Minority Rights Group

MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP

International Secretariat

JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Director of Finance and Administration

Reports to: Director

A :Purpose of the job.

The purpose of the job is to help "Minority Rights Group International" (MRG) achieve its aims and objectives through developing and ensuring the effective management of MRG finances and central support services. This will involve drawing up budgets, monitoring expenditure, ensuring transactions are processed and producing financial reports. The post holder is responsible for ensuring that MRG meets all statutory regulations and donor regulations relating to financial transactions. Additionally to take responsibility for administrative support services including office services, information technology, reception, premises management, stationery and supplies.

B :Main duties and responsibilities

Staff:

Responsible for managing three full time posts; Finance and Administration Officer, Finance Officer – Donor Reporting and Office Administrator, and temporary staff as needed.

2.Financial Systems and Control

2.1To take responsibility for compliance with all appropriate legislation and regulations including Companies Act, charity legislation and SORP, PAYE, VAT, and the specific requirements governing MRG’s grant income.

2.2Keep abreast of all internal and external changes which could affect MRG’s compliance with legislation and review procedures as necessary.

2.3To ensure all accounting functions are operating effectively and appropriately. These currently include purchase ledger, sales ledger, payroll, cash book, petty cash and nominal ledger

2.4To maintain the integrity of the computer based accounting system (currently running SAP), and electronic banking system (Natwest Bankline).

2.5To maintain financial control over MRG assets and liabilities.

2.6To effectively manage MRG’s cash flow, including identification of unrestricted and restricted cash flows and balances.

2.7To monitor and develop MRG’s internal financial control procedures and ensure their effective implementation.

2.8To monitor funding grants agreed to ensure that all monies owing to MRG are received in good time.

3.Financial Planning and Co-ordination

3.1To co-ordinate a devolved budgeting process in line with MRG’s planning process.

3.2To provide management accounts analyses and forecasts as required.

3.3To produce the annual operating budget of the charity through consolidation of MRG’s operational budget and project budgets supported by restricted funds, including the contribution made to core overheads and support costs from project budgets

3.4To produce rolling long term (5 year) financial plans in line with organisational plans.

3.5To provide financial models or “what if” scenarios for plans and development

3.6To monitor and manage expenditure against approved budgets, including highlighting significant variances to budget holders.

3.7To manage the Finance and Administration budget of the charity

3.8To provide or organise induction, training and support to all staff on financial, administration and IT issues.

3.9To provide support to the Fundraising department and project managers in the development of budgets for new project funding applications, particularly ensuring compliance with donor budget formats, and to ensure that all new funding applications contain an appropriate and realistic contribution to core operating overheads and support functions

4.Financial and Management reporting

4.1To supervise the production of accurate and timely (monthly) management accounts for managers, budget holders and the Finance Committee

4.2To produce financial papers for MRG’s International Council and Finance & General Purposes Committee meetings.

4.3To produce detailed quarterly management accounts including variance analyses and forecast restricted and unrestricted fund outturns for the financial year

4.4To prepare draft statutory accounts for audit and to liaise with the auditors on both statutory audit and project audits.

4.5To manage and maintain MRG’s rolling 12 month cashflow forecast, which identifies forecast and actual inflows of MRG’s unrestricted and restricted funds

4.6To co-ordinate the production of financial reports to donors on restricted grant funds, based on MRG’s quarterly reporting cycle, and to arrange for audits of restricted grant funds as required by donors

4.7To propose changes to the agreed MRG budget to reflect changing circumstances.

5.Premises Management andAdministration

5.1To manage an effective telephone and visitor reception service.

5.2To manage an office resource service including stationery, photocopier, office materials, insurance, health and safety.

5.3 To manage MRG’s premises and any necessary repairs to the building, furniture and equipment.

5.5To manage relationships with MRG’s tenants, including timely invoicing for rents and service charges due, and to liase with MRG’s landlords over premises issues

6.IT Management

6.1To manage and evaluate the IT support provided to MRG by external IT support services

6.2To manage the internal “first line”IT support provided by Finance department staff

6.3To keep up to date with developments in IT software and systems, and to advise on improvements to MRG’s IT and communications systems

6.4To manage IT procurement and the IT budget of the charity

7.Organisational Management

7.1To take responsibility for the effective management of the Finance and Administration Department in line with MRG’s practices and procedures.

