Finance Assistant (Internals only)

Background/Context:

The IRC has operated in Syria since 2012, providing protection, health, economic recovery, and early childhood development programs in Idleb, Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Hassakeh, and Deir ez-Zor, with new programs expanding into Hama, rural Damascus, and Homs. With a team of over 700 members, the IRC has established trust and strong community relationships, ensuring access and effective service delivery. It plays a significant role in Syria’s NGO, donor, and coordination forums, holding key positions and adapting to the evolving context.

With the new realities under the new government, as of December 2024, the IRC has deployed a team to Damascus to set up operations and engage in coordination structures for newly accessible areas across Syria—including parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency.

Job overview:

The Finance assistant is an integral part of Syria finance team. This position supports Hasakah office and other NES offices in implementing the Finance operations per IRC policies & procedures and our donors’ rules and regulations. Besides, this position is mainly responsible on managingall Hawala invoices and Hawala reimbursements requests covering NES offices and recording related transactions on integra, the position is responsible on cash related activities HSK office ( i.e. checking the financial documents of the invoices and payments requests, ensure that all needed approvals are available based on the approved authorization matrix and security roll mapping, monitor and manage the cash flow, arrange with Hawala agents for cash distribution,ensure timely payments for all payees, ensure that complete and accurate supporting documents are uploaded to the system & in the related files for all released payments and invoices). In addition, this position is finance admin and will support in initiating any PO or Non-PO requests, Focal point for initiating cash transfer/ cash distribution in NES offices and consolidating cash requests for final approval from finance manager, This position will support partnership unit for the timely release of partner’s payments and timely verification for the respective financial reports.

Responsibilities:

• Closely work with Sr. finance officer /Finance Officer to ensure the best understanding and implementation of IRC Finance Policies and Procedures.
• Support the Senior finance officer /Finance Officer when needed in initial review for all kinds of financial documents, including but not limited to: Invoices, contracts, purchase orders, non-PO payments, bid analysis, and distribution lists, ensure that each transaction is supported by duly certified documents.
• Record and submit PO & Non-PO invoices, Journal entries, Cash receipts, PMNTs to Integra daily. Besides, ensure saving all the supporting documents in the related files & uploading them to the system.
• Collect approvals for HSK payments as per approved authorization matrix for ready disbursement.
• Report on pending vendor invoices and preparing the cash request for HSK office in coordination with the supervisor, and under direction from finance manager.

Finance admin staff:

This position will be the NES Hub Focal point of initiating the cash transfer/ cash distribution requested in NES offices to be executed by Hawala Agency and consolidating cash requests submitted by other NES offices along with the supporting documents for final approval from Finance Manager.

• In coordination with the Finance Manager, he/she will report to supply chain the approved cash request for contracting Hawala
• In coordination with Finance Manager and HR, this position will make sure all salary taxation payments reported supply chain on  monthly bases, and SC transferred through Hawala the amounts to tax local authorities.

Hawala Reimbursement Requests:

