Finance Officer

Main responsibilities 

Finance officer has to ensure the quality and timely accounting for the whole mission, as in cash procedures, bank accounts management and reconciliation, receipts and supporting documents, electronic data entry (SAGA input and export), consolidation of overall mission accounting, monthly closing process and documents, ensuring strict respect of deadlines and strict compliance to MdM guidelines, financial standards and procedures, in addition to conformity to Irak legislations regarding accounting, finance, and especially declaration and reporting;

Under the supervision of the Admin Coordinator, the Finance Officer will be responsible for the implementation of financial processes and to conduct the following financial activities.

• Accountancy
• Payments

1. Logistics Payment
2. HR Payment
3. Advance Management

• Bank Management Transfers & Cash
• Other Financial Functions

1. Archiving
2. Internal & External Audits
3. Communication
4. Others

Essential duties

Accountancy

• Responsible for the monthly accountancy preparation for the coordination office in respect to MdM accounting procedures and make sure the field admins have their accountancy operations conform to standards;
• Record all expenses in MDM accountancy’s software (SAGA) daily, and to properly fill in the information needed (date, accounting code, project, budget code etc.). according to the allocation table and Budget forecast.
• Prepare monthly closing, revision, and integrity of accounts for the mission.
• Issue vouchers, and to properly archive the invoices and Saga vouchers in dedicated files.
• Prepare the cash count and bank reconciliation at the end of each month.
• Review monthly accountancy Submission from all bases (hard Copy +soft copy) and integrate it into SAGA
• Submit Final Accountancy (soft copy) to Admin Coordinator as per the prescribed schedule.
• Prepares & Updates all accounting documents required by MdM guidelines and internal procedures;
• Consolidate accounting vouchers (hard copy) documents and submit combined accounting files to Admin Coordinator for his/her review;
• Assist the Admin Coordinator during the review of the hard files of the accountancy before sending it to HQ;
• Translate all invoices into English.

Payments and Advance Follow-ups

• Follow up, review and performs timely payments (both cash & Bank) based on Mission requests in coordination office and the payment requests sent by the field offices when needed and fills in daily accounting books in accordance to MDM procedures and supervise this activity on the base level.
• Preparation of Payment Documents.

1. Logistics Payment

• Prepare the payment of expenses related to the daily operations of the MdM programs, according to MdM procurement procedures (Mission Request, Purchase order, contract, invoices & receipts, quotations, and proformas etc.) and ensure that the invoices are compliant with donor and MDM regulations and procedures.
• Follow up all invoices related to lease contracts, also monitor due dates for payments of contracts.
• Works closely with the Logistics Department to ensure the respect of the procurement procedure: and ensures the proper validation cycle is respected (quotations, evaluation and validation grid, purchase order, delivery note, etc.)
• Responsible of advancing money to logistics & clearance of cash advances.
• Do and follow up the pay-outs and advances, within established guidelines

1. HR Payments

• Ensuring the receipt of the monthly statements from HR department and process timely payment of staff salaries.
• Based on inputs from HR department, process the payment of final settlement when ending working relation with employees (end of contract, resignation or dismissal);
• Monthly follow up and payment of advances on salaries and per diem for the National staff and Expatriate staff as per the prescribed procedures
• Prepare monthly salary advance for expatriates and send to HQ.
• Payment of perdiem to the Expat volunteers.
• payment of perdiem to the employees who stay overnight in Erbil for mission support
• Provide support to Human Resources department for the the payment of Income taxes and social security as per the regulations of the country and MDM procedures.

Bank Management , Transfers & Cash

• Execute Bank account management and reconciliation with support of Admin Coordinator;
• Manage the cash flow between Erbil banks accounts, money exchange and field banks accounts
• Controls the bank balance regularly and advises the Admin Coordinator accordingly
• Requests the bank statements to prepare the bank reconciliation at the end of each month.
• Liaise regularly with the bank to be in line with any change of process or requirements
• Manage the safe and the petty cash journals
• Follow-up and Consolidate the fund request submitted by the field offices and process the transfer after the validation of Admin coordinator.
• Reconcile the accountancy with physical cash and perform daily & weekly cashbox check under the supervision of the Admin Coordinator and report any discrepancies.
• Guarantee security of the cash and confidentiality of information

Other Financial Functions

1. Archiving

• Prepare and archive all necessary documents for monthly accountancy in accordance with MdM procedures: accountancy (ledger, cash controls) and annexes.
• Responsible of scanning the monthly accountancy in Erbil and upload to SharePoint.
• Ensure adequate filling of administrative files;
• Keep the administrative archive on the mission (do the copies, classify and archive)
• Develop filing system for Finance department, and after validation of Admin Coordinator
• Realize copying, filing and scanning, especially for accountancy.

1. Internal & External Audits

• Assist the Admin Coordinator in internal & External Audits;
• Support to look for the documentation required by the auditors (invoices, vouchers and others) and assist Admin Coordinator to answer to the financial questions if needed.

1. Communication

• Updates and coordinates with Admin Coordinator for legal regulations concerning finance issues in Iraq
• Organize weekly meeting with the logistic officer to share information and follow-up of payment, contracts and expenses related to purchases.

1. AOB

• Covering the financial position in another base, if need.
• Administer payment of income tax on quarterly basis and obtain tax clearance at the Directorate of Income Tax
• To be backup for Admin Coordinator for designated tasks when He/She is on leave (if needed)
• Inform immediately the security manager in case of any security problem and impact on MdM intervention areas and/or MdM staff.
• Translate verbally and by written when necessary
• Take part to training, if required by MdM
• Maintain full confidentiality for all work-related information
• Visits to MdM field office including Baghdad office and cover the financial tasks when required, (follow-up MDM’s files with ministry of finance, bank, tax authority etc..)
• Perform other additional duties on request of supervisor.

Skills required:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting

Professional Experience: 

• Minimum 2-year experience in a similar position (NGOs/private companies

Skills and qualities required:

• Good knowledge of banking sector
• Good on negotiation with authority
• Good analytical and writing skills
• Good knowledge of the MS office software including Word, Outlook. Excellent in Excel. Knowledge of SAGA is a strong asset

Required personal skills:

• Ability to take initiative to deal with difficulties encountered in daily work
• Ability to adapt or change priorities according to the changing situation within a mission or the organization itself
• Be flexible in performing the duties.
• Autonomy, neutrality, hard worker
• Able to manage stress and pressure, well organized

Languages:

• English: Fluent
• Arabic: Fluent
• Kurdish: fluent

Employment conditions

• Position based in Erbil (with regular travel to field offices if needed)