Couintry Financial Controller&Exit Support

****Contract Length:**** One Year

****Status:**** Unaccompanied

****Exact Job Location:**** Dar es Salam

****Reports To:**** The job holder will report to the Concern Tanzania Country Representative

****Responsible For:**** Directly responsible for the Finance Unit and supporting the Tanzania exit process.

****Introduction****

Concern is beginning to close its Tanzania programmes and will exit the country fully by the 3rd quarter 2016. The previous Country Financial Controller (CFC) resigned with effect from 1st May 2015. There is an urgent need to fill this gap given the exit. The former Country Director vacated his position on 15 May and the team is being managed by a new Country Representative, Caroline Baker for the remainder of the operation. She will be responsible for steering the exit process, while also maintaining oversight over all programmes. The detailed exit implementation plan was kick started by a Systems Consultant from 26 May – 25 June. Given gaps in the Tanzania office, the CFC position will also take responsibility for ensuring the exit plan is completed, working closely with the Country Representative and the Tanzania team.

****Background****

Concern has been working in Tanzania since 1978 when it started implementing community development projects in Iringa Region, central Tanzania. In 1997, Concern Tanzania expanded its work to the Coastal Regions of Mtwara, Lindi and Dar es Salaam; and began operating in the refugee camps in Kigoma and Ngara in the Northwest.

Since 2000, Concern Tanzania’s work focused on agriculture, nutrition, and environmental health - with a strong emphasis on advocacy aimed at influencing policy; promoting good governance through rights-based programming; and mainstreaming HIV and AIDS, equality, and disaster risk reduction. Over the past three and a half decades, programmes have been implemented in partnership and/or collaboration with local government, national civil society organizations and research institutions.

Concern is well known in Tanzania by policy and decision makers, donors, academic and research institutions, civil society organizations, and suppliers of goods and services; because of: a) its long duration of presence; b) the quality of programmes in terms of relevance to community needs, commitment to target the extreme poor and to meet their needs; c) commitment to partner with local stakeholders and for promoting the principles of accountability and transparency in programming; and d) maintaining cordial relations with various stakeholders.

Based on Concern’s poor/vulnerable analysis, Tanzania is ranked outside the bottom 40 countries. This indicates that there are countries among the bottom 40 (where Concern isn’t currently working) that need Concern’s support more than Tanzania. Accordingly, on February 22, 2014, the Board of Concern approved the proposal to close the Tanzania programme in 2016.

1. Programmes and exit phase

When the decision to exit was made, Concern Tanzania had multi annual funding until the end of March 2016. The Country programme will remain operational to manage the grants to their conclusion with final closure expected in the third quarter of 2016.

Concern is currently implementing three projects in four locations (Kigoma, Ngara, Masai and Iringa). In addition to Dar Es Salaam, Concern Tanzania has offices in Ngara, Kigoma and Iringa. In Masasi, Concern shares office space with KIMAS, the local NGO partner. There are approximately 42 staff employed by Concern Tanzania.

****Project Name******Duration Funder** Women’s Social Economic Rights Programme (WSER) January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2015 EU Improving agriculture-based livelihood, nutrition, and participation in governance for 201,146 marginalised members of communities in northwest Tanzania (GPAF) April 1, 2013 - March 31, 2016 DFID Bringing nutrition actions to scale in Iringa, Njombe and Mbeya Regions (SUN) March 2013 – April 2016 UNICEF

As shown in the table above, the WSER project will finish in December 2015. However, programme activities will be implemented until the end September 2015. The remaining three months will be devoted to conduct the final survey, evaluation and handover to partners and local government.

The second project expected to be handed over to a UNICEF implementing partner by the end of December 2015 will be the SUN project. To this effect, UNICEF has been informed in writing; indicating Concern’s desire to terminate the Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) by the end of July 2015.

The last programme expected to close will be the GPAF programme, which ends at the end of March 2016, although implementation activities are expected to be completed by the end of December 2015.

****Job Purpose:****

The Country Financial Controller (CFC) is a key position in the Country Management Team and will be responsible for effective management of the finance function and finance staff and ensuring that proper financial reporting, financial controls and financial systems are in place and are in line with Concern Worldwide procedures and policies, thereby ensuring proper accountability within Concern Tanzania programmes. The CFC will ensuring that the right procedures are followed as Concern prepares to exit Tanzania and close its programmes in 2016 including overseeing archiving of documentation, finalizing the asset register and asset disposal and other key steps.