• Tracking Hawala invoices for implemented IRC programmatic and operational activities (including cash transfer/Distribution to vendors in NES finance offices), and timely initial verification of its supporting documents.
• Collecting all required approvals via box and accurate recording of transactions on integra at time, follow up on system workflow until get all transactions posted.
• Support Finance Manager on reconcile and settlement of Hawala dues by preparing all supporting documents for Hawala Statement of account by-weekly along with list of charged financial codes as per HQ requirements, for easy creation of centralized payments in 9IRC.
• Provide Support to Partnership Department: by assisting in reviewing partner’s financial reports/supporting documents and liaising with partner finance representative to obtain the supporting documentation, support in preparing partner’s advance payments and report to Supply chain for contracting Hawala, Record Partner advances properly and accurately on integra.
• Receive cash from Hawala agencies, and make sure all cash pieces of dollar have been received properly (preferred stamped, no scratch, tidy, etc.). Besides, maintain the cash in the office in a safe in a proper way and ensure all information about cash is confidential.
• The finance assistant should contact all suppliers and ask them to collect their dues on the determined distribution dates. Besides, for other types of payees such as IWS, beneficiaries, drivers.... etc. the finance assistant should ask all PRFs requestors to contact the payees and ask them to collect their dues on the determine distribution dates and follow up with requestors regarding any uncollected amounts to mitigate cash risk.
• Represent finance in the distribution sites if needed, sign & reconcile any related documents. Besides, verify the payees’ identities before disbursing as well as the letter of delegations from staff, suppliers or beneficiaries.
• Pay out all suppliers, incentive workers, vendors, advances, salary of staff and deal with them in high performance of respect and integrity and in line with cash management SOP. Besides, before releasing the payments the finance assistant should make sure that all required approvals/ documents are available (make sure PO match invoice match payment in terms of amount and payee name), and he/she should take quick action and inform the head of finance department and line Supervisor in case of any findings.
• Ensure all documents are labeled as “PAID” once payment is cleared with vendors and in line with Cash management SOP .
• Conduct a cash count on a daily basis in a proper and secure way. Verify any discrepancies and report that immediately to the Finance Manager& line managers if not resolved. Maintain cash tracking sheet on daily basis and keep the signed versions of daily cash count in the cash count file by the end of each month.
• Receive cash refunds from staff and charge them back to proper account codes, make sure that the receipt Voucher is signed by the staff and approved by the Sr. Finance Officer / Finance Officer.
• Support finance in providing any documents needed for audit purposes or any other reason. And help with the finance office clerk work such as photocopying and scanning if any.
• Focal Point on liaising with other NES offices to collect the original finance documents of payment /receipt vouchers, and coordinate with the transportation team to ensure its safety transportation to respective warehouses in Damascus/ Erbil /.
• Plan, organize and manage workload and be resilient in accepting new assignments.
• Contribute to the month & year end closing to ensure high quality implementation of the closing & meeting HQ deadlines. Besides, participate in coordination with the supervisor in the monthly review for the following balance sheet accounts: Cash in office, Petty cash, Advances, Accruals, Prepaid, Vendor payable, Miscellaneous Payables, Miscellaneous Receivable, Hawala/ Cash Transfer Agent control account.
• Support Sr. finance officer/Finance officer in fees allocation JVs resulted from: incentive workers payments, NES staff salary payments, drivers’ payments, and vendors payments.
• Support in Prepare cash projection on monthly basis, share with Finance Manager on time.
• Support in Conduct inventory check for warehouses annually and upon request.
• Represent finance in disposal committees for requested items by supply chain team upon request.

Job Requirements:

• Preferably a University Degree in economics (accounting departments, business management or relevant financial studies), or any other college/Institute degree
• Approximately 2 years` experience in accounting position preferably in an INGO.
• Good understanding of accounting processes and procedures.
• Meeting targets and deadlines and be flexible and comfortable in multi-cultural workforce.
• Team player, cooperative and supportive to colleagues from same and different departments.
• Ability to work under pressure and load of work and willingness \ ability to work for extra hours when and as needed.
• English is a plus.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
• Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development.
• Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.
• Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience.
• Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.
• Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must.
• Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.
• Computer literate and has strong competencies in MS Office package, especially, Excel and outlook
• Strong ability to work independently, organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to details

Language/Travel:

• Arabic is required, while English and Kurdish are desired.
• Travel: 5% to field sites in NES if requested by supervisor, as well as attending regional and global workshops and meetings.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:Sr.Finance Officer/Finance Officer
Position directly supervises: N/A

Indirect Reporting: N/A
Key Internal Contacts: Other Finance team members in all areas, NES Supply Chain team, Field Director, NES program colleagues.

Key External Contacts: Suppliers, IWs, Beneficiaries.

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the country where this position is based and are currently residing outside of your home country, you may be eligible for an attractive relocation package. Eligibility is determined based on IRC's operational needs and specific role requirements. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.