Sub-award Finance Officer
Sub-award Finance Officer
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
Program / Department Summary.
As a result of the Syrian civil war there is a major humanitarian crisis. Mercy Corps, along with national and international partners, is working to address urgent humanitarian needs wherever they arise. This response, the largest in Mercy Corps’ global portfolio, is currently comprised of refugee/host response operations in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey in addition to a response to the needs of displaced and conflict-affected populations inside Syria with relief distributions, WASH and livelihoods programming to vulnerable Syrians.
The Mercy Corps Subaward and Compliance Department supports all financial and compliance aspects of subgranting. In its role as a support to the Syria Program Department, the Subaward and Compliance Department is responsible for ensuring subrecipients are compliant with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. It supports the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively. The Department is involved in pre-award and due diligence processes, contracting, financial report support, reviews, and approvals, payments, capacity development, compliance reviews and audits, close-out. The Department is also a main actor in ensuring Partnership strategy is embedded in programming, by providing on-the-job and ad-hoc support to Partners on all finance and compliance related issues in order to ensure compliance and also importantly to build the financial and compliance capacity of partners.
General Position Summary.
Working in the Sub-award and Compliance Department under the direction of the Sub-award Finance Manager and Senior Sub-award Finance Officer, the Sub-award Finance Officer will work closely with Partners to ensure exhaustive financial reporting in compliance with donor and MC subawards policies and procedures.
Essential Responsibilities:
Subgrant Management
- Provide review to all due diligence package and submit them on time to compliance for approval.
- Draft Partner monitoring plan for Sub-award Finance Coordinator & Compliance Director review,
- Provide first review of partner budgets according to partner budget review checklist,
- With the support of the Sub-award Finance Coordinator, assist the Partner to prepare the supporting document matrix for their budget (through meetings with Partner finance staff as needed),
- Review sub-award financial reporting package, amounts, calculations and supporting documents, ensuring compliance with supporting documentation matrix, compile all comments in one document and once agreed with the Sub-award Finance Coordinator and Sub-award & Compliance Director, follow-up issues with Sub-award Finance staff,
- Maintain sub-grant financial files. Ensure all platforms are updated and filed properly (Tracker, Google drive, Navigator)
- Create sub-award cards on Navigator for new sub-grants.
- Track Partners’ expenditures against budgets and flag any issues to Program team and Finance Managers.
- Run Jet reports monthly to ensure a healthy sub-grant cycle.
- Responsible for closing out the sub-grant when the final payment is done.
- Make sure that reports and all supporting documentation is prepared and filed according to MC procedures.
- Assist in the training and support for local NGOs, including answering daily questions.
- Assist the Finance Managers in responding to audit inquiries and requests for financial information.
- To know and be familiar with the subgrant manual, field finance manual, procurement manual and any additional local policies (National Staff Policy Handbook, cash management, local travel, etc.).
General
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission
- Other duties as assigned
Supervisory Responsibility: N/A.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Sub-award Finance Coordinator
Works Directly With: Sub-award & Compliance Manager, other Finance staff, Program and Administrative Staff.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- BA/S or equivalent in Accounting, Finance, Law International Development or related field required;
- Three years or more years of experience in the Finance Department of an non-government organization is an asset;
- Three or more years of subaward financial management experience;
- Three or more years of experience in the region and specifically on the Syria response. Good understanding of the context.
- Familiarity with major international donor rules and non-profit accounting;
- Prior experience with computerized general ledger software;
- Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel and Access;
- Strong analytical skills coupled with a solid understanding of grant management rules;
- Arabic and English, verbal and written required;
- Excellent communication skills;
- Excellent team management, coaching and problem solving skills;
- Familiarity with Lebanese accounting rules and procedures.
Success Factors
A successful candidate will have demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with team members of varied work styles, follow procedures, and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving and a proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and be accountable for results. S/he will be able to understand the larger picture while remaining focused on the details and be able to balance upholding adherence with finance and compliance standards with facilitating the implementation of a complex program. An ability to work independently and as part of a team, a knowledge of procurement and tendering and a curiosity about and sensitivity to new cultures are all essential.
Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Amman, Jordan.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
