Organizational Context
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies. The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during, and after disasters, health emergencies, and other crises.
IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.
IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters is organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy, and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy, and Corporate Services
IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster, and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.
The Kinshasa country cluster supports the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Republic of Congo/Congo Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Burundi. These countries are in the Congo Basin and have a total population of over 123.7 million. The DRC is a very large country with 2.345 million km², while the other 3 countries are small in terms of area (Rwanda (26,338 km²), Burundi (27,834 km²), and Congo (342,000 km²).
These countries share several common humanitarian challenges, including health and epidemic risks, food insecurity and malnutrition, poverty, conflict, climate-related shocks (such as floods, droughts, and landslides), and large-scale displacement and population movements.
Job Purpose
Reporting to the Head of the Country Cluster Delegation, the Corporate Services Coordinator will coordinate and facilitate the provision of comprehensive and effective corporate services for enabling IFRC operations and programs in the DRC Cluster office. In addition to the primary role of supervising the financial aspects of the cluster, the position holder will oversee and coordinate the support service areas of Administration, fleet and logistics, procurement, and Information Technology. This position will be based in one of the four Countries of the Cluster (DRC, Republic of Congo, Rwanda or Burundi) depending of where the best candidate will be found.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Ensure that a rigorous internal control environment is maintained, including proper segregation of duties, that all spending is within Project Expenditure Approval Request (PEAR) approval, and that all spending is valid and complies with the IFRC procedures.
- Ensure that Mou & project agreements are in place for all National Society working advances, follow up on dormant working advances, and ensure the flow of expenditure clearance from staff working advances. Project agreements should have a clear budget breakdown, project proposal, and timeframe for spending and reporting. Compulsory to complete monthly working advance reconciliation between IFRC and NS.
- Support the implementation of the organization’s finance policies, processes, and procedures as well as internal and external audit recommendations.
- Manage the funds and financial assets of the cluster including cash flow and cost control management as well as the management of payments, cashier, and bank signatory.
- Manage the monthly financial cycle, within deadlines, without significant error, and maintain the accuracy of the numbers, to ensure satisfactory audit reports and positive evaluations of the financial aspects of cluster programs and operations.
- Record and report separately on operational and programmatic financial commitments (external agreements, pipeline purchase orders, program commitments, etc.) and be fully aware of possible commitments and planned ventures.
- Monitor and follow up on the Cluster income and cash pledges, identify overdue pledge payments or dormant pledges, and flag underspending in a timely manner for possible pledge timeframe extensions.
- Ensure that all donor financial reporting requirements are met within set deadlines and that the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of the reports are maintained.
- Act as Finance Controller to safeguard IFRC’s legal obligations and commitments and take logical and financially sound decisions including tracking donor balances and ensuring appropriate coding of expenses.
- Provide comprehensive technical review/and advice on donor grants and proposals to the Head of Country cluster and Strategic Engagement and Partnerships (SEP) colleague prior to signing funding agreement agreements while ensuring that finance validation is done before concluding the funding agreements.
- Coordinate the preparation of operating and program budgets, manage the budgeting cycle (Appeal, Operating Budgets, and project ceilings), ensure that detailed, realistic, and achievable budgets are presented for the Country Delegation, and provide advice to managers on budgetary matters.
- Liaise closely with the finance analyst, budget holders, and Head of the country cluster keeping them updated on all significant financial issues pertaining to the operation and seeking advice/input/instruction as required.
- Supervise the day-to-day processing of transactions in accordance with established procedures, cash and bank payments as well as manage the provision of accounting services and perform the month-end financial close process.
- Provide expertise and advice to project management on an ad hoc basis on financial management matters pertaining to operations and programs as well as monitor financial key performance financial indicators monthly and provide advice and/or instruction to managers as to how to improve.
- Coordinate the preparation of financial reports for management purposes as well as donor financial reports and ad hoc financial reports as may be required, and support program and year-end audits.
Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)
- Effectively manage the funds available for programs and operations at the country level, consistent with organizational policies, and with a view to minimizing the risk of loss. Includes monitoring field bank account balances, preparing accurate and timely cash requests, ensuring timely reporting, and invoicing, and managing bank account balances to minimize foreign exchange volatility on cash held for programs and operations.
- Act as the risk management focal point of the cluster in identifying and reporting the potential risks related to the activities carried out within the cluster and put in place with the support of the HoC and the regional risk management, strong measures for the mitigation of the identified risks;
- Assess and update the risk register as regularly as possible depending on the context changings;
- Incorporate risk management framework and control mechanism in the programs and operations of the cluster, and also provide training to IFRC & NS staff to consider risk management as a tool or technique for the day-to-day management of programmes and projects
- Lead and guide the Support Service Officer of the cluster to deliver on tasks effectively.
- Ensure proper maintenance of inventory of IFRC assets in all offices of the Cluster.
- Ensure provision of adequate and timely support to staff and visitors in terms of accommodation, travel, flight arrangements, and airport transfer, considering value for money.
- Ensure adequate and timely coordination of event management-related tasks including cost estimation, venue selection, hotel booking, visas, catering, and training inputs.
- Ensure timely processing of visas for internationally recruited staff, consultants, and visitors heading to cluster countries, and follow-up with relevant diplomatic missions for visa of DRC staff heading for overseas work-related engagements.
- Ensure compliance with IFRC administrative and logistics global procedures (fleet, procurement, assets, etc.)
- Coordinate more complicated or more significant procurements for the office or operations
- Regularly review internal procedures and documents to ensure they meet IFRC standards and requirements and meet local requirements.
- Ensure that the database of the vendors is updated, the vendors are evaluated bi-annually before the extension of any framework agreement and assess the areas of support where there is a need to contract vendor/service provider.
- Ensure that all the contracts (lease, service, framework agreement) are in place and extend them in a timely manner by keeping a contract tracking table with all the relevant information for any required/anticipated action.
- Coordinate with the legal department to provide the cluster team with training and refreshing sessions on the e-contract application and contract management.
- In case of emergency operations and programs, develop an approach of dynamic fleet management within the cluster for example foresee the operationalization of a hub to deserve on a timely and efficient the needs in vehicles and any other fleet service or asset needed.
- Ensure that departments of the Cluster receive timely support in meeting their digitalization requirements including the testing, rollout, and operations of digitalization solutions in coordination with regional leads.
- Ensure timely and relevant deployment of IT surge capacity and digital data collection tools in emergency situations.
- Ensure relevant coordination and advisory services to help strengthen the IT and digitalization capacity of the National Society.
- Ensure the provision of effective, high-quality, fit-for-purpose IT services and support in the cluster.
Education
- Relevant university degree (master’s in business administration, Audit or equivalent)
- Professional qualification in accounting (Chartered accountant, CPA or equivalent)
Experience
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience
- Minimum of 5 years in finance management position
- Minimum of 2 years work experience with an International Organisation, international non-governmental organization, NGO and/or government development agency
- Experience working with the International Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement
- Experience in Team Management and remote support
- Experience in plan & budget, financial analysis & statements, reporting & treasury management, external financial audit.
- Experience working in multicultural environment
Knowledge, Skills and Languages
- Service minded, ability to lead, delegate and manage from distance
- Result-oriented, ability to lead transitions within a matrix management structure
- Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality, acting as a model of highest integrity in personal capacity and at team level.
- High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity with internal and external stakeholders
- Good ability in representation, negotiation, networking and communication
- Advanced skills in computer productivity applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)
- Advanced knowledge of accounting concepts
- Knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards or equivalent
- Advanced knowledge of financial management and reporting applications (e.g. UNIT4 and Business Objects)
- Understanding of internal control and treasury management concepts
- Financial management skills
- Ability to effectively provide training on finance & administration management matters, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and engaging partners
- Fluently spoken and written English and French
Competencies, Values and Comments
- Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.
- Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.
- Functional competencies: Strategic orientation; Building alliances; Leadership; Empowering others.
- Managerial competencies: Managing staff performance; Managing staff development.
