CAFOD mission: to promote human development and social justice in witness to Christian Faith and gospel values.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job purpose:** • To ensure that CAFOD’s financial records and reports correctly reflect International Division (ID) programmes and donor contracts. • To ensure that management information systems provide accurate reports of programme finances. • To help ID staff (both in London and overseas) with the financial management of programmes and larger grants.
Job scope: The job will include the following functions: • Ensure that appropriate structures for programmes and institutional donor grants are set up in CAFOD’s accounting system and programme database. • Make programme recharges, including salary recharges and indirect administration costs. • Ensure integrity of the institutional contract database. • Give advice and support to staff, both in London and international offices, in assessing the financial capacity of partners, particularly in relation to programming and institutional donor funding. • Help staff develop accounting plans and cost centre budgets for programmes. • Help staff to set up the necessary systems to maintain the financial records of the programmes and to pull together data for institutional donor reports. • Help staff use information from partners’ reports and from CAFOD accounts in the production of consolidated donor reports. • Develop tools, build up understanding and provide ad hoc support in relation to accounting for programmes.
The Programme Support Accountant is a new post within the Financial Management Team, which also includes the Head of Financial Management, the Management Accountant and the Internal Audit Officer.
Job scope: The post holder works closely with the Financial Management team.
Accountability: The role reports to Head of Financial Management.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES • Improve the financial planning and management of programmes and projects, especially those financed with external institutional and government funds. • Ensure that CAFOD’s financial systems properly reflect programme funding. • Mitigate the risks associated with institutional donor funding by helping maintain high standards of financial reporting. • Improve efficiency by providing managers with a clear picture of programme finances.
KEY CHALLENGES CAFOD’s larger international programmes involve expenditure by partners overseas and by CAFOD, both in London and in its international offices. Funding is sourced from both within CAFOD and from external institutional and government donors. Accounting and reporting are complex and financial systems and reports need to comply with both CAFOD regulation and donor conditions.
CAFOD needs to ensure that such programmes are set up in a way which facilitates record keeping and reporting, and the necessary systems and staff need to be in place to ensure that record keeping is correct and internal controls are in place. The programmes need to be handled in the correct way at different levels, both in the central accounting system, and by CAFOD’s international offices and partners.
There is also increasing demand from managers to have better financial information about the programme funds they are managing. This requires development of new systems as currently in the area of planning, budget management and reporting on these funds.
This post will support the ID staff members who are responsible for managing and reporting on major programmes, and work with Finance and IT staff to ensure that systems are in place and followed and that problems arising are dealt with.
COMPETENCIES The highest priorities for the post holder are: • Professional accounting qualification e.g. ACCA or CIMA. • Proven track record of working with financial accounting systems, including accounting software. • Able and willing to travel overseas. • Ability to produce financial repost/management accounts. • Analyses and diagnoses problems with depth and insight. • Help others to achieve goals. • Builds rapport and communicates effectively.
It is very important that the post holder can: • Handle relationships across a large organisation and cross culturally. • Look outward; take account of other people’s priorities. • Support a culture of mutual respect, trust and transparency, where partnerships flourish. • Manage time and resources efficiently. • Manage emotions and stresses positively. • Display sound judgement and decision making. • Provide creativity and innovation; take risks within context of overall strategy. • Resolve conflict successfully. • Show drive and initiative. • Adapt easily to change.
The post holder must possess: • Knowledge and understanding of overseas development and relief work. • Ability to working in a different language especially French or Spanish • An understanding of and active support of CAFOD’s Vision, Mission and Values. • An understanding of the Catholic Church and ability to work effectively with it. • Ability to contribute to the long development of CAFOD. • Ability to manage own personal growth and development continually. • Ability to take ownership and be openly accountable.
A commitment to CAFOD’s Vision, Mission and Values is essential for all staff.
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Submission of Applications Application forms must be submitted to Margaret Caluori, Romero Close, Stockwell Road, London SW9 9TY or email to
Closing date for applications: 23rd January 2008 1st round of interviews: Wednesday 6th February 2008 2nd round of interviews (for those shortlisted after the 1st round): Wednesday 13th February 2008
If you do not hear from us with 14 days of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occassion. If you would like an acknowledgement of receipt of your application form, please enclose a stamped self addressed postcard, which will be stamped, dated and returned to you.
