Asmae Association Sœur Emmanuelle recherche un chargé administratif et financier, H/F, Beyrouth, Liban

Description :

1.General Overview Of Position / Working Conditions:

  • Job title: Senior Administrative and Financial Officer;
  • Location: Beirut (Lebanon) ;
  • Line manager: Country Representative ;
  • Main functional relationships: Project-Partnership Manager, Project Officer, Technical Advisor(s), Project Assistant, M&E Officer, Administrative and Financial team at the Head Office. He/She may collaborate with Administrative and Financial Officers in other countries of intervention;
  • External relationship: Partners’ Administrative & Financial teams, Service Providers, relevant authorities. The Administrative and Financial Officer may have to adapt his/her planning in order to be able to work with Asmae’s partners, based on their availability;
  • Status: Lebanese fixed-term contract.

1.1 General background:

Asmae is a French international solidarity NGO specialized in child development. It is independent, non-religious, non-political, and open to everyone. Created in 1980 by Sister Emmanuelle following her experience with garbage collectors in Egypt’s slums, Asmae keeps on respecting its founder’s values and methods: listening and proximity, pragmatism, respect of the differences, professionalism and reciprocity.

Asmae’s action aims to support vulnerable children and their families through providing tailor-made and long lasting support to local stakeholders working on education and child protection. Its vision, “A fair world which guarantees that children can live and grow with dignity within their environment, to become free women and men who contribute to society”, is broken down into four missions:

  • Stimulate child development through a global approach. To do this, Asmae also works on family support by taking their environment into account;
  • Build the capacity of local stakeholders involved in child development, boost cooperation amongst them and maximize their social impact;
  • Stand up for children by raising awareness and advocating;
  • Experiment, disseminate and share practices.

Nowadays Asmae supports education and child protection projects through 46 local organizations in Burkina-Faso, Egypt, India, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali and the Philippines. Furthermore, in France, Asmae also directly manages a mother and childcare centre.

1.2.Background of Asmae in Lebanon

Asmae has been working in Lebanon since 1986 (a local coordination office opened in 2005). Asmae is currently working in partnership with four local organizations including Najdeh, FSF, Nabaa, ISF, NRDC and  will always opt to increase it’s partners portfolioin the fields of education, child protection and adolescence & youth support. Activities are located in Beirut/Greater Beirut, Central, Bekaa, South Lebanon and Mount Lebanon including as the Palestinian camps and Syrian Refugee Informal Tented Settlements (ITS). Asmae’s team in Lebanon is currently composed of Seven members (1 Country Representative, 1 Project & Partnership Manager, 1 Project Officer, 1 Child Protection Technical Advisor, 1 Vocational – Education Technical Advisor, Administration & Finance Officer in addition to the Office Assistant/Cleaner), working at our country office in Beirut.

Besides, Asmae will have more than four projects by the end of 2021 funded by different main donors such as AFD, DCI, CDCS in addition to other private donors in France.

2.Mission

According to Asmae’s strategy and under the direct supervision of the Country Representative, the Senior Administrative and Financial Officer implements and monitors the accounting and financial operations of the national office to which he/she is assigned. He/she also carries out activities associated with the Payroll and Administration processes of personnel.

The Senior Administrative and Financial Officer follows the local security and safety rules and procedures and participates to the security context analysis.

3.Responsibilities

In line with Asmae’s values and response mode, the Administrative and Financial Officer will be in charge of:

3.1.Accounting and financial management:

  • Ensure Standard and financial systems are established and maintained in order to provide appropriate levels of security and controls over the organization’s resources and operations;
  • Monitor the monthly expenditure by checking the eligibility of the accounting documents of Asmae and its partners;
  • Record invoices after budget allocation in cash journals and the financial software on DAILY basis;
  • Proceed with the monthly publishing and sending to the HQ of the financial report and associated documents, in compliance with the consolidation process;
  • Record the validated adjustments and reallocations;
  • Manage and monitors fixed assets;
  • Prepare and ensures the carrying out of Asmae’s financial audits;
  • Prepare and implements the audits of Asmae’s partners;
  • Manage the finance department filing and documentation;
  • Ensure monthly reconciliation of receivables/payables and balances;
  • Revise the internal controls and put in place new ones based on the need;
  • Assist in looking into different cost allocation principles and advise accordingly;
  • Ensure staff compliance with Asmae and Donors’ financial requirements and manuals;
  • Handle and assist the project audit missions and act as a direct focal point for any audit mission;
  • Assure that audit recommendations are implemented or will be implemented;
  • Supervise and handle the year-end closing procedures recommended by the Head Office.

3.2.Budget management:

  • Lead in the drafting of budget proposals (new projects at the writing stage) and interim and final financial project reports (donor format);
  • Lead on the development process of the annual budget in coordination with the PPM and the CR;
  • Proceed with the validation, then with the archiving of budget monitoring reports, in accordance with the applicable rules of Asmae;
  • Establish a monthly BvA (Budget vs Actual) exercise and alert the country team in case of exceeding and/or under-consumption of budget lines;
  • Check the expenses made in connection with the activities carried out in the field, and ensure suitable communication with the Country Representative and partners;
  • Establish strong coordination with the Programs Financial Control especially on the matters related to grants management;
  • Ensure the monitoring, support and training of Asmae’s partners in their accounting and financial management;
  • Lead on the formulation of all the financial reporting due to the donors or Head Office;
  • Review and monitor financial reports from partner organizations and support them with needed financial training to comply with Asmae and Donors’ requirements. Hence, conduct field visits to partners for monitoring and capacity building purposes.

