Job Vacancies at Mercy Corps

Program / Department Summary

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

General Position Summary

Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Senior Finance Officer, the Finance Officer will assist the Ngala office to ensure the accuracy and completeness of accounting records and will have primary responsibility for managing the monthly accounting cycle and the routine daily accounting tasks and payment.

The Finance Officer will assist in reviewing and analysing records, reports, financial statements and management practices to ensure adequate internal controls are in place to mitigate risks in compliance with laws, regulations, donor requirements and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy and Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

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.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Finance And Accounting Management

• Assist in the financial review of purchase requests, purchase orders and payment requests to ensure compliance with MC policies and procedures and projects.
• Maintain the bank file, ensuring that all bank information is properly filed and updated.
• Ensure the on-time submission of the monthly/quarterly/year-end reporting packages to Maiduguri, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the ledgers, and all supporting documentation.
• Ensure all staff advances are tracked and cleared on time.
• Manage the archiving of all financial documents and follow up with staff for any missing documents.
• Assist in the training and support of the finance assistant, including answering daily questions,
• Ensure the petty cash count is performed on time (weekly and monthly).
• Oversee the maintenance of all accounting records, ensuring that records are complete, accurate and safeguarded.
• Assist in the training of support staff on Finance related matters and give any financial operational support needed.
• Make sure that all supporting documentation is prepared and filed according to MC procedures.
• Assist the Finance Manager in responding to audit inquiries.
• Assist the Finance department to enhance the efficiency of existing control systems.

Reporting

• Submit accurate and timely financial reports to Maiduguri on a weekly and monthly basis, and follow up with other departments for any corrective actions required.
• Prepare Voucher Reconciliation Activities Reports on a weekly and monthly basis.
• Influence & Representation
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

Others

• Carries out other duties as assigned.
• The Finance Officer will conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

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.

Accountability

• Supervisory Responsibility: Finance Assistant
• Reports Directly To: Senior Finance Officer
• Works Directly With: Operations, MEL, Programs, Compliance and Finance teams in Northeast Nigeria.

Knowledge and Experience

• A minimum of four years of compliance and finance experience is required.
• A university degree in finance, accounting or equivalent is required.
• Three years of experience in the compliance department of an international NGO is preferred.
• Demonstrated competency with computerized general ledger software
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills
• Excellent oral and written English skills.
• Advance Accounting skills are required to support the department of accounting.
• Fluency in Hausa and local languages is preferred.
• Any other duties as assigned.

Success Factors

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building. S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• In particular, the successful candidate will be willing to travel to other deep field locations and LGAs of Northeast Nigeria based on program needs. That will mean sometimes staying and working in stressful environments with very basic living conditions, strictly following security protocols at all times and sometimes working long and irregular hours).
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. 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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Program / Department Summary

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

General Position Summary

Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Senior Finance Officer and with close coordination with the HR team, the position will assist the country portfolio in adhering to the compliance procedures for all operational and program-related activities and the Mercy Corps financial implementation, and ensure adequate internal controls are in place and in compliance with laws, regulations, donor requirements and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Strategy and Vision

• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed.
• Set direction by prioritizing and organizing actions & resources to achieve objectives and contribute to countrywide strategy development.
• Develop and organize activities to secure resources for programs and convince stakeholders to provide support.
• Create and maintain systems ensuring effective and transparent use of financial resources for timely and informative reporting in line with donor and Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

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.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Assist the Senior Finance Officer to enhance the efficiency of the existing control system and ensure any identified compliance gaps are corrected.
• Enter transactions (PIs, GJs etc.) into the accounting software accurately.
• Prepare Monthly Payroll related statutory remittances (PAYE, Pensions, NHF, NSITF & WHT)
• Prepare National staff monthly payroll based on HR advice.
• Prepare monthly Expat Tax and Field salary advances.
• Assist the team in the preparation of Monthly Balance Sheet Reconciliations.
• Sorting and reviewing timesheets for coding, leave, holidays, etc.
• Manage Finance archiving and ensure monthly update of finance archiving index.
• Support audits (donor, internal, external, statutory) by retrieving and refilling documents.
• Make payments on the bank platforms, print off all payment vouchers and match them with the document to be filled.
• Prepare Amortizations of prepaid expenses and tracking of prepaid benefits for compliance with policies and procedures.
• Prepare Monthly Month end account reconciliations for Naira and USD Accounts.
• Coordinate with all field offices to collect HQ Monthly, Quarterly and annual packages for onward submission to HQ.
• Ensure compliance with GAAPs, Nigerian, US and standard accounting practices.
• Make sure all income taxes, withholding taxes, VAT and other taxes are withheld and paid accordingly.
• Be adaptable and flexible to take on new tasks and new assignments as requested from time to time.
• Work closely with the Finance and program departments to ensure the Standard Operating Procedures for voucher redemption are followed properly.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Influence and Representation

• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country.

