Post:Programmes Finance Officer
Organization:Merlin
Location: London
Duration: Fixed term until 31st July 2014
Salary: £21,800 - £23,800 per annum
Job description Position: Programmes Finance Officer Department: Finance Responsible to: Programmes Financial Accountant Works with: Head Office Finance team, Regional Programme teams (London), Country Finance Directors and Field finance teams. Grade: F Salary: £21,800 - £23,800 per annum Location: London Duration: Fixed term until 31st July 2014
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis. Merlin Merlin is an international health charity, saving lives in the world’s toughest places. Merlin responds with healthcare, when people are overwhelmed by natural disaster, conflict or disease and in need of immediate help. We focus on treating those who are beyond the reach of existing health services. After the immediate crisis, Merlin stays on to assist recovery. Using our expertise, we support health workers and strengthen existing health services. We build resilience by helping those at risk of future health disasters, to be better prepared. We think everyone should have access to lasting healthcare. We believe good health is fundamental to transforming people’s lives, that’s why Merlin is A Force for Health.
As of 16 July, Merlin is joining Save the Children to create a world-class humanitarian health force for children and their families living in some of the toughest places in the world. By combining Merlin’s unique network of frontline health workers with Save the Children’s life-saving work in over 120 countries, more children affected by disaster or conflict will be reached.
Both organisations are really excited by this opportunity to dramatically increase our reach and impact for children and their families.
For those teams transferring as part of this plan, our expectation is that there will be a phased transition of Merlin’s overseas programme operations and head office teams to Save the Children, which we are aiming to complete within 18 months. During this time Merlin’s life-saving work for children and their families around the world will continue.
New appointment to our Head Office in London will be made on fixed term contracts.
Department The finance team is split into two sections, the Head Office Finance team focused on the financial accounting of Merlin as whole and providing general financial support to Head Office, the other, the Programmes Finance team, supports the operational aspects of our overseas programmes.
The Head Office Finance team provides the strategic and technical oversight of all aspects of financial accounting in Merlin. The team also provides financial and technical support and advice to field finance staff, working with field finance staff to ensure that programme balance sheets correctly reflect their assets and liabilities, and that the efficiency of cash resources is maximised.
Merlin uses PS Financials (PSF) as its accounting software package in Head Office and in those of our field operations that can technically sustain the link. In the few remaining country programmes, Excel remains the financial accounting tool.
Main purpose of the role This position assists the Programmes Financial Accountant in the provision of assurance to Merlin’s Head Office of the completeness and quality of monthly accounting in all Merlin’s country programmes, to report on donor debtor management and to monitor the efficiency of use of country programme cash resources.
Overall Objectives (scope)
• Assist the Programmes Financial Accountant in ensuring that country balance sheets are regularly reviewed and reconciled by country finance teams
• Assist the programmes Financial Accountant in the liaison with CFDs to forecast country cash flows and to maximise the efficiency of cash resources in country through debtor management, project pre-financing review, and country cash balances.
• Work with country finance teams for the year end and associated audit process
• Supporting country programmes by facilitating and advising on best practice financial accounting.
Responsibilities • Monitor the timely monthly receipt of country cash books and their upload into PSF, working with CFDs to ensure that any problems are resolved
• Assist the Programmes Financial Accountant in monitoring the accuracy and completeness of monthly programme balance sheet reconciliations, thereby ensuring that the consolidation of Merlin’s accounts reflects a true and fair view. This will involve liaison with CFDs and country finance teams and the provision of advice and guidance on the reconciliation of accounts.
• Monitor the provision of data and information for the year end accounts and associated audit, so as to ensure that all queries and outstanding issues are tracked to timely completion and resolution.
• Produce monthly aged debtor analyses, working to ensure that programme desks promptly issue invoices to accompany relevant grant reports and pre-funding instalments. Ensure that grant cash receipts are promptly allocated to such invoices so as to ensure that aged debt reports properly reflect the state of outstanding debt.
• Produce monthly pre-financing reports to incorporate accrued and deferred income and debtor balances, analysing these to provide to management a comprehensive view of donor, country and major project financing.
• Report monthly on the level of cash held in country, analysing this to relate cash levels to expenditure, and assisting CFDs to identify the levels of such cash that it is necessary to hold on as project requirements change over time.
• Other responsibilities and duties as may be commensurate with the role.
• Assist PFA to provide admin support to donor audits both in country and at Head office
Dimensions and Limits of Authority The holder will maintain key relationships both within Head Office and with the Field. There will be regular contact with finance teams in countries with and without PS Financials regarding ongoing financial data issues. The maintenance of reconciled country balance sheets is fundamental to the accurate financial reporting of Merlin and this role plays an important part in monitoring and achieving that ambition.
Person Specification Essential Qualifications, experience and competences
• Good level of work experience in a finance department
• Good working knowledge of Excel (look-ups, basic macros, filters etc)
• Good experience of using mid-range accounting systems (eg PS Financials, Quickbooks, Sage etc)
• Good ability to analyse data and produce monthly reports
• A constructive and sensitive communication style on financial and non-financial matters, with excellent verbal and written English
• Demonstrable ability to work as an effective team member
• Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
• 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
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
• Ability to proactively identify and address issues
• An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission, values and behaviours
Desirable Qualifications, experience and competences
• Interest in and working towards becoming a qualified member of a recognised Accounting body(e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA)
• Experience of working in the finance department of a charity
Data Protection Please note that in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act, Merlin will hold and use personal information that you have given for the purpose of recruitment and employment. This information can be stored in manual and/or electronic form. This information may also be disclosed to third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In cases where a job offer is conditional on ensuring that potential employees’ names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States due to donor funding requirements, Merlin will use the information that you have given for checking that your name does not appear on these lists.
Work Permits
Work permits are required for UK-based posts by all non-EC nationals. You therefore need to have the right to work in the UK order to apply for this post, and proof of this right will be required, at interview, and before any offer of employment is made.
How to apply:
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.
- See more at: http://reliefweb.int/job/614355/programmes-finance-officer#sthash.tkNdJ61k.dpuf
Closing date: 22 Nov 2013
How to Apply
http://reliefweb.int/job/614355/programmes-finance-officer