Job Summary: Reporting to the Country Director, the Finance Manager (FM) is a core position at Ipas Pakistan that manages financial and accounting functions for country node operations. This includes managing the monthly closing processes, financial transactions such as payments, receipts etc., local reporting and preparation of financial statements, compliance with Ipas policies and procedures, due diligence and monitoring of Ipas sub-recipients’ budget expense reports and adherence to local regulatory requirements. The FM ensures that Ipas complies with its local statutory obligations pertaining to taxation, financial management, banking and also coordinates the timely commissioning of its external audits and facilitates internal audits and follow-ups. The finance manager works closely with the Country Director (CD), Regional Finance Manager and Program Support Team on annual operating budget and donor reporting of country programs, and with the head office-based Finance Department for all other general ledger accounting and related financial interface. Success in this role will depend on subject-matter expertise, taking a proactive risk-management approach and strong team management and leadership skills.
Reporting: Country Director Ipas Pakistan
Location: Country Office Islamabad
Primary Responsibilities:
1# REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
- Lead in ensuring compliance with all Government of Pakistan laws and regulations, including labor and tax laws, including compliance with Ipas Pakistan’s registration authority’s financial compliance requirements.
- Ensure appropriate presentation of accounts and financial data according to Government of Pakistan’s INGO Policy requirements and terms and conditions mentioned in Ipas’ MOU with the Ministry of Interior.
- Ensure timely submission of Ipas’ annual audited financial statements to the Ministry of Interior.
- Timely and accurate tax deduction including payroll, withholding tax and sales tax and submissions to federal and provincial tax authorities.
- Timely submission of Ipas’ tax returns to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and provincial tax authorities.
- Ensure payment modalities and overall budgets are managed and presented appropriately in line with the GoP guidelines applicable to INGOs.
- Provide accurate, appropriate and timely financial data for project NOC applications, annual plan of action, progress reporting and responding to queries from government authorities, working closely with the external relations manager and the CD.
- Coordinate with the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy.
2# FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
- Proactively ensure risk management of the country office to mitigate and manage financial risks such as but not limited to avoiding questioned costs, ineligible costs and material non-compliance with policies. This includes regularly maintaining a comprehensive Risk Register for the Financial Management function.
- Ensure and strive to constantly improve organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and good stewardship of Ipas funds and resources.
- Maintain and update Ipas Pakistan’s financial management policies and procedures as needed.
- Ensure excellent collaboration with and support to the program team.
- Regular monitoring of project budget utilization.
- Ensure compliance with all Ipas financial management, award and sub-award management, grants, contracts, sub-recipient monitoring compliance standards and donor awards.
- Sub-award management including accurate budget preparation in line with Ipas and donor agreed budgets, terms and conditions, accurate and timely review of financial reports submitted by sub-awardees and processing of invoices/payment claims.
- Manage the month-end close process and supervise accounting staff.
- Provide leadership in budget preparation and donor reporting.
- Lead the annual budget planning.
- Understand Ipas policies and procedures and ensure financial operations in country adhere to both organizational standards and local statutory requirements.
- Ensure compliance with Ipas Network Quality Standards pertaining to financial management.
- Support in review of various procurement and contracts, including medical procurement and lease agreements and ensure adherence to the Ipas standard procedures.
- Prepare the country node’s financials in a timely manner for local reporting/filing and review with HQ finance.
- Work closely with head quarter Finance department on successful implementation of ERP systems, focusing on the financial modules.
- Coordinate with the Program Support team for financial management, accurate donor reporting and start up and close out of country programs.
- Supervise the payroll function of the country office and ensure that the country office is compliant to the local labor regulations, and ensure confidentiality of personnel information.
- Due diligence for screening and selection, and orientation of new partners regarding Ipas financial/accounting policies and practices.
- Conduct regular procurement spot checks and ensure compliance with procurement policy and guidelines when checking financial payment requests.
- Ensure compliance with all Ipas SOPs, policies, guidelines and processes and coordinate the Pakistan finance team support for the implementation of the Ipas Global network compliance plan
- Perform a budget versus actual review and analysis and provide timely advice and feedback to the CD and the management team on a monthly and quarterly basis and inform the relevant staff.
- In coordination with the HQ finance, oversee coordination and facilitation of all internal/external and statutory audits and ensure timely submission of all documents requested by the auditors. This also includes development of SOW for local audit, guidelines and procedures and identify competent statutory auditors in line with the eligibility criteria applicable on INGOs by the Government of Pakistan.
