Budgeting and Reporting Finance Manager

Location: Ramallah with local travel as needed

Position Status: Regular - Full time.

Salary Level: 6A-B

Duration: 12 Months with possibility of extension

Department: Finance

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Department / Team (Department Summary)

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Palestine, 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.

The Position (General Position Summary)

Working in the Finance Department under the supervision of the Finance Director. The Budgeting and Reporting Finance Manager will oversee the financial planning, budgeting, and reporting processes for Mercy Corps’ Palestine programs. Operating from Ramallah Office, this position will play a key role in supporting program teams with financial insights and guidance, promoting budget adherence, and providing financial forecasting and analysis to optimize Mercy Corps' resource utilization.

Essential Responsibilities

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

1. Budget Management & Planning

• Assist the Finance Director in the development and monitoring of budgets for the country, all ongoing projects and new proposals.
• Collaborate with program and operations teams to ensure budgets align with program goals and Mercy Corps’ strategic objectives.
• Ensure that all budgets comply with Mercy Corps’ internal policies and meet donor requirements.
• Responsible for the monthly cash projections exercise that involves a comprehensive review and forecast of cash needs for the upcoming month in collaboration with program and operations lead, to make sure that Mercy Corps Palestine has sufficient funds on hand to support program activities, operational needs, and unforeseen expenses.

2. Financial Reporting

• Assist in the preparation of financial reports, ensuring accuracy and alignment with Mercy Corps’ financial standards and donor expectations.
• Develop detailed Budget Variance Analysis (BVAs) reports monthly and provide actionable insights to program leads.
• Working closely with Program leads in a proactive approach to incorporate projections and commitments. This coordination ensures that BVAs reflect both current financial data and anticipated expenditures, helping teams manage budgets with greater accuracy and foresight.
• Enhance reporting using graphs, visual dashboards, and interactive presentations to provide clearer insights and support data-driven decision-making.
• Assist in analyzing the project ledgers to identify transactions that require reclasses.
• Assist in the preparation of Mercy Corps Palestine's annual financial reports to ensure they are ready for the audit.

3. Financial Review

• Provide financial review of purchase requests, purchase orders, contracts, and payment requests to ensure compliance with Mercy Corps’ policies and procedures and project budgets and ensure compliance with Mercy Corps’ procurement policies and procedures for all goods and services as per AAM.
• Ensure efficient and timely coordination with Palestine Finance Team.
• Serve as a trained backup for month-end closing procedures, stepping in to manage these responsibilities during the Finance Manager's absence.
• Serve as a backup for the review of emergency related payments and processes as per the AAM.

4. Other Duties:

• Assist in responding to audit inquiries and requirements.
• Ensure all staff are fully aware of donor and internal regulations.
• Stay abreast of changes in applicable donor policies and ensure changes are implemented as required.
• 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 assigned by the Finance Director, as needed.

Team Management

• 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, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports directly to: Country Finance Director

Works directly with: Country Finance, Subgrant and Compliance Team, Operations team members, Program Managers, and others.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field. A master’s degree or BIDA/CMA/CPA/ACCA certification is a plus.
• Minimum of 5 years in financial management, with at least 3 years in a managerial role within the non-profit sector, preferably in budgeting and reporting.
• Advanced knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Advanced knowledge in excel and visual presentations.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data and provide actionable insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic.
• Demonstrated knowledge of donor regulations (e.g., USAID, GAC, ECHO, UN).
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural and high-stress environment.

Success Factors

The ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel is required. A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary. 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.  The Budgeting and Reporting Finance Manager must be willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.

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 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. 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.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online HERE no later than 10:00 on Tuesday, 03 Dec 2024.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.