TERMS OF REFERENCE
Title: PHAST Finance Manager, Whole of Syria (WoS)
Department: PHAST Consortium
Location: Turkey , Gaziantep /
Reporting to: PHAST Deputy Chief of Party
Direct reports: Finance Compliance Officer
Budget responsibility: Not Applicable
* This role is classified as requiring standard/ advanced pre-employment checks
*Refer to the safeguarding classifications in the recruitment and selection SOP
ABOUT Relief International.
Relief International (RI) is a leading non-profit organization working in 16 countries globally to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and chronic poverty.
RI combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact and resilience. We focus on health/nutrition, education, economic opportunity, and water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) programming while integrating protection, environment/climate change, and conflict mitigation in partnership with the communities we serve. We empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.
RI includes the three corporate members of the RI Alliance: RI-US, RI-UK, and MRCA/RI-France. Under our alliance agreement, we operate as a single, shared management structure.
About our Programs
RI is active in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.
RI employs about 5,000 staff and auxiliary workers
97% of staff are local nationals and there are about 90 international (expat) staff.
2021 programs budget is about $125M
RI receives funding from a broad range of institutional donors – US,UK, Europe, and the UN, to delivery life-saving and resilience building programming with communities and local and international partners. RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change.
Position Summary
Relief International (RI) and it’s implementing partners aim to strengthen the overall health system in Northwest Syria by supporting health facilities to provide lifesaving health and nutrition services to vulnerable communities. The interventions will be guided by a robust monitoring framework built on RI and its implementing partners’ experience operating in the Syrian context, leveraging each organization’s operational presence and networks to deliver essential services to conflict-affected communities through a coordinated and integrated approach. RI and its partners also provide specialized protection services through women and girls’ safe spaces (WGSS), gender-based violence (GBV) case management, psychosocial support, life skills, and outreach activities. The Finance Manager will directly report to the Deputy CoP and technical line to the Whole of Syria Finance Manager (WoS FM). He/she will support the DCoP in overseeing the project finances, donor reporting, monthly and quarterly donor forecast, ensuring budget vs. actuals are updated, expenses belonging to the project are charged to the correct budget codes, lead the project-specific audits in collaboration with WoS FM, conduct monthly/quarterly financial visits of partners, organize and present formal reports to DCoP and WoS FM. Moreover, this position will ensure day-to-day collaboration and coordination with the Hub-based Finance Manager for any matters related to project finances.
PHAST Consortium Management Unit (CMU) – including the Finance Manager – maintains collaborative/coordination linkages with RI and its implementing partners’ focal points in Turkey and RI WoS for the functions of (M&E, Finance, Safety and Security, HR, operations, Management, Protection, and Communication and Advocacy) defined in the organogram.
Essential Responsibilities and Duties
A. Position Responsibilities and Duties
o Support the DCOP and WoS FM in providing strategic guidance, leadership, management, and general technical oversight of the project finances, with a strong focus on ensuring adherence to donor and RI guidelines and standards.
o Assist DCOP in successfully implementing the project’s financial aspects, including timely preparation of high-quality budget forecasts, donor reports, financial statements, and expense management within the approved budget.
o Work closely with the Awards/Compliance Manager to ensure the sub-recipients comply with Subgrant Agreement (SGA) requirements and other OFDA/BHA regulations.
o Develop monthly/quarterly financial verification visits ToRs to conduct partners’ verification visits to ensure compliance with RI/OFDA guidelines. Visits will be undertaken in consultation with DCoP and WoS FM, and where necessary Awards/Compliance Manager will accompany them depending on the nature of the visit. The consolidated mission report will be shared with DCoP, WoS FM, and other Senior Management Team (SMT) members (if applicable).
o Ensure timely accrual of the partners’ payments in NetSuite and upon submission of deliverable reports and monthly liquidation of advance payments.
o Conduct educational and training workshops for partners and project technical team to ensure they understand agreement compliance, RI finance templates, financial reporting needs, and proper interpretation of budget vs. actual information.
o In coordination with Northwest Syria (NWS) and WoS Finance Managers, draft/update necessary financial management SoPs for partners and RI to ensure a smooth and compliant atmosphere within the project.
o Ensure the project is ready for any audits and donor compliance visits.
o Oversee the timely and accurate preparation and submission of monthly/quarterly financial statements and other cost reports to DCoP, WoS FM, and USAID. Guide the project staff and partners regarding project over/underspending challenges.
