Consultant – Asia Regional Strategic Finance Support – Remote At Mercy Corps

Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Mercy Corps currently works in 11 countries in Asia: Afghanistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Indonesia, East Timor, and India. The MC Asia regional management team faces a capacity gap when it comes to strategic financial planning, budgeting and forecasting beyond the business-as-usual support needs provided by headquarters.

Finance departments at the country level are responsible for accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grant financial management and compliance. These departments ensure compliance with donor regulations, as well as internal policies and procedures, and provide timely reports and assistance to program teams. However, while country-level finance managers are generally able to provide this type of routine support to programs and operations, critical moments of the program cycle require additional capacity and a strategic viewpoint.

Purpose / Project Description:

MC Asia requires a dedicated resource to provide strategic financial analysis to the regional management team, as well as country teams as needed. This will create opportunities for deeper engagement with the regional portfolio, and provide additional oversight to quickly address critical funding issues and risks. This strategic financial analysis will inform country and regional leadership on the financial implications of different planning scenarios, support in business development and decision making to ensure that MC Asia remains financially healthy.

To that end, the consultant will:

• Maintain regular communication with country finance teams, and diagnose and flag any critical issues that may negatively impact portfolio financial health;
• Review current MC Asia country operations and support cost budgets, and review current cost allocations on existing grants, according to Mercy Corps Cost Allocation Framework;
• Conduct a financial analysis of the overall grants portfolio against different planning scenarios to identify staffing and operational funding shortfalls, or opportunities for savings;
• Provide recommendations on optimal restructuring options based on the financial analysis of different planning scenarios;
• Analyze and support the country program financial forecasting process to enhance effective grant BvA management and accurate quarterly country financial forecasts, as requested;
• Document and report out any observations of internal controls, finance functions, grant financial management procedures, structure gap as noticed while performing other duties;
• Support on planning for / preparation of major new business development ($5 million+) budgets, as needed.
• Provide other financial support within an agreed overall number of days in consultation with the Deputy Regional Director.

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will produce:

1. Overall portfolio financial analysis that clearly articulates funding gaps and recommendations to address them and mitigate financial risk, and recommendations for cost savings where appropriate. – Estimated LOE 15 days
2. As requested, review, build or improve country operations and support cost budgets. – Estimated LOE 10 days
3. Analyze and support the country program financial forecasting process to enhance effective grant BvA management and accurate quarterly country financial forecasts, as requested. – Estimated LOE 10 days
4. Document and report out any observations of internal controls, finance functions, grant financial management procedures, structure gap as noticed while performing other duties. Provide overall recommendations on systems improvements. – Estimated LOE 15 days
5. Regularly coordinate with Deputy Regional Director, country directors, finance managers and other relevant HQ support staff to identify in advance any significant financial / control risks / funding gaps requiring mitigating actions. – Estimated LOE 5 days
6. Lead / guide / support budget process / preparation for any major (> $5m) new grant proposal applications as needed in coordination with the country management. – Estimated LOE 15 days

Timeframe:

The consultant will work up to 70 working days from 1 September – 31 March 2022. A detailed work plan is left to the discretion of the consultant.

The Consultant will report to:

Deputy Regional Director, Asia, Mercy Corps.

The Consultant will work closely with:

Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director, Country Directors, Operations Directors, Finance Managers, Regional Finance Officer, International Finance team at HQ (PDX and MCE), MC Asia RPT.

Required Experience & Skills:

• Minimum 10 years of international finance in not for profit

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.