The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has an opening in its Geneva offices for a

 

 

FINANCE CONTROLLER

IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORLD SERVICE

 

 

LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world. 

 

A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centered and community- based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures. 

 

For additional information please see www.lutheranworld.org/WorldService

 

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Starting date:  to be determined

Duration of contract:  initial contract of 5 years

Closing date for applications:  17 April 2020

Candidates are required to be in sympathy with the core values of our organization

Average travel days per year: extensive (more than 20 days)

Purpose

The Department for World Service (DWS) is responsible for carrying out diakonal response to humanitarian emergencies and human needs on behalf of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). In pursuance of its responsibility and based on its strategy, World Service:

• operates together with and on behalf of the LWF member churches;
• provides support to refugees, returnees, internally displaced people, their host communities and communities at risk, emphasizing livelihoods, quality services, protection and social cohesion;
• establishes and runs country programs and emergency operations;
• engages in cooperation and partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations, relevant United Nations agencies and other structures involved in humanitarian and development programs as they link to the WS mandate, and represents LWF in the ACT Alliance.

 

The Finance Unit in DWS is responsible for section 6.3 of the World Service strategy, Robust Financial Management that requires strategic use of modern systems to control and monitor the financial risks and to use the available resources to achieve the best value for money.

 

The Finance Controller is required to provide technical input on quality controls on the financial systems, procedures, reporting, budgeting, auditing and monitoring of financial risks.

The Finance Controller has a special task of working alongside the Sage coordinator to ensure monthly consolidation of sage dats from all country programs.

A large part of the time will be spent on detailed analysis of the financial and audit reports and to provide sustainable technical solutions in line with the LWF/WS established policies and procedures and the international accounting standards and practices.

 

Required qualifications: 

• Professional qualification such as ACCA, CMA, CPA or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or Business administration.
• Knowledge of Sage accounting software or similar accounting software.

 

Additional study and experience 

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Finance controller, Finance manager or an auditor in an international audit firm.
• Proficiency in English and either Spanish or French is required. Arabic an asset.
• Practical experience in rollout of an accounting software.

  

LWF core skills

• Analytical thinking – expert level
• Achieving results – expert level
• Initiative – advanced level 
• Accountability – advanced level
• Working effectively with others – advanced level 
• Leadership – basic level 

 

Required skills

• Financial management / audits – expert level
• Regulatory compliance – expert level
• Attention to detail – expert level
• Capacity building / training – advanced level 
• Data management – advanced level
• Communication – basic level 

 

 

Position environment and dimensions 

 

Internally, as a member of the Finance Team, reporting to the Global Finance Coordinator, mainly interacts with Finance team in Geneva, Regional Program Coordinators, Finance staff in the assigned Country programs, Office of Finance in Geneva and other WS staff in Geneva.

Externally, interacts and relates with LWF auditors in Geneva and country programs, sage systems providers, donors particularly the Related Organizations and other partners during travels to LWF field programs.

 

Main duties

As part of the overall task of performing quality controls through financial monitoring and reviews, key tasks include:

Financial reviews and controls

• Performing detailed review and analysis of Country Program financial reports and providing feedback on observations and corrective actions to the country programs.
• Provide on-going support to Country Programs to ensure that all financial records and backup documentation are properly filed and that all financial transactions have proper documentation.

Reporting and audits

• Ensuring that Country Programs provide the required monthly financial reports within the timelines prescribed in the Finance manual.
• Carry out quality checks on the audit statements from the assigned Country Programs in order to ensure compliance with the LWF finance manual and audit instructions.
• Work closely with the RPC to monitor the implementation of the audit recommendations arising from annual and project audits.
• Support the finance managers in ensuring that the required financial reports are sent in a timely manner to Geneva and to the fundiing agencies in line with the finance manual and the individual funding Agreements.

Planning and budgeting

• Support the Finance managers and the Regional program coordinators (RPC) to collate and analyze Country Program operational and donor budgets, paying particular attention to the accuracy, completeness and funding gaps.
• Follow-up and consolidate the annual budgets from the assigned Country programs during the times of preparing the master budget, PBO, AFR and other project budgets.

Systems improvement and capacity support

• Provide input in developing financial systems, tools, templates, procedures and processes that are aimed at ensuring that LWF/WS meets its objective of having a robust financial management.
• Provide capacity assistance to Finance managers to understand and comply with LWF/WS financial regulations and other regulations donor policies and procedures including awards and contracts.
• Provide on-going training of the Finance managers on technical accounting aspects with the goal of establishing high performing and sustainable finance teams.
• Occasionally travel to the field programs (two or three times a year) to carry out spot-check audits in order to assess Country Program compliance with the donor rules as well as WS policies and procedures.

Financial management support at the HQ office in Geneva

• Provide technical support to the LWF/WS office in Geneva regarding the A and B budgets and during the consolidation of the annual audit report and other project audits carried out in Geneva.
• As a specific task, the position holder works closely with the Sage coordinator to ensure monthly data dump from all country programs and to ensure that the Sage coordinators performs quarterly consolidation of the Sage data.
• Support other units in World Service in times of specific processes such as systems discussions, investigations, special reports to donors and unforeseen requests for financial information.
• Liaise with the Finance support officer regarding funds request from assigned country programs and to be a backup support during limited times of absence.

 

Major Challenges

The special assignment on the Sage system will require approximately 30% of the work time, during which the incumbent works with the Sage coordinator who is based remotely in Uganda. The special task involves the continuing with the on-going developments on the Sage system and to be involved in the Sage software upgrade and data migration that is scheduled for 2020.

 

To apply, click on the following link: 

https://lutheranworld.recruiterbox.com/jobs/fk0qjtk?cjb_hash=O_jnrT75&apply_now=true