Regional Roving Finance Coordinator

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The IDLO Finance Department is an integral part of the project team, which seeks to ensure financial integrity with the goal of realizing a high level of transparency and accountability in the execution of various donors’ projects. The Finance Department places a high value on producing accurate and auditable financial reports for all its stakeholders.

Under the direct supervision of the Finance and Grants Manager, the Regional Roving Finance Coordinator supports the Regional Program Accounting unit that is made up of six IDLO regions (Latin America and Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Asia, East Africa, West Africa, and Middle East and North Africa) by providing, upon request, technical assistance to the country offices and HQ programme’s department. The Regional Roving Finance Coordinator will act as a backup to the Finance and Grants Manager as well as the Regional Program Accounting unit employees in case of absence. The incumbent interacts with internal as well as external functions.

Summary of the Key Functions:

• Support technical and operational aspects of financial management across multiple country offices, focusing on data, reporting, compliance, audits and system improvement.
• Apply expertise in accounting systems and financial operations within a deadline-driven project management environment.
• Ensure financial processes align with compliance standards and drive continuous system improvements to enhance operational efficiency.
• Provide training on technical matters and compliance issues, including the use of existing ERP system, IPSAS, Auditing Standards, IDLO policies and procedures and Donor rules and regulations, as applicable.

Duties & Responsibilities

Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:

Accounting & Compliance

• Support the team to ensure that the key performance indicators are met in compliance with IDLO’s policies and procedures. Follow up with the respective team members to address any matters of concern and support them in the implementation of corrective action points.
• Accurately track and analyse monthly program expenditures and revenue, ensuring the monthly revenue and expenditure forecast report is updated (and all data are reconciled with the accounting system), for the review of the supervisor.
• Support the program accounting unit during the month-end closing procedures, ensuring the accuracy of data duly incorporated into the ERP Navision System.
• Assist the supervisor in driving initiatives aimed at enhancing data capture processes both within and outside of the financial system, leading to more accurate and comprehensive reporting.
• Contribute to the optimization of the online archive system to improve data retrieval and document access, including the efficient management of monthly balance sheet reconciliations and related financial documentation.
• Provide technical assistance to all country offices in the implementation of IPSAS.
• Ensure Adherence to Financial Standards: Provide oversight on financial management processes across the regional program offices to ensure they comply with IDLO’s internal controls, policies, and external regulations (e.g., donor rules, IPSAS, audit standards).
• Provide support to all country offices in the efficient use of MS Navision, including the automation of processes and reporting.
• Contribute to the realization of new initiatives in the finance unit and the rollout of pilot projects both at HQ and country offices as per direction given by the supervisor.
• Assist in harmonization of policies, tools and processes across IDLO country offices to achieve standardization.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned across country offices and HQ in the sphere of responsibility.

Grants management, Budgeting & Reporting

• Provide support in consolidating the annual operating budgets per region (and country), and identify funding gaps and other financial issues, for the supervisor’s review and discussion with the regional program managers and country leads.
• Update monthly, the consolidated monitoring report of budget versus expenditure and cash flow and propose appropriate preventative interventions and solutions in a timely fashion, in collaboration with the Regional Programme Accountants.
• Prepare monthly programme recovery reports and ensure intra-bank transfers are done. Ensure monthly reconciliation between programme deferred accounts and programme bank accounts balances.
• Support the country offices and the Regional Programme Accountants to coordinate the sub-granting processes, monitoring, and management systems.
• Prepare monthly monitoring reports on IDLO contributions for donor matching funds (including in-kind contributions).
• Support the finance and grants manager in the review of new budgets and budget amendments, ensuring all financial related aspects are incorporated. This includes the aspect of adequate staffing across all CO.
• Support the finance and grants manager in the preparation of various donor and other stakeholder reports that may be required, including IATI.

Treasury & Forex management

• Monitor impacts of exchange rate fluctuations of donors’ funds’ transfers versus program budgets. Ensure monthly report is prepared and sent timely to the supervisor to ensure necessary actions are taken in collaboration with the budget holders.
• Monitor country offices (CO) bank balances versus fund transferred from HQ and ensure reasonable cash balances are maintaining at the CO level to minimize exposure to foreign currency, according to IDLO procedures.
• Monitor the fluctuation of various exchange rates among global currencies and inform the supervisor of any potential implications. As applicable, advise programs departments appropriately and ensure any corrective actions related to forex movements are put in place.
• Review the forex gain and loss account in detail monthly and advise the supervisor on any appropriate action that needs to be taken to minimize the forex risk exposure to the organization.