- Ensure management response and audit corrective action plans are prepared to address all internal/external and statutory audit findings; ensure also corrective action plans are fully implemented as per the established timeline for completion of each task
- Provide responses to all finance-related questions from the Ipas global office and when necessary, consult with the Country Director and/or Ipas Global Office in answering donor queries.
FUNDRAISING SUPPORT
- Lead the preparation and submission of accurate and compelling proposal budgets with a focus on value for money, full cost recover and minimizing losses to Ipas.
- Ensure accuracy and excellence for all donor-facing documents
- Ensure responsiveness to all donor requests with attention to quality and timeliness.
- Ensure accurate and timely donor reporting and liaison to ensure timely clarifications and responsiveness.
- Contribute to developing and tracking progress against the fundraising plan.
LEADERSHIP
- Serve as a member of node management team, ensuring Ipas Pakistan has strong financial management systems in support of the country node’s strategic objectives.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of a robust country strategy.
- Be a part of the crisis management team of the country node.
- Contribute proactively to ensuring a conducive work environment in line with Ipas’ core values.
- Take initiative to promote inter-departmental coordination with program, administration, HR and safety and security functions.
- Take responsibility for acting in-charge of the country node during times of CD absence as and when assigned ensuring proactive approach to problem-solving and taking appropriate decisions.
- Travel as and when required with supervisor/CD’s approval
- Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor/CD.
TEAM MANAGEMENT
- Provide effective management to build a high performing team with attention to achieving timely and quality results and team resilience. This includes ensuring appropriate job descriptions, goal-setting, work-planning, task delegation, staff training and development, holding regular check-in meetings and providing performance feedback for improvement.
- Build the team capacity in understanding and following compliance requirements particularly with respect to procurement and financial management policies of Ipas and donors funding Ipas.
- Promote effective shared leadership with a focus on accountability for results, code of conduct, compliance with policies, while promoting continuous improvement and innovation.
- Foster teamwork and a positive work environment for the team and inter-departmental coordination and collaboration
REQUIREMENTS:
Minimum
- Advanced qualification in Accounting, ACMA, Finance, Business Administration or related field.
- Proficient in accounting standards and systems.
- Strong track record of successful financial management of non-profit organizations (I/NGOs) with attention to risk management.
- Substantial experience of financial management of diverse donor-funded projects.
- Skilled in overseeing administration, supply chain, inventory and logistics management
- Able to lead and work with minimal supervision to consistently perform to a high standard.
- A proactive professional who takes initiative to improve financial management and administrative systems, policies and procedures.
- Excellent communication skills for motivating, influencing and negotiating with internal and external stakeholders for the successful achievement of organizational goals.
- Strong representation skills for liaison with donors, government and regulatory authorities.
- Proficient in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Internal Control Fundamentals
- Proficient in MS Office, ERP and related software applications required for the job function.
- Up-to-date knowledge of financial management, audit and reporting requirements applicable to INGOs in Pakistan.
- Up-to-date knowledge of taxation rules and regulations applicable to INGOs in Pakistan.
- Ability to provide sound advice to senior managers and country director on strategic matters.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of data and information.
- Highly skilled in preparing and managing budgets, tracking expenditure and monitoring compliance with donor and organizational policies.
- Experienced in successfully facilitating internal and external statutory and special purpose audit processes.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
- Fluent in written and spoken Urdu
- Excellent quantitative and analytical skills
- Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Demonstrated project and organizational skills
- Ability to analyze and interpret data, identify/resolve errors and prepare reports
- Ability to motivate and work well with others
- Ability to supervise finance/accounting staff, previous supervisory experience is a plus
- Non-profit accounting and fund accounting experience
- Well organized, efficient and able to multi-task in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment
- Commitment to Ipas mission and core values.
Preferred:
- CA or ACCA qualification
- Experience of working in the finance section of a reproductive health focused organization
- Strong training and mentoring skills
- Exposure to setting up new accounting ERPs and ability to handle transition to new systems.
- Experience of ensuring compliance with major donors’ requirements, such as UKFCDO, EU, AusAid, GAC and private trusts and foundations.
- Experience of conducting financial audits.
Note: The recruitment will remain open until the position is filled.
Ipas is strongly committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of harassment, discrimination, and inequity. We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate our personnel without regard to race, age, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, ancestry, citizenship, caste, ethnicity, regional identity, tribal identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic protected by law or outlined by Ipas policy. Ipas acknowledges that these personal characteristics may differ in different contexts.