PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
As a result of the Syrian civil war there is a major humanitarian crisis. Mercy Corps, along with national and international partners, is working to address urgent humanitarian needs wherever they arise. This response, the largest in Mercy Corps’ global portfolio, is currently comprised of refugee/host response operations in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey in addition to a response to the needs of displaced and conflict-affected populations inside Syria with relief distributions, WASH and livelihoods programming to vulnerable Syrians.
The Mercy Corps Sub-award and Compliance Department supports all financial and compliance aspects of subgranting. In its role as a support to the Syria Program Department, the Sub-award and Compliance Department is responsible for ensuring subrecipients are compliant with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. It supports the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively. The Department is involved in pre-award and due diligence processes, contracting, financial report support, reviews, and approvals, payments, capacity development, compliance reviews and audits, close-out. The Department is also a main actor in ensuring Sub-award strategy is embedded in programming, by providing on-the-job and ad-hoc support to Partners on all finance and compliance related issues in order to ensure compliance and also importantly to build the financial and compliance capacity of partners.
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
Working in the Sub-award and Compliance Department under the direction of the Sub-award Finance Manager and Senior Sub-award Finance Officer, the Sub-award Finance Officer will work closely with Partners to ensure exhaustive financial reporting in compliance with donor and MC subawards policies and procedures.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Subgrant Management
- Provide support and first review of Partner Pre-award assessment as per MC Sub-award procedures,
- Draft Partner monitoring plan for Sub-award Finance Manager and Sub-award & Compliance Director review,
- Provide first review of partner budgets according to partner budget review checklist,
- With the support of the Sub-award Finance Manager, assist the Partner to prepare the supporting document matrix for their budget (through meetings with Partner finance staff as needed),
- Review sub-award financial reporting package, amounts, calculations and supporting documents, ensuring compliance with supporting documentation matrix, compile all comments in one document and once agreed with the Sub-award Finance Manager and Sub-award & Compliance Director, follow-up issues with Sub-award Finance staff,
- Assist in sub-award site monitoring visits as per monitoring plan and provide report to Finance Managers.
- Maintain subgrant financial files, process sub-award payments and reconcile subgrant financial tracking to general ledger reports.
- Track Financial reports submissions and Partner’s payments, and update Partner Trackers.
- Track Partners’ expenditures against budgets and flag any issues to Programme team and Finance Managers.
- Make sure that reports and all supporting documentation is prepared and filed according to MC procedures.
- Assist in the training and support for local NGOs, including answering daily questions, training new hires, making visits to Partners’ offices, etc
- Assist the Finance Managers in responding to audit inquiries and requests for financial information.
- To know and be familiar with the subgrant manual, field finance manual, procurement manual and any additional local policies (National Staff Policy Handbook, cash management, local travel, etc).
General
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission
- Other duties as assigned
- Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel and Access.
- Strong analytical skills coupled with a solid understanding of grant management rules.
- Excellent oral and written English skills
- Familiarity with Lebanese accounting rules and procedures
SUCCESS FACTORS:
The ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required. A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary. A high professional standard of finance and procurement ethics as well as the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential. The ability to take financial data and present it in meaningful financial reports is essential. The Finance Officer must be willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.
