MUSLIM AID (MA)
JOB DESCRIPTION
HEAD OF FINANCE
Responsible to: CEO
Responsible for: Finance Manager (s) HQ- UK and Field Offices
Purpose of the Post
To ensure effective strategic and operational financial planning, monitoring and reporting of MA’s programmes, and actively contribute towards strategic growth of the charity and ensure good financial management practices are followed across Muslim Aid UK.
To provide direct line management and professional support to MA H.Q. Finance Department and to the Finance Staff in the Overseas Country Offices. To ensure MA meets all statutory and other financial requirements.
Main Responsibilities
1. To develop long-term vision and action planning to achieve significant positive impact on financial management across the organisation in MA Headquarters and Overseas Country Offices.
2. To represent MA in the charity sector and manage and influence significant external relationships across MA programmes.
3. To manage organisational resources including institutional funds from extended organisation’s and partners.
4. To address diverse and complex problems within organisational parameters.
5. To lead the organisation’s budget and financial planning, provide periodic financial analysis and management reports to Trustees.
Financial Management and reporting
6. To provide leadership in the budget setting process, providing suitable information to Senior Management Team, leading discussions on budget allocations and presenting financial plans and budget to the Board.
7. To implement MA’s relevant organisational standards and ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, external and internal obligations/ recommendations
8. To take responsibility for the overall development/ management of Muslim Aid’s financial strategy, policies and procedures, and the implementation of a robust and cost effective financial management systems.
9. To develop, improve and continually review MA’s financial policies and procedures at Headquarters and Overseas Country Offices.
10. To strengthen all internal financial controls within MA Headquarters and all Overseas Country Offices.
11. To ensure the timely and accurate production of the statutory accounts.
12. To prepare MA’s statutory accounts and to lead on the financial aspects of the annual audit process report to the Treasurer / Finance and General Purpose Committee as the overall lead oversight.
13. To ensure the availability of financial information to MA’s external auditors in a timely manner.
14. To maintain an oversight of the financial aspects of contract management across Muslim Aid, monitoring application of restricted funds and contract management and to work independently with each Senior Management Team Member at Headquarters as per their related requirements from the MA Finance Functions at Head Quarters and Overseas Country Offices.
15. To ensure that appropriate financial analyses and reports are provided at various levels, both internally and externally. These include monthly management accounts, programme and project reports, budget and financial reports to the Board of Trustees.
16. To ensure cash flow and funds are well managed, including the management of the relationship with the organisational external agencies related to the finance arena (i.e. banking institutions, financial governance, etc).
17. To develop, review and maintain MA procurement policy and procedure which is followed throughout MA; and ensure compliance and best practice.
18. To implement a reserves policy and procedure in line with organisational and regulatory requirements.
19. To manage MA finances and reserves within the funds available, taking into account of actual circumstances as well as the annual budget.
20. To specifically lead on measures to minimise fraud and bribery, and transparent accounting to the Finance & General Purpose Committee, Board of Trustees and external agencies.
21. To report on all financial matters to Treasures, Finance & General Purpose Committee, internal Audit & Risk Management and to the Audit & Risk Committee as per their requirement.
Strategic Financial Management
22. To lead and develop a financial management strategy for Headquarters. and Overseas Country Offices.
23. To be accountable for the implementation of the Overseas Country Office finance strategy and to ensure effective financial management, asset management and transparent financial accountability within the organisation.
24. To lead the development of an agreed finance strategy and optimising funding opportunities of the country programmes in line with country priorities and the corporate framework.
25. To support work, primarily from a financial and funding perspective carried out by the country offices in collaboration with MA Headquarters.
26. To implement and to review the risk registers for Headquarters and Overseas Country Offices financial functions and to provide to the CEO Office on a periodic basis and for the Internal Audit & Risk Management to review and challenge.
27. To timely identify financial risks affecting Muslim Aid’s operations and to notify as per Muslim Aid policies and procedures.
28. To regularly update the Financial risk register (by adding any new risks as they occur) and periodically review the Financial risk register and the financial controls in place, share the Financial Risk Register and meeting minutes with the respective Senior Management Team Member Headquarter focal person and for the CEO Office to incorporate Key Risks on the Muslim Aid Strategic Risk Register.