7.2To contribute to effective and management of MRG as a whole.

7.3To develop plans and budgets for the Finance and Administration Department.

.

8.Provides advice to, and liaises with:

8.1Reports to MRG’s Director

8.2Liases with MRG’s Head of International Advocacy, Head of Programmes and Deputy Director

8.3Liases with MRG’s Fundraising staff on project budgets, income expectations and outstanding grants

8.4Provides advice to all MRG staff on financial and administrative matters

8.5The MRG Council and Finance and General Purposes Committee on financial and administrative matters.

9.General

9.1Undertakes such other tasks as may reasonably be requested by the Director or Deputy Director from time to time.

9.2Respect and work towards full implementation of MRG’s Gender and Equal Opportunities Policies in all the work involved in this post.

10.Confidential information

Responsible for maintaining confidentiality in respect of sensitive information relating to MRG’s finances, partners and grantees, strategic planning and personnel issues.

11Degree of supervision

The job holder will be expected to work largely on their own initiative and take a great deal of responsibility for the processing of financial transactions, compliance with legal responsibilities and preparation of draft accounts. On issues such as budgets, donor reporting and monthly accounts, the post holder will need to work closely with others and communicate clearly with them.

12.Working conditions

The job holder will be based at MRG's office in London. Occasionally the job holder will be required to travel to other locations to visit affiliates, partners and to attend meetings. The job holder is required to maintain the pace of work which is often high, working to strict time pressures with the responsibility for many jobs running simultaneously.

Date : 6 December 2018

MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Head of Finance and Administration

A. Education/Experience

Essential

1. Educated to degree level
2. Full ACCA or CIMA qualification with at least three years’ experience of overall financial management of a charity or a similar organisation (or a branch or division or similar) with a turnover of around £1,000,000 per annum or more

OR

Five years’ experience of overall financial management of a charity (or a branch or division or similar) with a turnover of more than £1,000,000.

1. Two years’ experience of preparation of draft accounts for audit (to comply with Charities SORP requirements and UK Company law).
2. Experience of managing the complete accounting function, including petty cash, control accounts and ledgers to trial balance.
3. Experience of managing the payroll function, including maintaining all necessary records and preparation and submission of statutory and pension scheme returns.
4. Experience of charity finances involving many projects funded through co-financing by multiple donors, and managing multiple donor financial budgeting and reporting systems.
5. Two years’ experience of managing staff.
6. Two years’ experience of SAP software system (or a similar system).
7. Two years’ experience of managing administration support.
8. Two years’ experience of managing buildings and facilities.
9. Experience of managing IT support and managing contractors.
   Desirable
10. Experience of accounting for charity VAT, including preparation and submission of VAT returns.
11. Qualification in Voluntary Sector Financial or General Management
12. Experience of working on minority or related issues
13. Experience of fundraising and donor liaison

B. Abilities and Skills

Essential

1. A high level of numeracy
2. High level of competency in Excel
3. Ability to explain complex financial matters to those without financial knowledge or experience, both through written reports, presentations and verbal communication
4. Good judgement and maturity
5. Ability to prioritise work, meet deadlines and combine responding to urgent requests with longer terms tasks and activities
6. Ability to stay calm under pressure and to assess and absorb information quickly
7. Computer literate with a good knowledge of Microsoft Word and Outlook ,
8. Good communication skills, including good written and spoken English
9. Ability to maintain confidentiality
10. Ability and willingness to be self-servicing within the organisation

Desirable

1. Ability to gain the confidence of members of minority communities and of the diplomatic community; good diplomacy skills with diverse groups of people
2. Familiarity with the Internet
3. Working knowledge of Microsoft Access or similar database packages

C. Personal qualities

Essential

1. Commitment to the aims and objectives of MRG
2. Commitment to gender equity
3. Enthusiastic about working in a multi-cultural environment and committed to equal opportunities

Desirable

1. Demonstrated interest in international affairs, human rights and development issues

19 September 2016

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