Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality.

The Agency’s three Signature Programming Areas include Emergency Response/Recovery, Agriculture Livelihoods and Health.  CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs where possible, therefore, strengthening and building the capacity of these partner organizations is fundamental to programs in every country in which CRS operates. CRS has been working in Ghana since 1958 and currently focuses on health, and food security/livelihoods.

Job Description

Catholic Relief Services – USCCB
Ghana Program

Catholic Relief Services is an American Relief and Development organization established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops founded Catholic Relief Services in 1943 to express the Gospel call to love and serve the poor and vulnerable people. CRS has operated in all corners of Ghana over the years.  However, current operations are more focused on the Northern part of the country.

CRS Ghana has a main office in Accra and sub-office in Tamale. Additionally, the Ghana program oversees Cote D’Ivoire as an outreach country.

•   Job Title: Finance Manager
•   Report to: Country Representative
•   Grade/Category: E Upper

Job Summary

As a member of the country program’s senior leadership team, the Finance Manager is responsible for ensuring the robustness of the CP’s financial management systems. The Finance Manager is in charge of financial reporting, financial grant management and compliance, communication, capacity building for finance staff and sub recipient’s capacity strengthening in the area of financial management. The Finance Manager designs, improves and maintains effective financial systems and procedures.  In line with CRS’ strategic priority to reinforce an organizational culture of high performance and accountability, s/he ensures that the country program maintains a high level of resource stewardship and strict financial accountability.

Leadership:
The Finance Manager serves as the principal advisor to the Country Representative on all matters related to financial management.  S/he plays a leadership role in shaping country program’s processes and practices in the area of financial management. The Finance Manager interprets financial information to promote stewardship and manage risks. S/he stays abreast on changes in the financial operating environment and promotes policies and processes to ensure the Country Program adapts to these changes. S/he leads efforts for enhanced collaboration between finance, programming, and other departments. S/he ensures the Finance team consistently delivers high standard of customer service. As a change agent, s/he champions, supports and oversees the implementation of new financial strategy, processes, tools, policies and procedures.

Functional Responsibilities
Financial Management

•   Ensure that the Country Program’s financial accounting environment is in compliance with CRS policies and procedures, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), donors’ and legal requirements.
•   Ensure the overall accuracy of financial information reflected on country program’s trial balance and other financial reports submitted to HQ, donors and other stake holders.
•   Manage all country program financial assets including cash, investments, account receivables and fixed assets.
•   Oversee the execution and timely posting of all financial transactions, including intra-agency and suspense transactions.
•   Oversee monthly analysis of the country program’s trial balance and other financial reports. Such reports include but are not limited to aging reports, grants’ liability reports, efficiency reports and currency exposure reports. S/he interprets financial reports to ensure accurate? Financial data is used to inform decision making.
•   Oversee the reconciliation of fixed assets’ physical inventory with Sun Systems records.
•   Oversee the orientation of accounting staff and project managers in relevant financial management practices, CRS policies and procedures and donors’ requirements.
•   Ensure financial records and transactions are adequately supported as per CRS’ Documentation Policy and Document Retention Policy with due consideration of local laws and donors’ documentation requirements.

Planning & Budget Administration

•   In close collaboration with the Head of Programming, Sr. Admin, Procurement and HR Manager and other Senior Managers, leads the preparation and submission of the Annual Program Plan (APP) and the Current Year Spending plans updates.
•   Ensure the country program’s board approved budgets and subsequent amendments are correctly recorded into SunSystems. Ensure budget amendments processes are in accordance with CRS’ policies and procedures.
•   Support program managers in developing budgets for new programs/projects and revisions of existing projects. Ensure that accurate and reasonable estimates of direct cost and shared direct cost are used in budgets, based on historical data and current market conditions. In addition, s/he ensures that accurate indirect cost and support services rates are used in accordance with policies and guidelines.
•   Provide the Senior Management Team and Program Managers with regular budget comparison reports and make appropriate recommendations on variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.

Treasury

•   Analyze and review quarterly cash forecast submitted to HQ, to ensure efficient management of cash flows. In addition, ensure that cash forecasts submitted to donors are accurate and based on proper cash flow planning.
•   Ensure availability of sufficient, but not excessive cash in the CP’s operating account, by establishing cash balance monitoring systems to trigger timely accounts’ replenishments.
•   Coordinate the opening and closure of bank accounts and maintain accurate list of bank signatories. In addition, keeps HQ/Treasury informed on changes in bank signatories.
•   Ensure that monthly bank reconciliations are performed in accordance with the Bank Reconciliation Procedure, for all bank accounts and approved bank reconciliation forms are submitted to HQ/Finance on timely basis.
•   Monitor currency exchange rates and alert management when/if unusual or unexpected changes occur. Institute measures to mitigate unfavorable foreign currency exchange exposure.
•   Promote efficient and innovative solutions to cash management based on current trends. Such solutions might include electronic banking and mobile banking, when feasible and appropriate. S/he designs and implements internal controls adapted to such innovative solutions.

Subrecipients’ financial management and Capacity Building

•   In collaboration with the Grants and Compliance Coordinator, build and strengthen the capacity of subrecipients in the area of financial management. Plan and organize regular trainings and other capacity building initiatives such as exchange visits to ensure that subrecipients acquire and maintain the skills required to manage financial resources provided by CRS and other donors.
•   Assess and regularly monitor subrecipients’ ability to safeguard financial resources entrusted to them. In addition, assess and monitor their ability to accurately record and post all financial transactions. Work closely with subrecipients to ensure that they design and implement effective internal controls improvement plans.
•   Ensure donors’ requirements are included in subrecipients’ agreements, and systems are in place to promote compliance.
•   Maintain good working relationships with subrecipient based on mutual respect and effective communication.
•   Ensure Subrecipient advances and liquidations are managed in accordance with the Subrecipient Financial Management Policy.