29. To put effective financial controls in place to mitigate the risks and ensure that suitable timely corrective actions are taken to avoid reoccurrence of the risks and information is shared with the focal persons in MA Headquarters and Overseas Country Offices.
Management Accounting
30. To ensure the delivery of MA’s financial systems strategy, working within corporate parameters and to facilitate communications, information flow and management information, ensuring appropriate use of information technology-based systems.
31. To ensure accurate and timely reporting, utilising systems and staff skills.
Administrations
32. To lead and manage human and financial resources at HQ.
33. To devise financial and accounting procedures that supports the objectives of MA and provides relevant and timely information to all stakeholders including (but not exclusively) trustees, MA Senior Management Team, professional advisors, financial institutions, funders and donors.
34. To develop a financial strategy to ensure the financial practices and procedures in Headquarters and Overseas Country Offices are in line with Headquarter Financial Policies and Procedures.
35. To implement internal, external and regulatory audit recommendations relating to Headquarters and Overseas Country Offices Finance functions and to ensure the recommendations are implemented as in a timely manner.
36. To address queries from statutory bodies, taxation, other government institutions, Treasurer, Finance & General Purpose Committee, CEO Office and Internal Audit & Risk Management in a cooperative and timely manner.
37. To hold a minimum of four quarterly meetings with the Finance & General Purpose Committee and Monthly Meetings with the Treasurer (as per the needs of the organisation).
General
38. To be a member of the Senior Management Team and to contribute to the desired culture, ways of working and general running of Muslim Aid.
39. To ensure all records are maintained and stored appropriately in line with MA document management and IT policies.
40. To work in collaboration with the Internal Audit & Risk Management function.
41. To comply with all policies, procedures, legal and regulatory requirements.
42. Any other duties commensurate with the accountabilities of the post.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
HEAD OF FINANCE
E) = Essential (D) = Desirable
Qualifications
a) Full qualified ACA or ACCA or equivalent (E)
Experience
b) The candidate will ideally have proven post qualification experience as well as experience of funding streams to the charity sector, particularly in institutional grants. (E)
c) Experience at having successfully designed and delivered a strategy and / or an organisational design process (E)
Skills
d) Effective verbal and written communication skills, including high level interpersonal and representational capabilities; fluency in written and spoken English essential.
e) Excellent work history and attendance record (E)
f) Plan, organise, and direct activities related to activities of financial reporting and accounting, donation income, risk management, cash management, overseas project expenditure control, administration, investments, insurances and debt management (E)
g) Exercise good judgment. (D)
h) Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over team members.(D)
i) Work cooperatively with others (D)
j) Tact and diplomacy at all times (D)
Knowledge
k) Extensive knowledge of the technical operating principles, practices, and problems of governmental accounting, hedging, INGO accounting, budget control, procurement, collection, licensing, insurance claims, and payroll administration procedures. (E)
l) Extensive knowledge of financial administration, debt markets, investments involving diverse portfolios, budgeting, accounting, and utilities. Skill in the analysis and interpretation of fiscal and accounting records and the formulation and administration of general controlling policies. (E)
m) An understanding of Charity governance including knowledge of international reporting standards and UK SORP.
Ability
n) Senior Management experience in an international organisation with a proven ability to manage change and significant complexity (D)
o) Leadership ability and people management expertise to provide direction and effective support to a multidisciplinary and multicultural team. (E)
p) Ability to work creatively, innovatively and effectively with limited direct supervision within tight deadlines. (E)
q) Flexibility, stamina and ability to work under stress/difficult circumstances. (D)
r) Ability to gain and apply knowledge of the statutory requirements of UK Charity Commission and countries in the Muslim Aid programme and of the impact of local culture and tradition. (D)
s) Ability to operate and think strategically, coupled with proven analytical skills and the use of these to solve problems and make firm decisions. (D)
Commitment
a) Commitment to Muslim Aid’s mission, visions and values (E).
b) Commitment to Muslim Aid’s ethos (E).
c) Commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity (E).
d) Hard working and self motivated (E).
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