Manager, Finance Shared Services

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191 member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into four main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Coordination, (ii) Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization, (iii) Management and Accountability and (iv) People and Strategy.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Headquarters in Geneva and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The Financial and Administrative Management Department (FAMD) is responsible for advising the Secretary General, the Global Leadership Team, the Senior Management Team, the member Ss, and the teams across IFRC, including the regional offices and operations to ensure a) effective delivery of the strategy 2030 and b) the Secretary General’s Agenda for Renewal. The FAMD is responsible for advising the Secretary General vis‐a‐vis IFRC’s governance in relation to sound financial management and effective use of the financial resources. Additionally, the FAMD is responsible for managing IFRC’s overall budgeting, accounting, treasury, assets, financial reporting and services, building and related services, conferencing services and languages, library and archives as well as Insurance management.

This position is in the FAMD and reports directly to the Director, FAMD.

The Finance Shared Services (FSS) has responsibilities which have global impact. It establishes the IFRC’s accounting policies in accordance with the requirements of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), provides financial advice to stakeholders, including members of the Global Leadership Team, the Senior Management Team, the member NSs and the regional offices. In accordance with IFRC’s with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) compliant accounting policies, the FSS prepares the IFRC’s statutory consolidated financial statements for audit; maintains develops IFRC’s internal control framework and maintains accounting systems and reporting tools to provide high-quality financial information and analysis that supports both management decision-making and reporting to stakeholders, including the IFRC’s governance and donors.

The Manager, FSS is the chief financial accountant in the IFRC Secretariat and a member of the global financial management team.

Reporting to the Director, Financial and Administrative Management Department, the Manager, Finance Shared Services is responsible for leading a team of financial accounting professionals in the provision of accounting and financial management expertise, ensuring financial control, financial reporting and training, and providing guidance and advice to relevant stakeholders within a comprehensive accounting and financial management structure.

The Manager, Finance Shared Services provides organisation-wide leadership in IFRC’s financial accounting, financial risk management and financial reporting processes, including statutory financial reporting, asset, liability, income and expense management, including the development and maintenance of financial control, processes and procedures to ensure sound asset custody and management and reporting tools to provide high-quality financial information and analysis that supports governance and senior management decision-making, in the efficient and effective management of financial resources in accordance with the organisation’s accounting and financial management policies.

The incumbent is also responsible for providing senior management with analysis, guidance, and advice regarding financial results, financial performance and financial risk management. The analysis and advice include financial risks, accounting policies and technical (IFRS) accounting implications of material or unusual financial transactions, financial exposure to NSs and other third parties, as well as monitoring and reporting financial performance against budgets.

In addition, the Manager, Finance Shared Services is responsible for providing the Global Finance Management Team with expertise, guidance and advice with regards to accounting policies, financial management processes and procedures, including their development, enhancement and dissemination.

Managing a team of financial accounting professionals, the Manager, Finance Shared Services is therefore accountable for the following regarding the IFRC’s financial management:

• Risk management and internal controls;
• Financial management and controllership;
• Financial reporting;
• Communications;
• Team leadership and management.

Risk management and internal controls

• Lead the development and implementation of global guidelines, processes, and procedures related to accounting and financial management matters.
• Ensure compliance with established financial management policies, processes, and procedures.
• Challenge current ways of working, drives efficiencies and value for money wherever possible.
• Recommend improvements to increase quality and efficiency.
• Provide expertise, guidance and advice in relation to agreements and contracts, including contribution and service agreements with donors and other stakeholders.
• Ensure maintenance of a rigorous internal control environment.
• Lead the implementation of finance related internal and external audit recommendations and supports the implementation of other relevant internal and external audit recommendations.
• Lead the design, development and review of accounting and financial policies, processes and procedures.

Financial Management and Controllership

• Lead and manage the global year-end financial close process.
• Lead and manage the global month-end financial close process.
• Manage the day-to-day processing of Geneva transactions in accordance with established accounting policies and finance procedures.
• Oversee the provision of global accounting services.
• Ensure transactions are accurately recorded in correct accounting periods (materially accurate cut-off). Oversee the statutory, programme and services income functions, ensuring effective control, including completeness and accuracy of income recognition and accounts receivable in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and timely collection of receivables.
• Oversee global accounting functions for fixed assets, leases and stock.
• Provide expertise, guidance, advice and briefings to management including senior management regarding accounting, financial management and controllership matters.
• Exercise control over Geneva payment transactions. This includes reviewing and approving high value/high risk transactions from Geneva, Region, Country Cluster and Country offices; and reviewing and approving other Geneva derived cash and bank transactions, including the monthly payroll.
• Post monthly payroll transactions from HR systems to financial accounting system and ensure that relevant control accounts are reconciled with differences cleared on a timely basis.
• Authorise changes to general ledger accounting (chart of accounts and account structures) and to finance systems user accesses.