Reporting

•   Oversee the month-end financial closure process and coordinate the timely submission of monthly financial reports to CRS/HQ and to the region.
•   Ensure timely dissemination of monthly financial management reports based on country program’s protocols. Such reports include but are not limited to aging report, grants’ liability reports, efficiency reports and currency exposure reports.
•   Supervise the preparation and submission of financial reports to HQ, donors and local government entities based on CRS’ policies, local laws and donors’ requirements. When required, provide background information on the nature of costs to donors and other stakeholders.
•   Oversee timely and accurate financial year-end closure and submission of Year-End reports.

Grant Management

•   Monitor grant agreements to ensure spending is within obligated budgets and approved project period; communicate with HQ/ Finance when new agreements are signed or existing agreements modified.
•   Review and understand the financial section of all agreements with donors to ensure financial terms are reasonable, practical, do not contradict CRS’ policies and procedures and are in CRS’ favor when possible.  Proactively set up systems that enable CRS to respect the agreements’ financial terms and requirements, such as special reports, supporting documents and justification of cost.
•   Coordinate the submission of monthly, quarterly and final financial reports to donors in accordance with donors’ regulations or as stated in agreements and CRS’ Grant Reporting Policy.  In addition, when required, ensure supporting documents are accurate, financial reports tie to the general ledger and the cost can logically and accurately be explained to donors.
•   Ensure grants are set up correctly and timely in CRS’ financial systems. Analyze revenue recognition transactions to ensure accurate currency, ICR rates, and grant’s liability accounts are used. Proactively resolve any irregularities.
•   Ensure grants liability balances are analyzed and reconciled on a regular basis. Ensure cash due from donors is collected in accordance with CRS policies and donors’ terms and conditions.
•   Lead -on the ongoing financial management of grants and related cost-shares through timely communication with program managers, to ensure budgets are not overspent or significantly under-spent.
•   Lead on the timely and complete closure of all expired grants and cost-shares in conjunction with HQ/Finance.
•   Ensure that all budget management tools (C ledger, commitment ledger etc…) are used effectively to enhance grants’ management.
•   Ensure commodities and other Gift-In-Kind (GIKs) are recorded in accordance with CRS’ policies and procedures. Review and analyze commodities physical inventory reports and communicate accurate inventory numbers to HQ/Finance. In addition, analyze intra agency entries for inventory adjustments to ensure that the inventory account(s) is/are properly stated.

Risk Management and Compliance

•   Ensure adherence to the Agency’s financial policies and procedures and compliance with all donors’ requirements.
•   Ensure internal control systems and tools are documented, well established, understood, and respected by all staff members within the finance department, as well as other CRS staff where applicable. Such tools include but are not limited to review checklists, process flow charts etc.
•   Using the Internal Control Questionnaire (ICQ), conduct and document internal control systems assessments on annual basis and develop action plan to address weaknesses within a reasonable time.
•   Ensure that authorization charts for commitments and payments are up to date and are consistently used as reference to verify the proper approval of transaction documents.
•   Review the internal control system in the department and ensure that there is adequate segregation of duty among functions of cash receipt, disbursement, bank reconciliation and maintenance of SunSystems data.
•   Actively engage with internal and external audit teams and ensure findings are closed within the expected deadlines.
•   Proactively advise CR financial status and planning required for decision making

Finance Personnel Management

•   Oversee the recruitment, training and development of a competent pool of finance staff that can effectively discharge the mandate of finance function.
•   Supervise, mentor, coach finance staff. In addition, s/he designs and implements succession plans for finance staff.
•   Encourage teamwork and facilitate job enrichment to involve team members in activities beyond their defined job descriptions. Ensure effective delegation of authority and staff capacity building within finance department.
•   Ensure job descriptions are up to date, and performance plans and prepared each year. Complete annual performance appraisals for supervised staff.  Make these documents a useful tool for staffs to maintain and improve their performance

Representation

•   Attend and participate actively during management meetings;
•   Act as primary liaison with all financial institutions. Where possible negotiate premium customer services for CRS. Using CRS’ annual bank relationship scorecard, ensure that banks provide financial services that meet or exceed the industry standards.

Internal Key Working Relationships:
Country Representative, Sr. Admin Procurement, HR Manager, HOP, Program Managers and Chief of Party, Procurement Manager, HQ Finance, DRD for Management Quality, RFO.

External Key Working Relationships:
Banking Institutions, Government Entities, Donors, Subrecipients

Qualification Required & Experience

•   University Degree in Accounting, Finance or related field or equivalent work experience (A certification in the field will be an advantage);
•   Minimum of five years professional experience in a financial management position of responsibility, one of which in a supervisory position;
•   Budgeting and budget management experience;
•   Knowledge in Sun Systems financial accounting package and Q&A applications
•   Ability to analyze reports or issues and provide appropriate recommendation;
•   Be able to travel out of the country;
•   Sound knowledge of local law in the areas of taxes and reporting obligation to the state is needed;
•   Knowledge in Human Resources will be of added advantage.
•   Knowledge of several public donors’ regulations will be of added advantage.

Requirements:

•   Strong leadership, management and analytical skills;
•   Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to create and lead teams
•   Knowledge of English is required.
•   Excellent skills in excel;
•   Strong planning and organizational skills.
•   Ability to deliver training and prepare training materials;
•   Ability to learn fast and adapt quickly to change.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Please submit your CV and letter of interest to:-

GH_jobs@global.crs.org  by 5pm, on the 17 April, 2015.  Application must be saved in this format:  Application.CV. (Name).Finance Manager

Closing Date: 17 April, 2015