****Key Duties & Responsibilities;****

Financial Reporting

• Timely preparation of appropriate financial reports for users including:
• Monthly management accounts for budget holders
• Quarterly reports for Dublin headquarters
• Donor reports as per schedules
• Monthly International Staff Personal Accounts
• Other ad hoc financial reports as the need arises

Financial Control

• To lead the budget development and review processes in collaboration with programme staff and managers
• Prepare annual budget package with the field management
• Prepare budget revision packages with the field management as per schedules
• Assist with preparation of & revisions to budgets for donors.
• Reconciliation of Donor budgets and Concern Board approved budgets

Financial Systems

• Develop and maintain effective financial and accounting systems
• Ensure that internal control procedures are up to date, known, understood and being applied correctly
• Ensure financial and accounting rules and regulations are being followed throughout the country programme.
• Ensure that Concern Worldwide financial procedures and the rationale behind them are fully understood by all staff and that new staff are briefed
• Brief all budget holders and other staff with cash/spending responsibility financial and accounting rules and regulations
• Play an ongoing pro-active trouble shooting role in order to ensure financial systems are appropriate and robust
• Ensure controls over cash and bank management are constantly monitored and updated to minimize the risk of fraud or misappropriation
• Coordinate with programme staff and Partnership Finance Support Manager to undertake financial assessments & evaluation of partners, in line with Concern’s standard financial procedures; participate in the review, monitoring and capacity building of partners and ensure that partner finance reports are thoroughly reviewed in coordination with the respective Programme staff.

Other Financial Duties

• Be familiar with and ensure compliance with relevant Tanzanian law (tax, employment conditions, exchange controls, annual Finance Act etc)
• Facilitate internal and external audits (Note, the most recent internal audit was held in mid-April).
• Assist programme management and staff with budgets and other queries and ensure adequate support is provided to the field
• Manage the recharge process
• Undertake any special financial assignments, which circumstances may require in any country
• Support the exit process.

Management

• Overall management and supervision of the Country Office finance function
• Line manage (using the performance development review process) national staff members
• Functional management/technical supervision of region based finance staff (using on the job training/mentoring techniques)
• As a member of senior management team, provide advice and support to other members of SMT on finance issues and financial implications of proposed decisions
• Liaise with other System Departments (Administration/Logistics, HR, IT) to ensure that all accounting and financial procedures are in place and properly
• Maintain good communications within the finance team and with other System Departments to ensure that all relevant information is shared within the team
• Implementation of Finance M&E systems tools and monthly reporting to the Country Representative.

Exit

• Review the exit implementation plan and ensure progress is made
• Review the Systems consultant’s ‘systems baseline report and ensure follow up on all ongoing issues in the area of finance, IT, HR, partner agreements, assets, archiving, management of the five exit committees
• Ensure that all units are adopting the right financial procedures with a view to exit
• Provide guidance and capacity building to the field office staff on archiving financial and other documentation.
• Liaise with donors on their archiving requirements
• Keep the Country Representative advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance
• Provide regular updates to the Country Representative and support her in any additional requests that may arise.

****Timeline and duration of assignment****

It is critically important that the CFC is committed to stay at least until the closure of the last programme at the end of March 2016, and carry out all the general closures financial requirements until June 2016l. The remaining exit period will be particularly difficult for Concern staff. It needs to be noted that following the announcement of the planned exit, several senior programme and support staff have left Concern citing job insecurity. This trend is likely to continue during the course of 2015/2016.

****Qualifications:****

Essential:

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CPA accreditedThree years post qualification experience
• Experience of donor reporting, particularly EU requirements
• Self-motivated & experience of planning & delegating work within a team environment.
• Computer literate
• Good communication, team leading and team building skills
• Good organisational and time management skills
• Able to work independently and provide initiative in improving the finance function
• Knowledge of computer applications i.e. Microsoft word, Excel, communications systems.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of development issues & concepts
• Experience of Microsoft Great Plains software

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

****Essential:****

• Strong leadership skills with sensitivity in dealing with government authorities on critical issues
• Strong staff management skills and ability to motivate others and promote accountability among staff
• Skills in delegation, time management and prioritising
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a multicultural team

****Personal attributes****

• Open thinking with breadth of vision and ability to challenge the status quo.
• Problem solver and ready to develop and train others
• Highly motivated, energetic and enthusiastic

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.

HOW TO APPLY:

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.