Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network, with 192-member National Societies. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, our work is guided by seven fundamental principles; humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

The Secretariat of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (“the IFRC”) works to a Business Model and has a Business Delivery Plan with key commitments that sharpen its focus, clarity, and efficiency and accountability results. The Secretariat, headquartered in Geneva, has five decentralized regional offices: one of which is the Americas, guided by the Secretariat strategies for implementation and areas of focus that builds on the vision of strategy 2020. The Americas’ region is organized in two main hemispheres: a group of support services departments and geographical configurations of (i) Country Cluster Support Teams and (ii) Country Office(s), as well as the Deputy Regional Director, each of them led by the Regional Director; and another hemisphere: six building blocks composed by (i) Partnerships and Resource Development, (ii) Policy, Strategy and Knowledge; (iii) Communication, (iv) Disaster and Climate Crisis: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, (v) Health and Care, (vi) Logistics, each of them led by the Deputy Regional Director.

The Finance Manager is responsible for the provision of quality financial services, quality control assurance, finance capacity building and technical advice. It is located in the Americas Regional Office based in Panama.

Job Purpose

The incumbent is responsible to provide efficient and effective services in accounting, finance and treasury matters to the Regional Director and Staff, Country Representatives, and NHQ staff within a specified range of portfolio of projects. The main areas of his/her roles can be summarized as follows:

• Financial Polices and Processes
• Staff Management
• Financial reporting
• Budgeting
• Validation of transactions
• Support in treasury matters
• Financial Analysis
• Processing of specific accounting transactions
• Risk Assessments of Partners (current and Future)
• Relationships with other stakeholders: Regional Division Director, unit staff, head of office, auditors, Finance Officers, National Society Staff, American Red Cross NHQ Staff

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Finance and Accounting

• Support finance management and reporting for the portfolio of projects assigned to the Regional Operations, in close collaboration with the Regional Delegation and Operations’ personnel.
• Manage the funds and financial assets of the delegation, under the overall direction of the NHQ International Service Finance. This will include cash flow and cost control management as well as the management of the payments, cash, bank signatory and payroll functions.
• Support budget development for new proposals. Provide quality control during the development of new proposals
• Advise the Regional Director and field staff in appropriate interpretation of the financial reports and procedures, and any financial matter
• Month end accountancy closure including but not limited to: prepare, review and/or post of Journal Entries, bank account reconciliations, follow-up and closure of any pending items from previous months SSC revisions.
• Implement best practices according to procedures that safeguard and optimize the use of financial resources through an appropriate internal control environment.
• Treasury management
• External and Internal audits support

Financial reporting

• Perform a periodic review of the transactions posted to the projects of the portfolio to ensure the accuracy of the transactions entered into the accounting system.
• Be prepared to provide information about financial reports to the Regional Director, Country Representatives, NHQ Finance Manager and other regional staff for Operational and Financial Reviews to discuss the overall financial situation of the regional portfolio
• Compile accurate, regular, and timely financial reports for American Red Cross and for donors.
• Perform monthly BvA Reviews (Budget vs Actuals) with stakeholders. Address any variances and corrective actions.

Budgeting

• Coordinate the compilation of the delegation’s budget and financial plan, under the direction of the Regional Director, Field Representatives and Finance Manager
• Provide technical support and advice to the Regional Director and / or programme staff during the preparation and/or revision of budgets and / or ceilings.
• Provide analysis of actual expenditures vs. budgets with its respective analysis of the variances (if there is any) and recommendations.
• Prepare outlooks in terms of the estimated expenditures of a project to complement the information provided to the project manager.

Validation of transactions

• Ensure that all the transactions related to his/her portfolio are validated following the expenditure authorization procedure and others
• Ensure that transfers to National Societies are performed only if they are in compliance with the validation process, policies and procedures. It is important to monitor the specifications in the project agreement to ensure the funds are transferred in line with it.
• Ensure all accounting transactions are properly authorized and supported by original and valid supporting documentation.
• Provide quality and analytical information of the status of the working advances of National Societies to support the follow up of outstanding working advances and reconciliations by the Program Staff

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Financial Analysis

• Be prepared to attend monthly meetings with the Regional Director and unit staff to present the financial analysis of the projects within the Country portfolio.
• Prepare ad-hoc financial analysis as per demand

Relationships with other stakeholders:

• Liaise with unit staff to provide effective services with the aim to contribute to the achievements of the plans and results
• Liaise with Regional Director and Country Representatives to provide her/him the financial information about the projects / programmes under his supervision
• Liaise with the Regional Finance Officer and other Country Finance Officer to get support where necessary to accomplish task and keep her/him informed about progress or issues
• Capacity Building of business unit staff, finance staff and Partner National Societies and other Non-Movement Partners
• Visit the National Society (ies) to train the staff on American Red Cross compliance requirements before any project begins and as needed to address or evaluate the capacity and any other risk that the implementing partners may have.

Others

• Be prepare to assist during emergency operations
• Perform monitoring visits to the Projects supported by the Region and Implemented by the Partner NSs to undertake financial risk assessments, guide the NS on budgeting, provide recommendation (s) or corrective actions when needed

Education

• A university or professional school degree in an accounting or finance related area

Experience

• 7+ years of professional experience in a finance or accounting department
• 3+ years’ experience managing and supporting staff
• 5+ years of field experience in a humanitarian organisation, preferred
• Experience working with the Red Cross / Red Crescent, preferre

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Self-supported in computing systems (e.g. accounting software package and MS Office)
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work in a cross functional environment and with different technical lines
• QuickBooks, Hyperion, Power BI, preferred

LANGUAGES

• Fluently spoken and written English and Spanish
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French or Arabic), preferred

Competencies, Values and Comments

VALUES: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

CORE COMPETENCIES: Communication; Collaboration and Teamwork; Judgement and Decision Making; National Societies and Customer Relations; Creativity and Innovation; Building Trust

MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES: Managing Staff Performance; Managing Staff Development; Strategic Orientation

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: Strategic Orientation; Leadership; Empowering Others