3.3. HR management:

  • Prepare the monthly payroll and issue the monthly salary transfers and the payment of staff transportation in line with the labour laws;
  • Ensure that all benefits eligible to staff as per the labour laws are paid on time;
  • Ensure activities relating to the Payroll and Administration processes of personnel (social welfare and tax affiliations, support with obtaining a visa, preparation of contracts/amendments/timesheets, consolidation of variable Payroll elements, social security declarations), in compliance with the regulatory framework, Asmae’s procedures, and in connection with the local legal advisor;
  • Assure that all legal files and contracts are filed properly and safely at all times.

3.4. Administrative management:

  • Maintain Asmae guidelines and policies related to all aspects of the administration of the office, in addition to working on establishing such policies where needed.
  • Ensure that all travel arrangements are made for staff visitors (HO staff) including their lodging, booking of taxis and any other requirement related to their travel
  • Ensure that the office is regularly serviced and maintained in a clean and appropriate manner;
  • Lead on organizing and identifying appropriate venues for meetings, workshops and accommodation for staff, partner staff and visitors while ensuring value for money;
  • Sticking to the internal policy on procurement procedures and assuring that the policy is transparently followed by all staff;
  • Ensure that all the general office equipment are regularly serviced and maintained through continuous coordination with the external service providers;
  • Understand administration costs and recommend suggestions/systems that would improve cost effectiveness and efficiency;
  • Manage the Office Assistant/Cleaner by supervising her work duties, requirements, development and wellbeing;
  • Proceed with the archiving of accounting and administrative documents in accordance with the applicable procedures;
  • Ensure compliance of the requirements and procedures of the association’s donors, and alert the Country Representative in case of non-compliance;
  • Ensure the developing and monitoring of institutional donor contracts, service providers/consultancy contracts and partnership agreements;
  • Carry out the administrative monitoring of the association’s bank accounts;
  • Assure the office consumables and stationary are always sufficient in the office;
  • Manage the rental contract of premises: the due payments, municipal taxes, renewals, building charges, utilities and any other matter related to the premises;
  • Assure that the office and staff are always connected with phone lines and internet, and manage the contracts and requirements with the providers of such services;
  • Assure that the office premises, assets and equipment are insured against different hazards such as theft, burglary, fire and flood etc…;
  • Maintain the timesheet management system by updating the timesheet tool on yearly basis and assuring that all staff have proper induction to it and are using it effectively.

3.5 Cash management:

  • Supervise the petty cash and bank transactions by carrying out and monitoring (cash report and bank reconciliations) of cash operations (Cash and Banks) in accordance with the applicable procedures to ensure appropriate control and security of all Asmae cash at all times;
  • Proceed with the monitoring of the cash flow forecast by coordinating the bank transfers from the HO assuring minor balances at the end of every month;
  • Maintaining office petty cash replenishment system and maintaining the cash limit in line with the internal cash policies;
  • Implement rules relating to fund security (bank deposits, cash and safety-deposit box management);

3.6 Implementation of legal and regulatory obligations:

  • Maintain a strong coordination with organization’s lawyer on all the matters related to country legal compliance including the calculation, reservations and payments of NSSF, income taxes (where applicable), VAT refunding (where applicable), Ministries of Labour and Interior yearly declarations;
  • Supervise the monthly tax reporting requirements to the local government and facilitate the year-end tax reporting and reconciliation to the local government;
  • Contribute to the establishing of registration procedures or renewal of Asmae’s authorisation to work in the country.

3.7 Other:

  • Undertake and other tasks requested by the Country Representative of the Finance Department at the HO when the need arises
  • Participate and actively contribute in team meetings and seminars organized by Asmae;
  • Participate in institutional representation meetings and activities;
  • Follow the local security and safety rules and procedures and participate to the security context analysis;
  • Coach/mentor staff subordinates, whether in the finance or admin department, who currently exist within the team or would be potentially employed in the future.

4. Position’s requirements

4.1. Education

  • Degree(s) in administration, finance and accounting.

4.2. Professional experience:

  • Five years of experience in accounting and finance in non-profit organizations;
  • A previous experience in financial management of projects co-funded by international donors is highly desirable;
  • A previous experience in HR management is desirable.

4.3. Professional skills:

  • Fluency in English (Minimum level of B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or a minimum TOEIC score of 785)
  • Used with Office Pack ;
  • French is an asset ;
  • SAGA Software is an asset ;
  • Experience in training and capacity building is appreciated.

4.4. Personal skills:

  • Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours in the events of crisis or emergencies;
  • Commit to being a supportive colleague for the respective departments in financial guidance and advisory;
  • Autonomy and exactitude ;
  • Patience, diplomacy and sense of listening;
  • Ability to build confidence with various stakeholders;
  • Dynamism and initiative ;
  • Ability to work with a team;
  • Ability to work under pressure.

5. Practical information

  • Place of work: Beirut (Ain El Remmaneh), Lebanon, weekly field visits to Asmae’s project sites in Lebanon;
  • Status: Employee (Local contract) ;
  • Contract duration: 12 months (renewable) ;
  • Working hours: Full time job (40 hours a week);
  • Basic Salary: 2900 to 3200USD according to experience;
  • Starting date: as soon as possible.

6. How to apply?

Candidates should send a detailed resume (no longer than 5 pages) outlining their academic and professional background relevant to the proposed position, as well as a cover letter, showing the persons motivation and expertise, at [email protected] and [email protected]

Closing date for applications: 31st of October, 2021