Staff guidance & Training

• Support the Regional Programme Accountant to coach CO finance teams providing necessary technical guidance on accounting issues and provide expert advice and training on donor rules and regulations.
• Cross-Regional Coordination: Facilitate coordination between regional program offices to ensure financial processes, policies, and reporting practices are harmonized and standardized across all locations and ensure that country offices meet the agreed-upon financial performance targets.
• Support the Regional Programme Accountant to guide team members (finance and non-finance staff), on IDLO financial policies and procedures and the application of IPSAS.

Audit

• Support the Regional Programme Accountants in programme audit activities and liaise with internal / external auditors providing the technical input and all necessary documentation required during audits.
• In collaboration with the Regional Programme Accountants, maintain and update, IDLO project audit planning. Provide a quarterly updated plan to the supervisor for review.
• Support the Regional Programme Accountants to undertake regular CO visits for monitoring and compliance checks; follow up on audit recommendations and propose improvements to ensure accountability.
• Consolidate the audits findings (including internal audits) and prepare a corrective action plan, to be reviewed by the supervisor and approved by the Head of Finance. Follow-up the action plan implementation and provide a quarterly progress report.
• Audit Oversight and Follow-up: Actively participate in audit activities and ensure that audit recommendations are followed up on effectively. Maintain an oversight role in ensuring corrective action plans are developed and implemented in response to audit findings. Regularly track the progress of audit-related corrective actions.
• Monitoring Financial Compliance: Regularly review financial transactions, reporting, and documentation across country offices to ensure that financial practices are in line with IDLO policies, donor requirements, and local regulations. Proactively identify discrepancies and initiate corrective actions when necessary.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or Business is required.
• Professional certification in accounting from a recognized professional accounting institution – ACCA, CPA, ACA, or equivalent.
• Member of a professional accounting institute.

Experience

• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive international experience, ideally within an international intergovernmental/international non-governmental organization or the
• Substantial professional experience with all aspects of financial accounting, including applying international accounting standards, with emphasis on IPSAS
• Prior audit experience will be an added advantage.
• Comprehensive understanding of internal controls, finance functions & processes, within an IPSAS environment, coupled with hands-on experience in improving the effectiveness of finance functions and processes, including reporting and automation.
• Exposure to working with multiple currencies & and in project-driven deadline environments will be an advantage

Language

• Fluent oral and writing skills in English is required.
• Knowledge of French, Arabic, or Spanish will be an asset.

Specific knowledge, skills, and competencies

• Demonstrated work experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (preferably with MS NAVISION) and business intelligence reporting tools like Power BI.
• Strong client service ethics; solid team-oriented interpersonal skills, including facilitation.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• High degree of accuracy to ensure the correctness of financial information.
• Ability to effectively interact with various people, including senior managers, on complex issues.
• Ability and willingness to travel to field offices, including unstable contexts.
• Good team player, positive attitude, and comfortable working in multicultural.
• Keen sense of ethics, integrity, and commitment to IDLO’s mandate.
• Maintaining a high level of professionalism, both in oral and written communication always, considering working in a multicultural environment.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

For this internationally professional recruited position, IDLO shall offer the selected candidate a Fixed Term contract of 24 months, with possibility of extension subject to performance and availability of funding.

IDLO shall also offer a yearly basic salary of EUR 56,000 and a benefits package including provident fund contribution, medical insurance, leave entitlements in accordance with IDLO Employee Regulations and Rules. Relocation and installation support are also available for internationally recruited employees.

Salaries and benefits paid by IDLO to employees are exempt from taxation in Italy. IDLO employees are responsible for compliance with income tax laws of their country of nationality or residence and/or of any other relevant fiscal jurisdiction.

Applications will be screened on regular basis; a qualified applicant might be recruited before the deadline. In the interest of making most effective use of resources, only the short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process.

IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome applications of qualified and diverse candidates.

IDLO is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance at all levels within its workforce. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for IDLO vacancies.

IDLO does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse, any kind of harassment, including harassment of a sexual nature, or discrimination. As such, IDLO will conduct careful reference and background checks of all selected candidates as part of its selection process.

Application deadline: 31 December 2024 (23:59hrs Rome Time).