Department / Operations Support / Date / Jan 2016
Reports to / Deputy Regional Director – Operations (DRD-Ops)
Purpose: How does this post support Plan’s strategy and mission? / Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organization committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice. We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and young women, who are most often excluded and marginalized. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. Increasingly PLAN in RESA is working in emergency contexts which require quick and real time financial and operations support.
The RFM provides financial leadership and management in the region, champion’s innovation in business processes and ensures an effective financial information system is maintained all times.. The role engages, inspire, motivate and lead a team of dedicated staff at different levels to provide best in class financial management and support to 12 countries in one of the largest INGOs in the world and a regional budget in Eastern and Southern Africa of more than Euro150 million a year. As region is increasingly expanding its reach to respond to emergency situations ,the RFM requires to support countries in terms of Finance capacity deployments and setting up systems and procedures that facilitates timely programme response.
Specifically, s/he will take care of the end to end regional financial management and business planning processes, the regional accounting and treasury activities, and the financial reporting and analysis. The RFM anchors financial management innovations and process in the region and links with the head office teams. S/he will also ensure internal financial controls and financial risk management in addition to people management responsibilities. As the organization is also going through a variety of change processes, the RFM will be a key staff member to lead some of the change in his/ her area.
Dimensions of Role:
Financial measures or statistics relevant to post such as budget; list of direct and indirect reports
· Direct management of five staff in the Regional Finance Department and matrix management of 12 Country Finance Managers and a Regional Finance Controller.
· Strategic engagement with diverse teams across functions.
· Leadership of financial services provided to countries managing a combined budget of over Euro150million in the last fiscal year
· Report internally and externally on matters of financial management.
· Influencing and informing role regarding global financial standards, policies and systems development and implementation.
· Oversight of statutory financial requirements and bankers
· Membership of the Senior Finance Leadership Team, regional management networks and forums
· Budget management responsibilities in line with Plan International authority limits
· Representation in appropriate forum within and outside of the organization.
Typical Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position:
“What” is done and “why”, but not “how”; include indicators for success
Regional Management:
· Contribute to regional management team decision-making
· Member of the Extended Regional Office (RO) Management Team
· Support regional leadership to manage relationships and processes relating to partners, including partner assessment
· Take responsibility for relevant risk management processes in the region.
· Furnish regional leadership with quality, relevant and timely management and risk analysis information to inform decision making and performance management
· Promote, with management, a culture of value for money, efficiency and cost/ benefit analysis across the region
Country management support
· Engage with county finance and senior management for country strategic planning, focusing primarily on financial planning, reporting, workforce analysis and business processes
· Work with countries to ensure they are audit ready for Global Assurance or donor audits. Follow up with Countries post audit to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to implement actions and improve financial management
· Engage with countries to help get them disaster ready, ensuring financial processes, procedures, policies and guidance have the flexibility to allow countries to respond to humanitarian crisis in a timely and efficient way, whilst ensuring appropriate standards are met. Identify country capacity needs to support the roll out and implementation of financial systems, procedures and policies and identify innovative solutions to meeting capacity needs.
Senior Finance leadership team:
· Participate in Senior Finance leadership team decision-making
· Convene the Regional finance network meetings
· Support DRD Ops to manage finance function performance
· Take responsibility, as part of the Senior Finance leadership team, for efficient and effective finance management across the organization
· Influence global finance leadership on ensuring financial initiatives are country friendly
Regional Business Planning Processes:
· Communicate instructions and milestones within the region for business planning, including long-term planning, budgeting, quarterly forecasting and cash flow forecasting
· Facilitate and coordinate regional business planning processes
· Consolidate and review planning inputs from countries
· Support Regional Director (RD) to communicate regional business plans to IH
· Support RD to disseminate approved business plans to countries.
Systems, Accounting and Treasury:
· Provide guidance on cash flow/treasury management in region
· Monitor regional general ledger and cash management processes
· Manage RO SAP and cash management processes
· Ensure that region finance fulfils agreed roles for payroll management
· Monitor RO transactions with partners, if applicable
· Monitor country transactions with partners
· Ensure compliance with local regulatory and tax legislation
Financial Reporting and Analysis
· Prepare and review periodic regional financial reports
· Support the RD with timely and reliable financial information
· Support effectiveness and efficiency by ensuring sound business analyses and the provision of key management information.
Internal Financial Control and Financial Risk Management:
· Ensure appropriate financial control processes, procedures and systems are in place and adhered to
· Follow up finance related audit actions from countries and RO.
· Coordinate Regional year-end financial audits and oversees statutory compliance across countries.
· In conjunction with Financial Risk Manager, to identify, assess and report on financial risks.
· Work with IH Finance to develop and implement policies and procedures that mitigate financial risks.
· Ensure that key financial risks are reported and incorporated into regional risk register and general risk management processes.
People Management:
· Recruit, develop and motivate a high performing finance team
· Manage team performance, identify and develop talent, support team members.
· Support in recruitment of country Finance managers
· Develop an active and engaged network of finance managers from across the 14 countries and regional offices for learning, troubleshooting, and sharing of good practices
· Engage with peer finance managers in other regions, HQ and National Organizations to support regional initiatives and country capacity
Capacity Building
· Mentors finance team members and offer technical support to regional Finance teams.
· Support Country Directors in identifying capacity development needs for finance teams.
· Trains staff on key financial systems modules as necessary.
· Coordinates and facilitates in Finance for non- Finance managers trainings.
· Inducts Country Directors in Finance and related systems and procedures.
· Facilitate deployment finance staff to critical areas across the region including in emergency projects/
Dealing with Problems:
Complexity of problems handled & the degree of investigation, analysis, & creative thinking required to solve them
· Being able to troubleshoot specific problems identified at country or regional level
· Working as a member of a remote global team operating in different time zones.
· Balancing conflicting demands and priorities.
· Working across a large geographical area and multiple countries.
· Providing a regional oversight to finance in emergencies.
· Being able to identify and provide relevant management information to senior leaders
Communications and Working Relationships:
Working contacts inside and outside the organization; include the purpose and level (high, medium, low) of the contact
Internal / External· Regional Director and Deputies
· Country Diretcors
· International Headquarters Finance Team
· Country Finance Managers
· Regional Financial Controller
· Functional Networks
· Regional office managers/ heads of departments
· National organization finance managers / · Other INGO Finance staff
· Relevant professional Finance networks
· Banks and Financial Institutions
Knowledge, Skills, Behaviors, and Experience Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:
Gained through education, training, & experience
Knowledge
· Demonstrable knowledge of critical finance areas, Eg control, reporting, treasury, accounting, etc.
· Knowledge and understanding of the development sector.
· Demonstrable expertise in financial management, leadership and analysis
· Knowledge of current key donor requirements.
Skills
· Strong leadership and management skills
· Strategic Analytical skills
· Communication skills, appropriate to the audience
· Problem solving
· Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment
· Strong team-building and motivational skills
· Strong negotiating, facilitating and influencing skills
· Proficient in computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, database, internet
· Attention to detail
Behaviour
· Strong sense of integrity and ability to be a role model to others
· Creativity, innovation and problem solving
· Good judgement
· Decision-making
· Commitment to continuous improvement
Qualifications
· Relevant professional qualifications
· Proven senior finance experience at a regional/ multi-country level, ideally within the development or humanitarian sectors.
· Demonstrate experience in areas outlined in Knowledge, Skills and Behaviour above
Physical Environment and Demands:
May be “typical office environment”; note if heavy lifting, climbing, excess travel, etc.
Based in the Regional Office with regional and international travel (approx. 25% time), including travel to remote areas
Level of Contact with Children:
Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children
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