Senior Finance Partner

Role & Responsibilities

The role of the Finance Partner (FP) is to collaborate with country programmes and GSO to prepare, monitor and provide key, accurate financial information to stakeholders and to offer advice, analysis, forecasting, support and training in funding management in order to inform decision making, promote best financial practice and mitigate financial risks.

The primary responsibility of the Finance Partner team is to provide key support to International Programmes in supporting Country Programme (CP) leadership to fund and deliver effective financial plans that will enable the delivery of the country programmes.

Finance Partners support the Head of country programme (HCP) and Country leadership teams to grow and manage their financial resources. FPs provide oversight of funds management across CPs. The senior Finance Partner (SFP) will be responsible for: coordination of the work of the Finance Partners, ensuring good planning and effective delivery of workplan. S/He will ensure delivery on financial management capacity building of country programme finance managers and senior staff; providing consolidated analysis of and reports on the financial performance of country programmes; providing global country programme risk analysis and insight to senior stakeholders. In addition, the Senior Finance Partner will be a technical advisor to other Finance team at GSO and support finance change projects across Medair (UNIT4 etc).

Project Overview

Medair Global Support Office (GSO) provides operational guidance for country programmes, along with both technical and compassionate support for our relief workers. Within the GSO and affiliate offices, we are also responsible for promoting the work of Medair to the world, to raise and manage the funds needed to run our life-saving and sustaining programmes, and to recruit international and GSO staff. Medair GSO Finance Department, is primarily focused on Medair financial and investment decisions, acts as a financial gatekeeper and strategic advisor in daily business operation and also mid to long-term strategic decisions of Medair, with streamlined and optimized key processes, via leveraging fit-for-purpose system.

Workplace & Working conditions

This is a GSO based position in Lausanne Switzerland, with regular field visits.

• Swiss or eligible EU citizens, or those with a valid work permit for Switzerland, can apply.

Starting Date / Initial Contract Details

As soon as possible. Full time, open-ended contract.

Key Activity Areas

Finance Partners Technical Advisor & Team Coordination

• Coordinates FP annual, monthly work planning. With the team manager moderate the Finance Partner team meetings and agenda, and to offer day-to-day Finance Partner supervision and support.
• Contribute technical advice to Finance Partners to build their capacity and ensure management and staff receive quality support. Proactively suggest solutions and foster team synergy to overcome workload issues and contribute to the team well-being. To work in a close collaboration with team Manager on finance priorities.

Country funding strategy and monitoring

• Provide technical leadership and advice to International Programme (IP) senior management to develop their financial plans, funding and expenditure budgets. With the IP leadership team, review country plans, project plans and funding.
• Actively participate in the Country Team Meeting (overview of funding/spending status and future projection).
• Provide advice to HCP (Head of Country Program) and country team about funding situation and strategy.
• Lead the preparation and consolidation annual budgets for the country programs and re-forecasts on the country programs.
• Develop and/or review of all funding for designated CP – budget applications and reporting (including fundraising initiatives from other affiliates) for both quality and accuracy; cost recovery and relevant financial risks.
• Review and consolidated information from Country Programmes to produce quarterly funding and expenditure financial analysis, forecasts and narrative information.
• Provide additional financial analysis, reports and advice to International Programme leadership and Finance Director e.g. trend analysis of past performance, funding gaps, cost recovery, value for money and other ad-hoc management reports.
• Contribute to the development of Funding management reporting standards and norms for Medair.
• Support the creation of financial models and tools to assist budget creation and analysis across financial years
• Coordinate CP financial risk matrix and reporting on a quarterly basis.
• To actively participate Head of Country Programme Team Meeting with overview of funding / spending status and future projections; and financial risks overview.
• To conduct monthly review meetings with stakeholders and to act as a key point of contact to support the key stakeholders with business operation, capital and investment proposals.
• To advise & direct the funding needs with CD / HCP / CP finance manager. Monitor performance and determine improvement areas by developing key performance indicators for critical metrics.

Funding Management

• Monitoring and analysing overall budgets (including revisions).
• Supports the quality review of high-risk donor budget proposal development.
• Review performance on donor contracts and Private funding. Monitor donor income received and receivable; cost recovery, impact of exchange rates – highlighting risks and/or opportunities to Head of CP and CD, and Finance management team.
• To proactively participate in “Donor audit” via collaborating with other relevant parties. Ensure proper communication regarding audit observations are properly followed upon by various stakeholders.
• Monitor country Private Funding need overview. To clearly understand & communicate donor requirements, and prepare Donor reports in a proactive and timely manner.

Innovation and Change Management

• Implementation of a new finance system, Support the implementation of current and new tools and processes to support effective funds management.
• Streamline and optimize the key processes related to Project Accounting & Financial management.

Leadership

• Play a proactive leadership role on the Finance Leadership Team including global financial support and capacity building. Develop and maintain effective working relationships across the global finance function to ensure an integrated approach, mutual learning and effective use of resources.
• Lead on specific corporate initiatives and projects as delegated, this would include multi-country and global projects. Effective management of the Assistant Finance Partners, ensuring clarity of workplans and performance management. Perform any additional tasks as requested by the Manager and/or Finance Director.

Team Spiritual Life

• Reflect the values of Medair with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, and external contacts.
• Work and pray together in our Christian faith-based team settings. Fully contribute to the rich spiritual life of your team, including team devotions, prayers, and words of encouragement.
• Encouraged to join and contribute to Medair’s international prayer network.

This job description covers the main tasks that are anticipated. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary.

Qualifications

• College / university graduated with major in finance or accounting.
• Professional qualification in accounting, preferred a holder of CPA (certified public accountant), or CMA (certified managerial accountant) or other finance related licenses.

Experience

• People management experience (minimum 2 years).
• Minimum relevant working experience in accounting and finance for (3 to 5 years, it is a plus if holding field experience in the humanitarian or development sector.
• Proficient in Excel; deep knowledge in ERP systems and other financial management tools as required to be highly productive in performing the job. Strong knowledge of accounting, finance, internal control and risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with Program teams and other stakeholders to work through issues and operational challenges with, getting into details to ensure you understand the cost drivers of the business and can provide insight to the non-finance members. Proven project financial management experience (to include budgeting, reporting and analysis and revenue recognition) preferably in a project-based organization.
• Good presentation skills. Strategic mind-set with mid-to-long term view.
• Excellent analytical ability with a good attention to detail with high capacity to draw intelligence from numbers.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to present plans to support business decisions.
• Good time management skills, ability to prioritize workload and ability to work to strict reporting deadlines.
• Business Acumen: holding strong Field of knowledge for the position, specify in regard to Humanitarian essentials, Sphere and CHS standards, other international humanitarian guidelines and protocols.