o Ensure continuous coordination and collaboration with RI Hub-based management and NWS FM to ensure RI monthly financial requirements towards the project management team for PHSAT are timely fulfilled, expenses are charged to the right activity lines, and monthly BVA and projections are timely updated for DCoP and WoS FM review.
o Collect monthly financial reports from the partners and necessary supporting documents for review and approval in coordination with DCoP to ensure partners are eligible to receive the next advance.
o Develop project specific monthly/quarterly funds forecasts in coordination with NWS FM and the partners’ finance counterparts for submission to the WoS office in Amman.
o Develop projections to recoup funds from OFDA/BHA.
o Maintain the master budget of the project-specific funds, and ensure it should feed the information to the country office master budget.
o Produce financial reports concerning project activities per the requirement of host government authorities for submission. Moreover, coordinate sample collection from RI Hub and partners’ finance departments during RI external/global/donor audits in consultation with DCOP and WoS FM.
o Participate in drafting new proposal budgets if funding opportunities are aligned with the PHSAT mandate. Also, take the lead in project-specific budget modification/realignment in close coordination with NWS FM and partners’ finance counterparts and ensure the final version goes to the WoS FM upon CoP sign-off.
o Ensure project burn rates and spending are on track and promptly inform the CMU and WoS FM about the project’s financial status. Ensure the projections and actuals correspond to program needs.
o Carry out any other official tasks and responsibilities assigned by the supervisor.
Safeguarding and conduct
· Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
· Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, contribute to ensuring that all those who come into contact with Relief International staff and the communities we serve can be trusted to work safely with them
· Support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.
· Work collaboratively with the Global Safeguarding Manager to advocate for the inclusion of safeguarding activities and resources within program
· Ability to demonstrate knowledge of donor requirements of safeguarding standards and protection from exploitation and abuse
Role requirements.
o Bachelor’s degree/Master’s in finance, accounting, economics, and business administration. Candidates with master’s or professional degrees (CA, CIMA, ACCA and CPA) will be preferred.
o At least 5-7 years of experience in a managerial role as finance, grants, or compliance manager for USAID/BHA, DFID, or ECHO-funded projects with INGOs.
o Strong knowledge of USAID/BHA rules and regulations (CFR 200), cost principles, eligibility, and disallowed costs standards. Also, proven understanding of USAID/BHA reporting requirements and experience managing partnership grant portfolios.
o Excellent MS Excel skills to produce quality financial analysis, master budget, and master cost allocation sheets.
o Excellent financial planning, management, and coordination skills, with the ability to organize a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities.
o Proven track record of active contribution to providing strategic support across multiple sectors and/or regions linked with finance-related responsibilities.
o Extensive experience with INGOs with increasing responsibilities, including a proven experience in establishing and running finance/grants/partnership projects, will be considered an asset.
o Experience working in the Middle East or other conflict areas and a sound understanding of Syria’s situation will be considered an asset.
o Strong capacity for attention to detail, problem-solving, and analysis of trends.
o Computer literate (i.e., MS Word, advanced Excel, Outlook, Internet Explorer, and financial systems).
o Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
o Require excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skills.
o Require strong English skills in speaking, reading, underspending, and writing. Knowledge of the Arabic language is an added advantage.
o Require excellent analytical and organizational skills and the ability to think critically and creatively.
o Flexible and willing to perform other duties and work irregular hours.
o Demonstrated ability to work and manage across multi-functional units.
o Organized and able to independently manage multiple tasks under strict deadlines.
o Proven ability to understand, streamline and automate complex processes.
o Cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
RI Values.
Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:
We value:
How to apply.
Closing date. Please apply immediately we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis, therefore may withdraw the position for the job board closing date.
Please apply by uploading your cover letter and up-to-date CV on our website.
Due to limited resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted
Relief International has a zero-tolerance policy for unlawful harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International is committed to protecting our staff and the communities we work with from abuse and harm including sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
All staff are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct.
Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.
COVID 19: To ensure a safe workplace, RI follows government requirements, and in some locations a mandatory vaccination policy applies. When working or traveling on RI business, all staff, contractors and visitors must follow the rules and entry requirements of the country.
RI receives funding from a broad range of institutional donors – US,UK, Europe, and the UN, to delivery life-saving and resilience building programming with communities and local and international partners. RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change.
