The Field Office Operations and Finance Manager

Job Description

ICMA is the premier local government leadership and management organization. Our mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and fostering professional local government management worldwide. The organization provides technical and management assistance, training, and information resources to its members and the broader local government community. The leadership and management decisions made by ICMA's nearly 9,000 members affect nearly 185 million individuals in thousands of communities, from small towns with populations of a few hundred to metropolitan areas serving several million. If you have the interest, passion and commitment for making a difference in the lives of those who make a difference in communities worldwide, consider ICMA an employer of choice.

ICMA is seeking a Field Office Operations and Finance Manager who is dedicated to supporting general field operations and finance functions. This position requires having in-depth knowledge of donor funded programs, particularly USAID, and will help ensure that the project implementation complies with donor requirements, ICMA policies, Federal Regulations and host country laws.

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Section A - Field Operations:

1. Lead the project startup and closeout efforts in coordination with other ICMA staff. For startup, it includes in-country registration, bank account establishment, procurement of office space, retention of legal services, roll out of policies and procedures, and hiring of local staff and security support. For orderly closeout, ensure that closeout plans are prepared and executed on schedule. Serve as a lead person for field offices or project closeout including review of budgets, expenses, commitments, projections, deliverables, and inventory disposition plans.
2. Be responsible for in-country registration, taxation, reporting requirements and legal matters that affect the ICMA programs.
3. In concert with ICMA HO staff, establish, review and improve internal operating systems for ICMA field offices. Ensure that ICMA field operating policies and procedures are according to the highest standards of internal controls and are administratively efficient and cost effective. Maintain an operating manual for each field office. Be responsible to roll out policies and procedures in the field through trainings and orientations, and supervise the implementation of policies and procedures in the field offices. Conduct field operations oversight through periodic reviews to ensure that processes and policies are followed by field staff, including inventory management and procurement.
4. Serve as a HO focal point for overall field security including ICMA Crisis Management Plan. This includes participating in the procurement of security providers, conducting security assessments, providing security updates to appropriate ICMA staff, and establishing country security standard operating procedures. Ensure field staff receives orientation and training on ICMA security standards on a regular basis. Make decisions in coordination with senior staff in matters related to field security.
5. Develop and deliver trainings to ICMA HO and field staff on a variety of topics. Respond to program requests for assistance, information and implementation of a broad range of topics, such as allowances, regulations, procedures and field office personnel issues.
6. Perform other duties as requested by CFO.

Section B – Field Office Finance and Compliance:

1. Collaborate with finance and program staff as well as field staff to identify compliance and finance risks at the field level and identify ways to mitigate those risks. Develop systems and procedures that are effective and efficient in preventing, detecting, identifying and correcting noncompliance with applicable regulations, laws and standards throughout all field operations.
2. Budget management and preparation: Prepare financial plans and maintain project budgets in coordination with Program Managers, including pipeline analysis. Assist Program Managers in preparation of budgets for new awards and extensions as needed.
3. Review of expenses related to funded projects: Establish appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that program expenses are in accordance with ICMA financial and procurement policies and procedures. Review/approve all expenditures related to grants and contracts for accuracy, allowability, adequate supporting documentation, proper authorization, compliance with internal policies and funder requirements, proper recording of project and account numbers, and availability of budgeted funds. Perform desk review of field office monthly financial reports. Plan and execute internal review of field offices and recommend corrective actions. Oversee proper allocation of invoices to funding sources and expense categories, monitor costs against budgets and obligated funds. Verify field offices’ bank reconciliations. Initiate funds requests for field offices. Reconcile field office advance accounts from the general ledger to the field office records.
4. Policies and procedures: Develop field office operational and financial policies and procedures to ensure compliance with ICMA organizational policies and donor regulations. Write and/or edit as necessary to ensure a continuously updated field financial manual/handbook. Through thorough review of the field office documentation, ensure that financial policies and procedures are adhered to by field offices.
5. International program support: Maintain a close working relationship with and provide training and support to field finance staff. Ensure proper account coding and consistency between HO and field office financial records.
6. Reporting: Prepare, submit and track financial deliverables, including quarterly accruals and SF 425s for federally funded projects.
7. Complete ad hoc financial information requests.
8. Provide audit support.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, international relations/development or other related field;
• Demonstrated financial and budgeting skills;
• 5-7 years of progressive experience in operations of donor funded international programs;
• Demonstrated experience in overseeing field office operations, including program startup and closeout;
• Strong analytical skills to identify operational risks and ability to solve operational problems;
• Training skills to roll out policies and procedures. Ability to convey complex concepts through simplified approaches and tools;
• Advanced knowledge of administrative regulations applicable to assistance and acquisition funding mechanisms. Familiarity with OMB Circulars, CFR, FAR and AIDAR;
• Highly developed collaboration, management and leadership skills;
• This position requires extensive travel (25% or more) to ICMA field office locations.

To apply please send cover letter and resume to recruitment@icma.org. Please put Field Ops in the subject line; EOE; No phone calls please.