Finance/Ops Lead - FCDO-funded Technical Assistance

Background and Objectives of the FCDO-funded Technical Assistance Programme in Pakistan

IRC is preparing to bid for an upcoming long-term FCDO-funded Technical Assistance programme in Pakistan. The programme will provide sustained technical and advisory support to strengthen the capacity of government counterparts and partners, with delivery structured against agreed results and milestones in line with FCDO's payment-by-results (PBR) requirements. The Finance/Ops Lead will play a central role in ensuring the programme's financial management, operations and PBR-linked reporting are robust, compliant and responsive to the needs of the technical team throughout the life of the contract.

The Finance/Ops Lead will be responsible for overseeing financial management, operations and financial reporting for the FCDO-funded Technical Assistance programme in Pakistan. Acting as the principal finance and operations business partner to the Project Director and other Senior Management team, the Finance/Ops Lead provides the leadership and management necessary to ensure the project has the appropriate financial and operational infrastructure and systems in place to support smooth project implementation, including robust tracking and reporting against payment-by-results (PBR) milestones. The Finance/Ops Lead will ensure the assistance complies with FCDO rules and regulations and host country labor, tax, and other relevant laws. S/he will contribute to the development of the Project’s strategic and operational plans and be accountable for ensuring and monitoring delivery against the financial and PBR plans through targeted and comprehensive financial analytical review. Additionally, the Finance/Ops Lead will coordinate their work with IRC Finance Unit to enforce internal controls over the programme.

Job Responsibilities:

• Ensures that all policies and procedures are in compliance with IRC and FCDO policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Establishes project’s finance and supporting function policies, systems and procedures, and directs or performs their development, documentation, and implementation.
• Manages project finance activities and schedules to meet the financial reporting requirements and deadlines specified by IRC HQ and FCDO. Prepares quarterly accrual reports, expenditure reporting, and burn rate projections.
• Provides project management and program staff with monthly actual-to-budget expenditure reports and analysis for project funds and facilitate the review and discussion.
• Ensures balance sheet reconciliations are completed monthly and on a timely basis and review final reconciliations and trial balances with the Project Director.
• Closely monitors all financial activities, and keeps the Project Director advised of all situations which have the potential for a negative impact on internal controls or financial performance.
• Directs the preparation of and approval of all FCDO financial reports in respect to accounting, legal and contractual requirements and ensures the review of such reports by the Project Director and HQ prior to submission.
• Enforces internal control policies and procedures.
• Maintains current knowledge of local government requirements related to financial matters and ensures compliance with tax regulations and other legal requirements.
• Establishes project finance roles and responsibilities matrix; ensures job descriptions are current; recruits and maintains qualified staff to perform finance functions.
• Develops and implements a training program for the project’s finance staff.
• Ensures constructive performance reviews are completed on a timely basis and facilitates discussion of performance and career options with project finance staff.
• Supervises all project office bank relations and bank account activities including negotiation of fees, interest and currency exchange rates.
• In compliance with IRC policy, establishes policies regarding cash holding limits, cash movements and foreign currency holdings of the project.
• Oversees the timely preparation, review and approval of all monthly bank account and cash reconciliations.
• Designs, implements, and monitors systems, procedures and reporting necessary to maintain on current basis accurate forecasts of cash requirements for meeting future spending, including commitments entered into and which obligate IRC to future spending.
• Supervises the preparation of Cash Transfer Requests to IRC HQ and ensures that appropriate cash balances are maintained to facilitate project implementation.
• Assists with the preparation and revision of project budgets.
• Prepares the annual and monthly cash budgets based on approved funding.
• Prepares monthly pipeline analysis (spending forecast) on the project in coordination with the technical team.
• Coordinates and reconciles spending forecasts with Project Director to reflect realistic data.
• Leads on operational management of the project office, including logistics, procurement, and administrative/HR coordination, ensuring operations are efficient and compliant with FCDO and IRC requirements.
• Leads on the financial tracking, verification, and reporting of Payment by Results (PBR) milestones and disbursement-linked indicators, ensuring accurate and timely submissions to FCDO.

Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance with a recognized professional certificate in accounting such as CPA, or a master’s degree in Accounting.
• Minimum of 10 years in similar financial, compliance, or operational role in managing and supporting $7 million or larger FCDO funded projects and other Institutional Donor projects in similar contexts;
• Experience with budgeting and financial reporting requirements on $7 million or larger FCDO, or other Institutional Donor funded projects;
• Experience with financial management and reporting on projects with substantial subaward components;
• Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting practices, financial reporting standards, financial management processes and procedures
• Familiarity with FCDO rules and regulations including applicable laws.
• Prior experience working on FCDO Technical Assistance programmes and/or with commercial contractors delivering FCDO/ODA-funded assistance, with a solid understanding of the associated compliance, procurement and reporting requirements.
• Strong background in the Payment by Results (PBR) approach, including designing and tracking results-based milestones and disbursement-linked indicators, and financial reporting against PBR schedules.
• Extensive experience in working with computerized accounting systems (ERP), standard spreadsheet and database programs, and advanced and demonstrated/practical skills in Microsoft Excel.
• Must have a proven track record of proactively identifying and communicating potential problems and proposing solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and professional patience and be able to interact, partner and thrive in a diverse environment.
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop relations with diverse teams.
• Good written and verbal skills in English.

Recruitment for this role is contingent upon the successful award of the project to the IRC. The final applicant's selection is subject to FCDO approval.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.