Head Of Finance

Youth Impact Labs East Africa; KwaZulu-Natal; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

An international non-profit organization is seeking a Head of Finance in South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal. The role involves leading the finance team, ensuring compliance with internal policies and donor regulations, and managing all financial operations. The successful candidate will have at least 10 years of financial management experience, including grants management. Strong skills in budget preparation, accounting, and excellent communication are essential. Applications are due by July 23 at 4:00 PM.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of financial management experience.
• 4 years of experience in grants management.
• 3 years of international experience required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the finance team in Addis Ababa.
• Oversee financial management for the country program.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations.

Skills

Financial management

Budget preparation

Accounting skills

MS Office expertise

Communication skills

Education

BA/S in accounting or finance

Advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

Excel

Job description

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.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market‑driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute to a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improving natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

Position Title

Head of Finance

Duty Station

Addis Ababa

Open Position

1

Safeguarding Risk Level

High

General Position Summary

The Head of Finance is a member of the Senior Management Team and leads the Finance Team in Addis Ababa. They are responsible for all aspects of financial management of the country program, ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps internal policies and donor regulations. The role ensures strict adherence to internal control systems, overseeing accounting, payments, banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting and grant financial management and compliance.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction of the finance department by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Work with the Country Director and senior management team to grow the program portfolio, formulate strategies and plans.
• Move from short‑term remedial actions to longer‑term systemic change that results in enduring change and improvements to the internal controls.

Influence & Representation

• Identify, build and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub‑grantees, donors, local governments and other stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Interface with donor representatives to convey program information as appropriate.
• Verify partner systems and ensure they understand and follow all appropriate procedures and archiving.
• Participate in sharing best practices with NGOs and governmental agencies.
• Establish high credibility and manage strong working relationships with external stakeholders.

Operational – Financial

• Plan and implement effective and transparent systems for financial operations in country and field offices, including cash flow management, budgeting, consolidation of accounting information, internal controls, financial reporting, grant management and compliance.
• Develop and keep up to date annual fiscal year budgets with the Country Director; implement grant budgeting and forecasting systems with Program Managers/Directors.
• Ensure budgets are efficiently managed, allowing identification and follow‑up of programming and potential spend‑out issues (e.g., under or overspends).
• Ensure adequate forecasting & recognition of commitments on grants to enable appropriate use & action on BvAs with Program Staff.
• Timely recording of expenditures by field Finance teams with accurate descriptions entered into Navigator.
• Maintain minimum coding errors and review transaction listings to confirm correct costs.
• Ensure effective, transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies.
• Maintain banking relations and monitor country cash flow requirements.
• Analyze compensation packages, taxation requirements and HR policies for local staff to account for financial impact.
• Provide monthly standard accounting submissions to Mercy Corps Headquarters, including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenditures by cost center/project, required sub‑grantee reporting, and other financial information in a timely and accurate manner.
• Provide monthly management reports to the Country Director, COP and Program/project Managers, including expenditures by cost center/project, sub‑grantee reporting and other financial information.
• Guide and oversee country Compliance team management process for local and international recipients during pre‑award assessment, contracting, implementation, financial reporting, budget realignment & management, asset & account reconciliations, and closeout.
• Provide regular review and monitor subawardees’ financial reporting and compliance.
• Assist internal and external audits and reviews as required to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps and donor requirements.
• Provide training for finance and non‑finance staff on financial management and processes.
• Ensure a focus on quality and completeness of documents with a clear audit trail.

Compliance

• Prepare and ensure timely submission of country‑level government reports (statutory audit report, financial statements, statutory remittance on the state and federal level, etc.).
• Monitor and keep Mercy Corps up to date with banking, cash management and other related local government regulations.
• Ensure close coordination and synchronized approach to partnership/subaward management by program and Compliance teams.
• Provide additional technical assistance to Compliance team in delivering quality capacity building for subawardees.
• Help identify efficient and effective solutions to issues while ensuring compliance with Mercy Corps’ policies and donor regulations.
• Perform follow‑up and resolutions for internal and external audit recommendations to improve the internal control environment.
• Prepare and maintain the Country Office and Complex Programs’ Compliance Trackers and provide inputs into Country Office Risk Register in conjunction with the Country Director, updated quarterly.

Team Management

• Lead and develop finance teams in the main office and field offices.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to country team‑building efforts and integrate team members into decision‑making processes.
• Hold finance and Grant and Compliance staff accountable and take ultimate responsibility for performance of team members.
• Ensure smooth integration of Grant and Compliance team under the Finance Department.
• Provide oversight, technical support, and mentoring to finance and Grant and Compliance team on an ongoing basis.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning

• Commit 5% of time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps and themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to beneficiaries and international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners.

Supervisory Responsibility

Directly: Grant and Compliance Manager and Accounting and Reporting Manager.
Indirectly: Mercy Corps Ethiopia Finance and Compliance Team.

Reports Directly To

Country Director

Works Directly With

HQ Regional Finance Officers in Edinburgh/Portland, HQ Program Officers, Senior Operations Manager, Country HR Manager, DOP, COP, and Program/Project Managers.

Knowledge and Experience

• At least 10 years of progressive financial management experience is required.
• BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
• At least 4 years of experience in grants management and understanding of donor regulations (USAID, DFID, EC) is required.
• At least 3 years of international experience is required; international NGO or business background.
• Demonstrated experience with budget preparation, analysis, financial reporting and translating technical data into reports.
• Strong accounting skills, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, especially Excel.
• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills required.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will interact effectively across program and finance teams, support programmatic objectives with timely financial information, multi‑task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities. They will exhibit impeccable professional standards of finance and procurement ethics and enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies. The Country Finance Manager must be willing to travel regularly to field offices and project sites. The most successful staff members have strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work 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 and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment by or of our team members. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e‑learning courses upon hire and annually.

Application Instructions

All Qualified Individuals Are Invited To Apply For The Advertised Position. All Applications, including a CV, three references and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically. Short‑listed candidates will be acknowledged and called for interviews. Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Deadline for All Applications

July 23 / 4:00 PM