Desired start date: ASAP
Duration of the mission: 7 months, renewable
Location: Cox’s Bazar, with regular visits to the field bases.
SI opened its mission in Bangladesh at the end of 2007, following cyclone SIDR.
Today, SI’s intervention and strategy in Bangladesh is to address the primary needs of crisis-affected people in terms of: food security, livelihood (FSL), disaster risk reduction (DRR), water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) and shelter, through an integrated disaster risk reduction approach; and by taking into account the effects of climate change; whilst working in parallel on mid-long term resilience strategies.
SI operates through 3 core stages of intervention: rapid response mechanisms in the aftermath of a disaster or emergency // early recovery & transitional periods // development.
The mission’s 4 key strategic objectives:
- Responding to the most urgent needs of conflict and disaster affected populations;
- Strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities to recurrent shocks;
- Strengthening communities’ capacities to access resources;
- Reducing marginalization through inclusive programming and protection.
Today, the mission has 4 bases, and 1 coordination office in Cox’s Bazar.
To learn more about the Bangladesh mission, please click here.
General objective
Under the direct management of the Country Director, the Finance coordinator is the head of the finance department. As such, he/she will direct and coordinate all accounting and financial services associated with the mission:
- He/she is responsible for the mission’s financial balance.
- He/she will monitor adherence to SI’s administrative procedures and donor procedures as well as to the Bangladeshi laws
- He/she is the point of reference for the mission, and the link between headquarters and the mission for all financial matters.
The Finance Coordinator is managing a team of 4 people, including 1 direct report: the Deputy Finance Coordinator.
The forecast budget for 2021: EUR 4 million / year.
Responsibilities and main activities
- Financial, accounting and budgetary management
- Cash management
- Administrative management of the mission
- Reporting/communication
- Coordination at internal and external level
Main challenges for the position
- Learn and build on / capitalize on previous collected data, created tools …
- Complex technical challenges
- Strengthening of the interdepartmental coordination/communication into the mission and
- Capacity building of the team, national and international.
+ High workload, fast-paced environment
Priorities for the 2/3 first months
- To build the capacity of the mission on cofounding budget
- To build better links btw the Bangladeshi Finance Division (FD) and the donors, in order to include all departments in the FD follow-up
- To support the deputy finance coordinator in his arrival on the mission and support him in understanding his role
- To ensure that budget’s proposals match the mission’ strategy
- To keep on developing the partners’ follow-up tool
Education: Bachelor (or Master’s) Degree in, Business or Public Administration or Accounting or related field
Experience:
- Minimum 2 years proven experience in a similar position required.
- Previous experience at Finance coordination position with significant financial volume (> 8 million EUR at least recommended), multiplicity of donor’s contracts (6 at least recommended)
- Proven experience in department and team management
- Proven experience in training & capacity building;
+ Previous experience with SI is an asset;
Technical skills and knowledge:
- Knowledge in Administrative and Financial management;
- Knowledge in Audit management;
- Knowledge of DFID / EUROPAID / ECHO / BPRM / OFDA-USAID / SDC, UN agencies & other donors assistance policies, guidelines and financial reporting requirements;
- Knowledge in Co-funding management;
- Knowledge in partnership management is an asset;
+ Bilingual in English (read, spoken & written)
Transferable skills:
- Ability to communicate clearly and to provide a clear framework to the department
- Ability to prioritize and to organize;
- Ability to multitask and to delegate;
- Rigor;
- Diplomatic and leadership skills
- Excellent interpersonal and intercultural skills: a team-player.
Computer skills:
- Excellent knowledge of Excel and good knowledge of other Microsoft Office software.
- Accounting software: Saga.
Other desirable qualities:
- Good analytical and reporting skills;
- Ability to work under pressure;
+ Experience working in Myanmar, Bangladesh, or in another South East Asian country is an asset
A salaried position
According to experience – from EUR 2640 gross per month (EUR 2400 base salary + 10% annual leave allowance paid monthly) + a monthly Per Diem of USD 450.
SI covers accommodation costs and travel expenses between the expatriate’s country of origin and the place of assignment.
The Finance Coordinator will be living in a shared guesthouse with other expatriates.
Breaks
During the assignment, a system of alternation between work and time off is implemented at the rate of 7 working days every 3 months. For a one-year assignment, the expatriate will have a 7 working days break at 3, 6 and 9 months (with USD 850 allocated by SI).
In addition to these, SI adds 1 additional rest day per month of work, i.e. 12 additional days off for a one-year contract.
Insurance package Expatriates benefit from an insurance package which covers all healthcare expenses (including medical and surgical expenses, dental care and ophthalmological expenses, repatriation) and a welfare system, including war risks. Essential vaccination and antimalarial treatment costs are refunded.
Living conditions
The office and guesthouse in Cox’s are comfortable and safely located. They ensure good standard in terms of privacy and comfort.
Cox’s Bazar, one of the most touristic cities of the country, hosting the majority of humanitarian actors, provides good opportunity for social life. However, the city is quite polluted, and it can get very busy and thus noisy.
Please note that the Bangladesh mission is adapting its way of working and living to minimize the exposure to COVID19, in constant monitoring and adaptation to the context evolution. This include social distancing and strict hygienic rules, such as handwashing, wearing a mask etc.
Comment postuler
Please send us your CV and cover letter in English.
If you have already been technically validated by SI on the position, please mention it.
NB: the vacancy may close before the deadline.
To learn more about SI, please visit our website.