Finance and Subgrants Officer – Garissa, Mercy Corps
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
Program / Department Summary
The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. In its role as a support to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.
General Position Summary
Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Finance Director, the Finance and Sub grants Officer will be responsible for accounting and documentation of all financial transactions in a timely and accurate manner. S/he will also be responsible for reporting, file maintaining, tracking and monitoring of sub grantees ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the sub grant agreements for the Livestock Market Systems (LMS) program.
Essential Job Responsibilities
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
- Support with the preparation the monthly bank reconciliations.
- Maintain custody of the office cash fund and make daily payments of approved transactions.
- Prepare cash payment vouchers and ensure that all cash transactions are fully and properly documented.
- Review expense reports (travel expense reports and operational expense reports) for accuracy and completeness and ensure that expense reports have been fully approved and documented before payment.
- Perform weekly cash count as per FFM.
- Prepare payment vouchers and ensure that all transactions are properly and fully documented and recorded in the cash/bank sub journal and in this process proper segregation of duties is applied.
- Record payment vouchers daily in in the Field Connection Accounting System for the cash/bank sub journal.
- Maintain field advance tracker file and prepare past due advance tracker for the Senior Finance Compliance Officer.
- File all cash and bank batch vouchers and maintain voucher-filing system such that files are updated, complete and safeguarded according to MC procedures.
- Assist with month end cash account reconciliations.
- Providing support to the finance officers in field offices.
- Make sure that all supporting documentation is prepared and filed according to MC procedures.
SUB GRANTS
- Provide on-going training and support to sub grantees in Mercy Corps sub grant financial procedures and assist in conducting formal sub grantee training workshops.
- Review sub grantee financial reports for correctness and completeness and ensure that reports are submitted on time.
- Assist sub grantee site audits and prepare site visit reports.
- Follow up on all sub grant compliance issues, audits, and document resolutions.
- Maintain sub grant tracking as well as financial files in accordance with the Field Finance Manual.
- Process sub grantee payments and reconcile sub grant financial tracking to general ledger reports.
- Assist in sub grant closeouts ensuring that all requirements of the sub grant agreement have been met and that sub grant funds have been properly settled.
ADMINISTRATION
- Ensure adherence to Mercy Corps administrative and logistics procedures and staff policies by MC staff. Provide training and guidance to MC staff, as and when needed.
- Allocation of MC owned mobile phones and data modems including timely settlement of bills.
- Coordinate stationery and office supplies.
- Arrange for meetings & workshops in coordination with programs team.
- Track preferred supplier agreements and other service contracts.
- Monitor and implement asset tracking system including use of asset tags, movement of assets, disposal of assets and update asset registry both manually and electronically including proper registration and issuance of newly purchased assets in the field office.
- Ensure proper management and coordination of staff travel arrangements including transport and security.
- Establish and maintain appropriate filing systems for office correspondence.
- Ensure that all vehicles are safe and road-worthy by organizing regular and timely service schedules for vehicles and maintaining service schedule files.
- Collect and distribute vehicle log-sheets to drivers; responsible for monthly compilation and submission of log-sheets.
- Schedule vehicle use to meet programmatic and operational needs.
- Oversee fuel consumption purchase and tracking including coordination with gas station(s).
- Collect Vehicle Service Requests from drivers. Submit VSR-s for approval.
- Ensure security measures for vehicles such as parking, storage of keys, emergency supplies, etc.
- Ensure that security incident reports are completed and filed (if related to vehicles).
- Coordinate Purchase requests received in liaison with Operations team to ensure segregation of duties is upheld.
- 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.
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Senior Finance Officer
Works Directly With: Chief of Party, Finance Officer, Program Manager and other program, finance and support staff in Garissa and Nairobi offices
Knowledge and Experience
- A university degree in finance, accounting or a related business field is required
- Four or more years of finance experience, including budgeting and grant management or auditing
- Four years’ experience in the finance department of an non-governmental organization
- Good understanding of major international donor rules and non-profit accounting
- Prior experience with computerized general ledger software
- Advanced computer skills in MS office programs, particularly excel and access.
- Strong analytical skills coupled with a solid understanding of financial and procurement systems; prior auditing experience is considered a plus
- Excellent oral and written English skills
Success Factors
A successful Finance and Sub Grants Officer will have the ability to interact effectively with team members with 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. S/he will have the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. The ability to effectively monitor sub grantee compliance as well as to provide support and training for sub grantee personnel is critical as well as willingness to travel to Mercy Corps field offices, sub grantee offices and project sites.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Garissa.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations 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 organization 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.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
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, color, 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, program 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.