Financial Reporting

• Lead IFRC’s ability to remain IFRS compliant. In particular, with regard to changes in both the IFRC business model/activities and the complex requirements of IFRS, lead and oversee the development of accounting policies, agreeing interpretations with the external auditors and guiding the Director, FAMD, members of the senior management team and members of the Finance Commission and the Audit and Risk Commission through the interpretations and the impacts on the IFRC’s statutory financial statements and enabling them to make decisions in the best interests of the organisation.
• Lead the documentation of accounting considerations related to specific material or unusual financial transactions. This shall include advising management, including senior management regarding financial management, deal structuring and technical accounting aspects of transactions and reviewing draft technical accounting papers for consistency with IFRS and the IFRC’s accounting policies.

• Lead, manage and oversee preparation of the IFRC’s annual statutory financial statements in accordance with the IFRC’s financial regulations and IFRS and coordinate their audit.
• Lead and oversee preparation of appeal, project and contribution financial statements for external audit and ensure consistency with annual statutory financial statements.
• Oversee the accounting and preparation of financial statements of Funds managed by IFRC and ensure satisfactory completion of their audits.
• Lead and oversee preparation of other financial statements, as required, including annual financial statements for the IFRC’s New York Office.

Communications

• Acts as the global Finance focal lead in relation to communications with external and internal auditors.
• Represent the IFRC at meetings NSs, donors and other external stakeholders.
• Maintain regular and effective dialogue with internal and external stakeholders with regards to accounting, internal control and financial management matters.

Team Leadership and Management:

• Provide/coordinate training on accounting, internal control and financial management matters to various stakeholders as needed.
• Recruit, train and supervise a team of professional financial accountants to ensure the provision of consistent expertise and advice to Geneva-based managers and the Global Finance team.
• Define clear roles, accountabilities and activities, and assign them across the team members on an ongoing basis while improving efficiency within available resources.
• Plan, manage and monitor the use of the available resources of the team to deliver the agreed activities for each area of responsibility.
• Foster a customer service-oriented culture that values accountability for results, proactivity, continuous improvement, innovation, and high performance.
• Lead the delivery of service improvement, good practice, continuous learning and knowledge sharing between the IFRC and National Societies and between colleagues.
• Create a working environment that ensures staff growth, motivation and satisfaction.
• Provide lead expertise, guidance and advice to the regional Heads, Finance and Administration from a distance or through support visits.
• Engage consultants, interns and temporary staff and oversee their work as needed.

Cover and support including governance support

• Supports the Finance Commission, the Audit and Risk Commission and other statutory bodies through the preparation and delivery of high-level financial information, analysis and reports as needed.
• Provide cover for the Manager, Treasury and Payments and to the other members of the global finance management team as needed.

Required 

• Recognised professional qualification in accounting (Chartered Accountant, CPA or equivalent)
• University degree in accounting, finance or equivalent

Preferred

• Relevant professional training courses (Red Cross/Red Crescent related, humanitarian and development sector management, etc.)

Experience

Required 

• Minimum of 10-12 years’ experience in an accounting/financial management position
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a management position
• Experience in preparation of financial statements under IFRS or equivalent recognised accounting framework (IPSAS, GAAP).
• Experience in multi-currency accounting
• Experience in financial systems, process, procedure and systems development
• Experience in risk management and financial control
• Experience in developing and delivering training packages
• Experience in working in a multinational, multicultural environment, either in a major commercial company or for an international organisation
• Experience in humanitarian or other not-for-profit organisation

Preferred

• Experience in IFRC Secretariat and/or a Red Cross Red Crescent National Society
• Experience in humanitarian or other not-for-profit organisation

Knowledge and Skills

Required

• Service mindset together with effective communication and inter-personal skills
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including the ability to lead within a matrix management structure and utilise talent and experience of team members in a productive way.
• Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality, acting as a model of the highest integrity in a personal capacity and at a team level.
• Results oriented and demand driven individual with an ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations.
• Track record in producing high quality work to tight deadlines and ability to make effective and timely decisions.
• High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels.
• Professional credibility, able to work effectively at all levels across the organisation.
• Strong analytical skills.
• High level of numerical accuracy.
• Advanced skills in computer productivity applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
• Knowledge of complex financial systems and software including multi-currency accounting systems.
  

Preferred

• Knowledge of IFRC Secretariat Geneva financial systems and software.
• Ability to effectively provide training and communicate on financial management matters.

Languages

Required

• Fluent spoken and written English

Preferred

• Good command of French.
• Knowledge of another IFRC official language (Spanish or Arabic).
  

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability
Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust
Managing Competencies: Managing staff performance; managing staff development
Functional Competencies: Building Alliances, Leadership, Empowering others