Regional Accountant - ECA

Job title: Regional AccountantJob TitleRegional AccountantGroupFinanceTeamFinance - Global Influencing and Programme Group (GIPG)LocationEast and Central Africa Region ( DRC, South Sudan, CAR, Burundi, Rwanda, or Ethiopia)Responsible toSenior Finance Business Partner - ECAGrade3 Part 1 – Job descriptionMain purpose of the jobTo provide active, responsive and solution oriented hands-on support to the ECA Region on all aspects of finance. To ensure first-class and customer-focused services are effectively delivered to the regional team including the regional office, country offices and implementing partners.The post holder will assist in ensuring controls and compliance requirements are operating effectively, high quality project financial reporting is consistently delivered on time, and risks are promptly identified and recommendations are provided on mechanisms to minimise them.2. Purpose of the teamThe Finance Director and the finance team bring to Tearfund the crucial, wise voice of stewardship, prioritisation, accountability and effectiveness that must be delivered in the following 3 areas:Ensuring a strong grip on the core finances with clear, transparent and insightful reporting leveraged from strong systems and simple clear processes.Using financial models and frameworks to enable better decisions to be made.Being an exemplar of driving simple, efficient and effective practices across the finance team and the broader organisation.The Regional Accountant plays a key role in providing hands-on, proactive and solution oriented finance support to the ECA region.3. Position in organizationReports to the Senior Finance Business Partner (SFBP) - ECADeputise for SFBP - ECA during periods of absenceWorks closely with Finance Managers, country finance staff and partners as requiredStrong collaboration with Tearfund’s Global finance teams (GIPG Finance , Financial Planning and Performance, and Global Controllers).4. Tearfund’s Christian cultureWe believe that prayer and discernment is fundamental to Tearfund achieving its mission of restoring relationships, ending extreme poverty and transforming lives. As a Tearfund staff member you are expected to:-Engage with weekly Tearfund Prayers, quarterly Sabbath days and the Prayer & Spiritual Life hubLead or participate in spiritual sessions of prayer and biblical reflection within your groupBe committed to Tearfund’s Mission, Values and Beliefs statement and to be actively working and living in accordance with Tearfund’s Christian beliefs and theology of missionMaintain your own spiritual development, discover your gifts/callings and grow in discipleship5. Organizational requirementsAll staff are expected to live out Tearfund’s values as they represent Tearfund externallyAll post-holders are expected to fulfil their personal objectives set by their line manager, contribute to their team’s overall objectives, take responsibility for reviewing their ongoing personal development and maintain an awareness of Tearfund's strategy.All Tearfund staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.5. Scope of jobFinancial Capacity BuildingFinancial Reporting, Budgeting and PlanningRegional and Country Office SupportTransactional ProcessesCorporate Policy & ComplianceFinance Surge SupportOther finance tasks as assigned by SFBP - ECA6.  Duties & Key Responsibilities Financial Capacity BuildingIn consultation with the SFBP - ECA and Regional Director (RD), manage a programm of financial capacity building; prioritising country offices to enable each office within the region to effectively manage all aspects of financial managementTo provide finance training sessions for finance and non-finance staff in the regionRegularly visit country offices for both routine and ad-hoc finance and surge support visitsUnder the supervision of the SFBP, increase the finance capacity at the country office level, including supporting the SFBP-ECA in recruitment, training and staff development across the regionTo support country offices in providing finance training to partners, including donor fund management, financial wrongdoing prevention, strengthening financial controls etc.Work closely with International Accountants to provide financial accounting training - CCB, system implementation, process simplification etc.Nurture and maintain effective relationships within the region, and with Tearfund’s global finance teams.Financial Reporting, Budgeting and PlanningUnder the SFBP-ECA, provide proactive support and input to the development of donor proposal budgets within the region ensuring they are on time and of quality. Where necessary attend Project Development Meetings (PDM) and Project Development Approval (PDA)Collates figures and commentary for monthly finance meetings with the Global Influencing and Programmes Director, and for Corporate Management AccountsProviding responsive support to SFBP-ECA so that the financial management reporting is prepared with full explanations for material variances against budget and profilePreparing Appeal financial analysis and commentaries as requiredWorking closely with the assigned International Accountant, check donor reports against financial accounts for completeness and accuracy to ensure the integrity of Tearfund’s financial data for large institutionally-funded projects.Review institutional project reports received from countries and support the SFBP-ECA in preparing monthly management account commentaries in relation to all funding (including institutional).Regional and Country Office SupportAssist countries to successfully implement projects, subsequent revisions in accordance with external donor requirements, and adapt to changes in circumstances (staff turnover, scale up or scale down etc.)Provide support in maintaining a set of complete and accurate financial records for the region, including all relevant supporting documentation for each projectProvide responsive support to assist country offices with preparation of local statutory accounts and financial reporting to local authoritiesMonitor, supervise and assist country offices in preparation for external audits and ensure compliance with contractual and legal requirements, as well as with Tearfund’s internal policies and procedures.Support country offices implement audit recommendations and learning.Support country offices in preparation for the annual Tearfund statutory audit, and meeting corporate deadlines.Transactional ProcessesApproval and posting of country office cash books, and corresponding reviewsBooking monthly programme recoveries and other journals for the regionReview and processing cash requests from country officesReview the accounting, payroll and balance sheet reconciliations for countries in the ECA regional, including those on PSFReview Country Office year-end reports as assignedProvide proactive responses to Global and field account queries as may arise.Corporate Policy and ComplianceAssist SFBP-ECA in ensuring consistent compliance with Tearfund’s internal financial policies and procedures across the regionAssist SFBP-ECA in ensuring compliance with all contractual and statutory financial requirements. Support country offices to ensure they are well prepared for external and local-statutory audits and are compliant with donor policiesSupport country offices carry out partner assessments and complete solvency assessments on Partner’s audited financial statements within the specified time as required.Assist SFBP-ECA in monitoring procedures to prevention and mitigation of financial wrongdoing and other risksSupport SFBP-ECA in providing proactive risk management advice and support to all projects and countries in the regionProvide responsive support to the regional team as requested by SFBP-ECA to ensure all internal audit issues and follow-up actions are effectively managed and reported on to the Audit, Risk and Finance Committee (ARF)Finance Surge SupportAs required, provide surge support for country/other regions and/or project finance needs.Additional ResponsibilitiesIdentify opportunities for streamlining, improving, and contextualising global financial practicesCollaborate as part of the global Tearfund finance team, contributing to financial management, year-end processes, and global auditsSupport senior management in maintaining constructive working relations with other NGOs, donors, UN agencies and host governmentsPerform other duties as assigned by the Senior Finance Business Partner - ECA.