Location:                     Worldwide

Responsible to:           Merlin Director of Finance

Working with:             Regional Finance Managers, Head of Internal Audit, Country Management Team (CMT), Country Finance Team

Start Date:                  As soon as possible

Duration:                     12 – 24 months depending on individual’s availability and programme requirements

Salary:                         £ 37,350- £ 38,100 per annum (dependant on relevant experience), inclusive of annual Cost of Living Allowance (dependent on Country of posting)

Benefits:                     Insurance cover, accommodation (shared whilst deployed for an assignment and at home whilst in home country), R&R (included only if assignment location is assessed as a hardship location), annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.  Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.

Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.

Merlin

Undaunted and determined, Merlin saves lives. We deliver medical expertise to the toughest places. And we stay to help build lasting health care.

Our mission is to end the needless loss of life in the poorest countries caused by a lack of effective health care. We help communities set up medical services for the long term including hospitals, clinics, surgeries and training for nurses and other health workers.

We do whatever it takes and we stay for as long as it takes. 

Context and Background

Merlin’s country programmes vary considerably in terms of their focus, size and complexity, and also in levels of financial capability and strategic thinking.

This role is managed overall by the Merlin Finance Director, and links directly with the Regional Finance Managers in Merlin’s Head Office in London and is an integral part of the international finance management team.

The Roving Finance Director, when posted in an existing country programme is a key member of the Country Management Team, and reports on a day to day basis in that capacity to the Country Director for the duration of the assignment. The CMT is responsible for managing existing country activities and developing a clear country strategy and associated income streams. 

Main purpose of the role

The Roving Finance Manager role is critical to the continued improvement of Merlin’s financial control processes and the strengthening of the financial capacity of in-country staff.

The role will provide additional senior finance capacity for countries when a temporary absence of Country Finance Director (CFD) occurs.

The position provides training and guidance to in-country finance and non-finance staff where required on financial management and control processes.

As a Roving Finance Director, you will provide leadership and financial management to existing Merlin programmes with multi-programme and multi-site operation in a challenging living and working environment, throughout the world.

You will therefore be responsible for provide support in programme strengthening, as well as training, strengthening the capacity of existing international and national staff and contributing to the further development of Merlin’s humanitarian policy and positioning. A key priority in all locations is to embed clear financial management controls and to ensure understanding of and compliance with these by all staff. 

The Roving Finance Director, when posted in an existing country programme, is also a key member of the Country Management Team, plays a key role in developing and implementing the country strategy especially the required financial inputs, as well as ensuring that there are sound financial practices in country and rigorous budgetary control.

The work location for this position can be defined by Merlin as any location where there is a need for your competency. These locations can be remote, unsafe and anywhere in the world.

The location and assignment will be decided by the Merlin Finance Director, in consultation with the appropriate persons, who will take into consideration the needs of the organisation and individual programmes.

Overall Objectives

Reporting to the Merlin Finance Director, and working closely with Regional Finance Managers (RFMs) in Merlin’s London Head Office, the Roving Finance Director will:

• To develop and improve country financial controls and processes working with CFDs and country finance teams to promote a “Best Practice” culture throughout the organisation

• When assigned to a country in the temporary absence of a permanent CFD, act as the country CFD reporting to the country CD, providing support to the CMT and carrying out all functions of a CFD as necessary to ensure the continued good financial stewardship of the country programme

• Working with the RFMs and CFDs identify areas of potential training opportunities in countries and then provide that training in accordance with a “Best Practice” culture whilst taking account of local requirements where necessary

Responsibilities when acting as the country CFD

Financial Oversight

• Ensure internal financial procedures, systems, policies and controls are applied and complied with throughout the country programme operations by all staff
• Be the lead person and provide financial support on all financial issues in the Country Management Team
• Develop the funding/finance strategy for the country
• Prepare budgets, amendments and forecasts working with the Country Director and others
• Provide Head Office with all necessary financial information both proactively and on request
• Ensure donor reports and requirements are complied with to maximise available funding
• Monitor and control the balance sheet accounts

Procedures, Systems and Controls

• Ensure compliance with local regulations in respect of financial and other matters (e.g. Registration, Foreign Exchange, taxation and labour laws).
• Ensure compliance with the financial and other requirements of donors
• Ensure the development and implementation of in-country financial security guidelines and regularly review their effectiveness and the compliance of all staff with these guidelines
• Conduct internal audits for the field sites every three months, to ensure that all financial and administrative procedures are carried out in line with Merlin policies and guidelines and local Legislation
• Regularly review the financial and reporting systems to ensure that they continue to be fit for purpose

Treasury

• Co-ordinate and maintain a cash forecasting system to ensure that adequate funds are available to meet the working requirements of the programmes
• Ensure that payments are made in a timely and secure manner across all the country operations
• Working with the Regional Finance Managers in Head Office, ensure that all donor debts are recovered promptly

