Administrative and financial officer

Background

The Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) calls upon regional organizations with a role on DRR related to their mandates, priorities, and resources, including the promotion of regional programmes and establish regional collaborative centers to undertake research, training, education and capacity building in the field.

The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) of the League of Arab States, under the chairmanship of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE) and the Islamic Executive Bureau for Environment, jointly launched a Regional Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction on 4 March 2009, hosted by the AASTMT in Cairo.

During the Second Meeting of the Governing Board, the esteemed Members endorsed the proposed outline for a 3-year Strategic Business Plan 2011 – 2013 for RCDRR that was presented by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) of the World Bank.

The plan focuses on four clear lines of business aiming at achieving the RCDRR objectives. These four lines are: 1) Enable policy and planning for disaster risk reduction in the region, 2) expand education and training opportunities to build a culture of prevention in the region, 3) enable access to knowledge and practices relevant to the region, and 4) just-in-time advisory services.
RCDRR seeks to recruit an Administrative and Financial, Which shall report directly to the Executive Director.

Duties and responsibilities

Financial management, reporting and accounting

The CFO ensures that RCDRR maintains financial record systems in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and procedures. This includes financial, project-based, and departmental/division accounting and financial reporting. In this respect, the CFO will be responsible for:

• Establishing and monitoring the implementation and maintenance of adequate accounting control procedures.
• Developing and maintaining financial data bases.
• Monitoring the sources and uses of all funds through ensuring accurate and appropriate recording and analysis of funding income and expenses. This involves:

- Ensuring that operational funding received from AASTMT is channeled in timely manner, and duly budgeting, accounting and reporting for the said funds.
- Ensuring smooth operational flow of all other RCDRR funding sources, whether such funding is for operational purposes or for the coverage of ongoing Divisional programs/projects.

• Acting as RCDRR’s liaison with Commercial Banks and undertaking full responsibility of bank account initiation, maintenance and monitoring. This included RCDRR’s main operational bank account, as well as suffix accounts initiated for Divisional programs/projects.
• Resolving accounting discrepancies and irregularities.
• Financial audit preparation and coordination of the audit process:

- Compiling and analyzing financial information to prepare financial statements including monthly, quarterly and annual accounts.
- Ensuring all fiscal reporting deadlines are met through ensuring accurate and timely monthly, quarterly and year end close.
- Overseeing financial reporting requirements to funding agencies/organizations as well Governments in case of Government projects.
- Integrating legislative and programmatic rules and regulations into financial reporting to ensure financial compliance with all Governmental and contractual guidelines.

• Preparation and finalization of monthly and annual financial reporting materials and metrics for the Board of Directors.
• Continuous review of financial systems in place and developing such systems going forward.
• Collaborates with IT to design – and successfully implement – the electronic financial databases required to meet financial reporting and analysis needs (hardware and software).

Budgeting and Cash Flow Management

The CFO undertakes the creation of RCDRR’s periodic budget plans in accordance with operational activities and in line with programs undertaken by the ED and BOD in the upcoming period, in a manner which maximizes the utilization of RCDRR’s resources, and ensures smooth operational cash flow. This includes:

• Creation of operating budget reports at both the administrative and program level, such that prepared budget reports include:

- Income projections by type and source of contribution.
- Expense projections.
- Potential capital additions and/or acquisitions.
- Staffing models.
- Aggregation of all income and expense items listed above (as well as other items as required) to create annual, quarterly or monthly operating budget reports comprising projections of income versus expenses for the entire centre as well as for each of its operational divisions. The same aggregated budget report should be created at the program level.
- Conversion of operational budget reports into cash flow projection reports (both short and long term) to assess periods of lower-than-expected cash flow generation.

• Continuous monitoring of issued operational and program budget reports as a tool to gauge operational performance. Such monitoring should result in:

- Ensuring that sources of funding are utilized in the most optimal manner, as well as identifying new funding opportunities.
- Implementing cost analysis to ensure that expenses are incurred in the most optimal manner, and ensuring cost effectiveness on the long run.
- Ensuring that adequate cash flow is generated to meet with RCDRR administrative and operational needs.

Analysis of historical RCDRR financial performance and strategic financial planning

The CFO analyzes historical financial information, and implements futuristic projections of financial performance. Such analysis will be relayed to the executive Director and BOD in the form of Financial Management Reports, with the purpose of:

• Devising solutions to business and financial problems.
• Providing strategic recommendations for the most efficient use of resources, as well as recommendations for effective cost management.
• Improving applied financial practices and procedures.

Heading RCDRR’s HR and Administration Functions, as follows:

• With respect to HR Functions:

- Direct and continuous rapport with Division Heads at RCDRR to investigate additional staffing requirements.
- Liaising with AASTMT HR Division in order to secure staffing required (both permanent and on consultancy basis) within RCDRR Divisions.
- Establishing relationships with renowned recruiters and head-hunters in order to secure staffing required (both permanent and on consultancy basis) within RCDRR Divisions.
- Organization of payroll/staff benefit procedures.

• Liaising with designated payroll bank to facilitate salary disbursement.
• Issuance of RCDRR staff payslips.
• Organization of RCDRR staff insurance/saving/retirement plans and health care coverage logistics.

- Acts as compiler and custodian of all RCDRR employee files comprising:
- Records of RCDRR staff members’ attendance and annual leave days.
- Records of annual appraisals.

• With respect to Administration Functions, RCDRR’s CFO undertakes the full supervision of the duties of RCDRR’s Administration Manager, as well as selecting, orienting and training new administrative staff additions, as and when required.

Qualifications

• Higher degree (at least Bachelor, Master is preferred) in Finance, Economy, Human Resources or relevant field.
• More than 12 years of professional experience as financial officer in an international context.
• Demonstrated proficiency in English and Arabic languages.
• Sound PC knowledge.
• Very good communication skills.
• Sound organizational skills.