Organizational Learning

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Finance Officer – Accounting.

Works Directly With: Compliance and Finance department in Abuja, program and operational teams in the Northeast Nigeria.

Knowledge and Experience

• A minimum of 1-year of compliance and finance experience is required.
• A university degree in finance, accounting or any related field.
• At least one year or more experience in the compliance department of an international NGO is preferred.
• Demonstrated competency with computerized general ledger software.
• Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Prior management experience and strong organizational skills.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building. S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

The successful candidate will be willing to travel to field locations in the Northeast based on program needs. This will mean sometimes staying and working in stressful environments with very basic living conditions, strictly following security protocols and sometimes working long and irregular hours.

go to method of application »

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps has been present in Nigeria since 2012, focusing its interventions on humanitarian assistance, economic development, and conflict mitigation. With the ongoing insurgency in Northeast Nigeria causing the displacement of millions of individuals, Mercy Corps started its humanitarian response in 2014 to address the rising humanitarian needs. As the crisis has persisted, Mercy Corps’ strategy has also expanded to address the root causes of the conflict and seek to build the long-term resilience of communities with integrated programs focusing on governance, the recovery of markets and livelihoods, social cohesion and social protection, youth empowerment, and local conflict management.

General Position Summary

The Senior Procurement Officer is responsible for overseeing the procurement aspects of Mercy Corps’ logistic operation. Working closely with Program, Administration, Finance and Logistics the Senior Procurement Officer is instrumental in supporting program activities through his/her services.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• The Senior Procurement Officer will conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

Program Management:

• Coordinate daily MCN procurement activities.
• Ensure that the procurement department supports the programs efficiently and compliantly.
• Understand MC procurement policies and formats. Provide training to staff on these policies.
• Assist Program and Operational personnel in regular procurement planning meetings.
• Assist staff as needed on timely completion of purchase requests and other documentation.
• Interact with contractors, in coordination with the Program & Operation Managers.
• Ensure that the required documentation of supplies and transactions are completed to MC standards.
• Prepare status reports on deliveries for P&L and office Management and recipient of supplies.
• Coordinate with the Warehouse on delivery of items including completion of Goods Received Notes, storage of items and transfer of items to field sites.

Procurement Management:

• Regularly produce purchase status and completed purchase reports using the Ongoing PR Master List and PR Master List.
• Ensure that Mercy Corps’ procurement activities are legal and moral.
• Enforce proper use of procurement ceilings and approval procedures.
• Carry out the procurement of goods, works and services for all the PRs above USD $20,000 – as per Mercy Corps standards and formats.
• Carry out the procurement of national consultants services (all values) – as per Mercy Corps standards and formats.
• Oversee the establishment of various Master Agreements (MPAs and MSAs) for commonly used items – as per Mercy Corps standards and formats.
• Assist in the maintenance of thorough procurement files. Ensure that the procurement filing system is in place and in accordance with the Procurement filing procedures as outlined in the FP3.
• Assist the P&L management and office staff with procurement activities, as required.
• Coordinate with the Finance Department to ensure that payments to vendors are made on time and without any unnecessary strain on the financial systems of MC.
• Assist P&L Management with asset management. Identify assets during the course of procurement and notify the Asset Controller on receipts of assets.
• Maintain files on market prices for commonly-bought items.
• Perform any other reasonable duties that deem necessary as assigned by the supervisor.

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.
• Supervise, hire and orient new team members as necessary.
• 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.

Organizational Learning

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

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.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Directly supervises the Procurement Officer with oversight of Procurement Assistant and Procurement Intern.

General Accountability

• Accountable for following Mercy Corps Field Procurement Policies and Procedures (FP3), the MC Code of conduct regarding procurement activities and MC Conflict of Interest policy.

Works Directly With

• Operations Team, Finance Team, Co-ordinates with Mercy Corps program and operations staff regarding procurement planning and activities

Knowledge and Experience

• A degree in a relevant business field is desired. 2-3 years of experience in large-scale supply chain management and/ or international business.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to interact effectively with international and national personnel. Excellent oral and written English skills.
• High level of computer skills in MS Office programs.
• A demonstrated ability to multi-task and process information into action so as to not delay program activities.
• A clear understanding of procurement ethics and donor compliance is essential.
• Certification in procurement/supply chain management is an advantage
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

Success Factors

The Senior Procurement Officer is conscientious with an excellent sense of judgement. S/he has the ability to work simultaneously on multiple tasks and a willingness and ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people. They have the ability to work as part of a team and coordinate with project personnel.