Donor Reporting & Monitoring of expenditure

• Prepare donor financial reports in line with donor reporting requirements
• Monitor on-going levels of expenditure on individual programmes against budget, and provide timely advice of likely over- or under-spends to the Country Management Team, and the relevant Programme & Finance teams in head office
• Ensure respective Programme Coordinators and Programme Managers understand variance implications and how to respond to and manage them effectively

Strengthening skills and programmes

• On a case-by-case basis support existing programmes according to Terms of Reference these to be determined by Director of Finance, Head of Region, Regional Finance Manager and the Country Director
• Lead in strengthening existing capacity and further develop programmes where required.
• Strengthen existing Merlin programming with reinforcement of existing Merlin policies and procedures
• Assist in the development and delivery of quality evidence based training to Merlin HO and field staff in line with skills and experience
• Coaching and mentoring of key personnel
• Perform other defined tasks as per specific terms of reference for that assignment
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation visits to current programmes when requested
• Identify and analyse opportunities that contribute to strategic aims and translate them into practical plans

External Relationships & Compliance

• Ensure that contractual commitments (e.g. for the rental of vehicles and/or premises) are financially sound and appropriate for the circumstances of the programme.
• Liaise with local legal advisors when necessary
• Ensure appropriate and timely contact with in-country government agencies to ensure that all legal requirements are met, e.g. work permits, import licences
• Liaise with International NGO Finance Directors in-country and actively participate in inter-agency co-ordination meetings

Management and training

• Manage and support the performance and development of in-country finance and administration staff, to ensure the provision of an efficient and effective service
• Make regular visits to Field sites for monitoring and supervision purposes
• Provide financial support, training and advice to all individuals in country

Human Resources (in some locations only)    

• Oversee the HR function to ensure sound in-country HR policies and procedures which comply with Merlin HR policy, local labour laws and good practice, and which promote Merlin’s organisational values
• Advise and coach line managers and staff on Merlin’s national HR policies and good HR practice including appraisal, performance management, staff development, discipline and absence management
• Supervise the administrative needs of the international staff including flight bookings, obtaining legal documentation, holiday and R&R planning, salary advances and international staff return forms
• Coordinate and support all aspects of the recruitment and selection process of national staff (including job description development, recruitment planning, advertising & shortlisting, selection interviews and tests, job offers, salary calculations and issuing contracts) in liaison with line managers, ensuring that Merlin’s recruitment process and good practice is carried out in all recruitment and selection activity
• Ensure accurate maintenance and safe storage of all staff HR records (e.g. contracts, leave records, pay history etc)
• Manage timely, accurate and systematic payroll and income tax payments for all national staff
• Manage the national HR Manager

Other Responsibilities

•  Liaising with the Head of Internal Audit and RFMs and working with the aid of the Finance Policies manual  work to ensure that high common standards of financial control and practice are implemented across all country programmes
•  Working with RFMs and CFDs identify opportunities for, and implement and conduct training of country finance teams in accordance with agreed procedures with the overall aim of raising standards of financial stewardship across the organisation

Person Specification     

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competences

• Qualified accountant ACCA, ACA, ACMA, CPA, (or equivalent), or substantial relevant work experience
• Substantial experience of analysing financial information to understand the current situation and to determine the strategic direction
• Significant experience with an international NGO in an overseas setting of ensuring that sound financial practices, rigorous budgetary and financial management controls are implemented and in line with donor guidelines and procedures
• Strong experience of creating budgets, pro-actively monitoring and reporting on budgets, providing sound financial advice to managers and making recommendations for corrective actions to ensure expenditure is in line with budgets and that contractual and legal requirements are adhered to
• Extensive management skills including ability to build capacity and coach staff in good financial standards, systems and processes as well as donor compliance and accountability
• Proven experience of developing, implementing and managing changes to finance systems, procedures and practices
• Understanding of financial security issues including fraud and how to develop appropriate guidelines
• Strong ability to plan and work independently
• Experience of living or working in different cultures and countries
• Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
• In depth knowledge of financial systems with confident and proficient in the use of MS Office  with advanced Excel skills
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
• Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload  and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
• Willingness to work in insecure environments and to relocate at short notice to any Merlin country programme worldwide
• An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values

Desirable

• Written and spoken French
• Experience of HR management in an overseas setting

Ville

Worldwide

Documents à envoyer

To apply for this position

To apply for this job, please go to www.merlin.org.uk/jobs and apply using our online recruitment system. In order to apply for a job with Merlin online you will need to complete a short registration process and create an account – the online recruitment system explains how to do this.  Once your account has been created, you will be able to save the information that you have entered in your application and re-visit it at any time before you submit it.

If you are unable to apply online for any technical reason, please contact   applications@merlin.org.uk.
Please note that we do not accept CVs. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.