Finance & Operations Officer

Finance & Operations Officer

Concern US is recruiting a Finance & Operations Officer for the Innovations for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health project. The goal of the project is to generate and pilot innovative solutions to critical maternal, newborn, and child health service delivery challenges in three targeted locations where need is greatest:  Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Orissa State in India.   Innovations will develop and pilot test a number of solutions working in collaboration with local and international implementing and research organizations.

The Innovations Finance & Operations Officer will work as part of the project’s Central Management Team. S/he will report to the Innovations Finance & Operations Manager and will work closely with the project's Country Managers, Program Operations Managers, and Finance & Systems Officers in each focus country. This position is based in New York and will involve overseas travel.

The Finance & Operations Officer will be responsible for supporting the Finance & Operations Manager in the financial management of the Innovations project and administrative/operational oversight of the pilot initiatives.  S/he will provide accounting and audit support and is responsible for the financial monitoring and analysis of the country office and local partners’ accounting procedures and budget expenditures and for providing financial advice and guidance to the Country Teams.    S/he will act as the leading liaison between the Finance & Operations Manager and the country offices on all accounting matters.   The F&OO will also monitor the operational aspects of pilot project implementation, ensuring alignment of workplans, budgets, and contractual arrangements will implementing and research partners.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

General:

• Work with Finance & Operations Manager and country Finance & Systems Officers to ensure financial standards, policies and procedures are adhered to by the Innovations project partners.
• Works with Country Managers and Program Operations Managers to ensure workplans and timelines are achieved.
• Alerts CMT to any existing or potential financial, execution, or other risks to the project
• Monitors country office project expenditures vis a vis plans and budgets and assists Finance and Operations Manager in assuring fiduciary responsibility is upheld in the Innovations’ country offices.
• Works with country Finance & Systems Officers to ensure monthly accounts and financial narrative reports are properly analyzed, submitted and circulated on a timely basis.
• Ensures project documents are complete, current, and stored appropriately.
• Ensure adequate controls and monitoring over cash, allocation procedures, and capital assets in the country offices.    
• Support the Finance & Operations Manager in monitoring expenditure requests to ensure the project’s money is being appropriately spent and correctly accounted for.

Financial Management & Reporting:

• Serve as liaison, along with Finance & Operations Manager, to financial audits with respect to the Innovations project.
• Perform quarterly and spot audits on partner financial/accounting procedures and quarterly financial reports. 
• Perform internal spot audits for Innovation’s country office expenditures and procedures.
• Ensure project country offices accounting records are up to date and complete:  receipts, purchase orders, expense reports, and other financial/expenditure documents. 
• Provide monthly financial and accounting updates and analyses to Finance & Operations Manager.
• Support Finance & Operations Manager in reviewing  insurance documents, lease agreements, contracts and other legally binding documents with third parties
• Works with Project Implementation Manager to track and analyze project activities and progress, working with CMs to ensure milestones are met, risks and issues are identified, and mitigation plans developed. 

Budgetary Management, Control and Planning:

• Assist the Finance and Operations Manager with the coordination and collation of the project country office budget revision process throughout the year.
• Provide on-going support and leadership to country Finance & Systems Officers for monitoring fund utilization and analyzing spend rates. 
• Alert the Finance & Operations Manager of any significant inconsistencies and/or short-falls in the project country   budgets financial performance.
• Provide accounting support and advice for project country staff as it relates to financial management of the project.
• Organize and support financial analysis, monitoring and training of local partners when needed. 
• Ensure there are adequate procedures in place for identifying the financial impact of changes in proposed activities and for revising the approved budgets.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, and/or Business Administration. Professional Accountancy Qualification/CPA and/or MBA preferred
• 5-7 years experience working a in a senior accounting role of an international organization.
• Proficiency in relevant computer applications (Excel, accounting operations software, project management software, presentation software)
• Excellent organizational and planning skills, analytical and detail oriented, and ability to prioritize a diverse and heavy workload and meet tight deadlines
• Strong interpersonal and communications (written and oral English), and excellent analytical skills
• Empathy with Concern’s ethos, values, strategy and longer term objectives
• Willingness to travel, including to challenging locations, sometimes on short notice and for extended periods of time.
• Proficient spoken and written English

DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES

• Knowledge of Microsoft Great Plains
• Knowledge of Microsoft Project , Clarizen, or other project management software
• Flexible, patient, and  possessing a sense of humor
• Culturally sensitive and able to work with people from various backgrounds and with varying skill levels

Interested applicants should submit

• Resume
• One to two-page cover letter outlining how your experience meets the person specification and include current compensation and compensation expectations.

Concern Worldwide is an international organization dedicated to the assistance and advancement of people in need in the least developed countries of the world.  Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern works throughout Africa, Asia and the Caribbean with a team of 3,250 personnel providing emergency relief and long-term assistance in the areas of education, health, livelihoods and HIV & AIDS. Concern Worldwide US is an affiliate of Concern Worldwide and has its offices in New York City.