Finance and Compliance Director – PREVALE At Mercy Corps

The position is contingent on funding

About Mercy Corps

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

Enhancing resilience is at the heart of what Mercy Corps does and how we work. Mercy Corps strengthens sources of resilience to enhance the capacities of people, markets, and institutions to handle shocks, reduce risk, build more equitable and responsive systems, and improve well-being. Through our programmes, partnerships, and influence, we support communities to cope, adapt, and ultimately thrive.

Since 1986, Mercy Corps Afghanistan has supported communities to recover and build resilience to future shocks, and promote sustainable change by supporting community-led and market-driven initiatives, with a focus on the most marginalised. Our objectives include meeting immediate food and nutrition needs through cash, voucher, and WASH assistance, strengthening capacities for crisis preparedness and response, and in so doing, contribute to resilience through inclusive, climate-smart water systems, enhanced livelihoods opportunities, food security, and social cohesion.

About the Programme

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has launched a call for proposals for NGOs to deliver the Promoting Resilient & Equitable Recovery of Agriculture and Livelihoods in Afghan communities (PREVALE) programme. The overall aim of the 5-year programme is to increase multi-year food productivity and profitability for vulnerable farmers, herders, and land-poor Afghans, including women with intersecting and overlapping vulnerabilities, build community-level resilience to climate and environmental risk, and strengthen livelihoods and local markets. The programme is anticipated to begin in November or December 2024. Hiring is contingent upon successful award of the grant.

The FCDO envisions the programme will deliver the following Outcomes, (i) Livelihoods for vulnerable Afghans – including women, smallholders, and the land-poor – are more accessible, productive, profitable, and sustainable, (ii) Targeted communities are better able to anticipate, prepare for, respond, and adapt to environmental and climate shocks and stresses, and (iii) Targeted households have improved food security and nutrition, and reduced harmful coping behaviours.

General Position Summary

The Finance & Compliance Director (FCD) is a member of the senior programme management team and part of the Mercy Corps Afghanistan Finance Department, and as such is responsible for all aspects of financial management of the overall programme, working collaboratively to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures as well as donor regulations. S/he works under the direction of the PREVALE Consortium Director and is responsible for all financial programme functions, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grant financial management and compliance. The FCD is also responsible for all aspects of compliance with local legal, regulatory and statutory requirements in the context. The FCD reports and provides timely assistance to the Consortium Director and the Programme Team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Essential Responsibilities

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Work with the Consortium Director to manage and maintain budgeting including master budget, gap analysis, cost coverage and allocations. Advise the Consortium Director and PMU on key decisions based on financial analysis.
Ensure effective, transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
Maintain banking relations and plan and monitor country cash flow requirements to ensure the smooth implementation of the programme.
Produce management reports and financial scenarios to inform strategic decision-making.
Lead development and production of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports in line with donor requirements.
Develop annual fiscal year budgets with the Consortium Director and develop and implement grant budgeting and forecasting systems.
Ensure quality assurance of other finance team members, especially in financial management.

PROGRAMME COMPLIANCE

Lead legal and operational financial tracking for the consortium.
Prepare and ensure timely submission of country-level government reports.
Ensure compliance with related local laws, with support from HQ Legal team and local legal advisors. Ensures that relevant country level exemptions and legal requirements are met.
Responsible for review of programme contracts and drafting, review and management of programme MoUs and NDAs, in consultation with HQ legal team and the Consortium Director.
Day to day support to the operational structure of the programme.
Help identify efficient and effective solutions to issues while ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps’ policies and donor regulations, yet facilitate the achievement of programme objectives; coordinate closely with Headquarter compliance teams.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Collaborate with country departments to ensure that adequate financial risk management policies and procedures are in place for programme design and implementation.
Collaborate with the Consortium Director and country leadership to support preparedness and response to major disruptive events.

Supervisory Responsibility

Direct Reports: PREVALE Finance Officer(s), Partner Finance & Compliance Focal points

Accountability

Reports Directly To: PREVALE Consortium Director

Works Directly With: PREVALE Programme Management Unit (PMU), PREVALE Steering Committee, Mercy Corps Director of Programmes, Director of Finance, Mercy Corps Finance and Operations teams, consortium partner focal points. Coordinates with HQ International Finance.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our programme participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Knowledge and Experience

A BA/S or equivalent in accounting or financerequired; advanced degree preferred.
At least 5 + years of progressive financial management experience.
At least 4 years’ experience in grants management as well as an understanding and experience of FCDO and/or other donor regulations required.
At least 3 years’ experience in Afghanistan or internationally is required***;*** international NGO/PVO field office experience is preferred.
Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reporting preparation and presentation and the proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports.
Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.
Prior management experience and strong organisational skills, including managing staff in remote locations.
Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organisational and prioritisation skills.
Excellent oral and written English skills required;
Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.
Previous experience in insecure environments.
Knowledge of Dari and Pashto is advantageous.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have an ability to interact effectively across international and national programme and finance teams successfully. S/he will be able to support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful financial information, have a demonstrated ability to multitask, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing programme activities. An impeccable professional standard of finance and procurement ethics and the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential. The Finance and Compliance Director must be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. The most successful Mercy Corps staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position is based in Kabul, Afghanistan, with significant travel required to programme locations across the country.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organisations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organisation 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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

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, colour, 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 is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, programme participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.