Finance Officer at Danish Refugee Council, Mandera, Kenya

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organisation founded in 1956 that works in more than 30 countries throughout the world.

Overall purpose of the role:

The Finance Officer will facilitate the efficient and effective financial management of the DRC operations for the Mandera programmes. The Finance Officer will ensure compliance with all DRC finance and grant compliance matters in close collaboration and guidance from the Base Manager and the Team Leader- Finance and Administration. The holder of the position will be responsible for budgeting, financial planning, reporting and be an audit focal point at field level, for smooth functioning of the finance docket, as well as assuring linkages with other departments and countrywide. S/He will also be responsible for monthly reconciliation, cash book closing and cash projection for the programme for a smooth functioning of finance operations..

Duties & Responsibilities:

Transfers and payments

Ensure all payments are made timely and in accordance with existing DRC procedures.
Ensure all payments meet the requirements of law and engage with authorities, tax advisors or other stakeholders to ensure tax requirements are met accordingly.
Ensure that payment documents comply with DRC’s internal financial procedure and donor regulations.
Ensure timely request of funds from DRC Country office to Mandera field office for operational needs.

Accounting:

Ensure all expenses enter the DRC Dynamics in time and be of highest quality.
Ensure to update cashbooks on a daily basis to reflect the actual status of existing cash count and bank balances in all currencies.
Ensure all bank account statements are reconciled.
Ensure proper filing system for financial documents.

Budget control, planning and reporting:

Liaise with Mandera Base Manager for regular budget monitoring.
Assist Mandera Base Manager, DRC Finance Manager, Project Manager as well as other technical leads to prepare, review and use budget control tools for regular budget follow up including forecasts to ensure accuracy and in line with organizational set guidelines.
Maintain the Master Budget of the Mandera field office in liaison with the Project Manager.
Liaise with the SDACKED Project Manager on the consortium’s financial management and reporting.
Assist in the preparation of donor financial reports.
Support in the development of new proposals with financial information for budgeting.
Correctly use DRC Dynamics functionalities in the area of concern.
Liaise with the Administration staff in updating the assets register of the Mandera field office.
Ensure review of financial documents to arrest any exposure and manage financial and fraud risks within the Mandera field office assigned projects in accordance to DRC’s relevant policies.

Requirements

Experience and technical competencies:

A Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Accounting or Business Administration from a recognized university with CPA qualifications or any other accounting qualification.
4 years’ experience in working in international NGOs.
Demonstratable experience with robust ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems; preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Experience with audit.
Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
Stable and robust character and a good team-player.
Ability to work in a busy office, demanding high levels of concentration to ensure accuracy.
Ability to observe and maintain client confidentiality.
Proven commitment to accountability practices.

Language:

Fluent in English and Swahili, plus proficiency in local languages spoken in the project area.

Key stakeholders: Internal & External

Project partners.
DRC senior management team.
Technical teams.
National government agencies.
Donors.
County government authorities.
Community leaders.