financial review of purchase requests, purchase orders and payment requests to ensure compliance with MC policies and procedures and project.
• Maintain the bank file, ensuring that all bank information is properly filed and updated
• Ensure the on-time submission of the monthly/quarterly/year-end reporting packages to Maiduguri, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the ledgers, and all supporting documentation.
• Ensure all staff advances are tracked and cleared on time.
• Manage the archiving of all financial documents and follow up with staff for any missing documents.
• Assist in the training and support of the finance assistant, including answering daily questions,
• Ensure the petty cash count performed on time (weekly and monthly).
• Oversee the maintenance of all accounting records, ensuring that records are complete, accurate and safeguarded.
• Assist in the training of support staff on Finance related matters and give any financial operational support needed.
• Make sure that all supporting documentation is prepared and filed according to MC procedures.
• Deploy to the other field when needs gaps are arise.
• Assist the Finance Manager in responding to audit inquiries.
• Assist the Finance department to enhance the efficient of existing control systems.

Security:

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

Organizational 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:

• Finance Assistant

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To: Senior Finance Officer – Maiduguri
• Works Directly With: Maiduguri Finance team, program and operational teams in Northeast Nigeria.

Knowledge and Experience

• Two or more years of finance experience is required.
• A university degree in Finance, Accounting or equivalent is required.
• Demonstrated experience in accounting.
• Understanding of basic international donor’s rules and regulations.
• Strong computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel
• Prior experience with NGO/PVO is preferred.
• Previous experience in insecure environments is preferred.
• Excellent oral and written English skills

Desired:

• Knowledge of Hausa.

Success Factors

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• In particular, the successful candidate will be willing to travel to other locations such as Damboa, Dikwa, Ngala, Gwoza and other LGAs of Northeast programs based on the needs of the Mercy Corps program. This will mean sometimes staying and working in stressful environments with very basic living conditions, strictly following security protocols at all times and sometimes working long and irregular hours).
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

• The position is based in Gwoza, Borno State.