Finance Officer at Translators without Borders

Translators without Borders is a unique non-profit organization that helps humanitarian organizations communicate more effectively with vulnerable populations in the right languages. TWB created the first translation and language program specifically for crisis response and is now deploying that program in northeast Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Finance Officer
Job Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Contract length: initially 6 months, with the possibility of extension/National position
Hours: Full-time
Travel: some travel in northeast Nigeria
Report to: The Country Director with matrix management to Head of Finance.

Background
TWB conducted an initial assessment of language support needs in the humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria in July 2017. This found very significant levels of need: in a context where people affected by the conflict and food crisis speak dozens of first languages, humanitarian communication is overwhelmingly in English and Hausa. Organizations lack basic information about the languages spoken and understood by affected people, and struggle to hire either language professionals or national staff and volunteers with the right language skills. So far, TWB has developed a protection glossary app, conducted comprehension testing with IDPs, worked with partners on collecting and mapping language data, and carried out training on the basics of interpreting.

The next step is to prepare the groundwork for setting up a full program of activities in support of affected people and the humanitarian community working with them. This entails developing a community of volunteer translators for relevant languages of northeast Nigeria, identifying skills development needs and carrying out initial training, and leading and coordinating translation and terminology development activities in support of and in liaison with humanitarian organizations.

The Role

• The Finance Officer is responsible for providing financial support to the program to ensure the effective financial management of all funds.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the creation, implementation and monitoring of annual budgets including the provision of rolling forecasts
• At local level oversee all Financial Accounting matters, including maintenance of the general ledger, balance sheet, receipts, payments and payroll requirements
• Manage the short-term cash flow requirements of the program, liaising with the Head of Finance & Admin to facilitate cash transfers, top up requests etc.
• Monitor and report on the effects of exchange rate fluctuations between local and contract currencies
• Oversee the financial management of partner contracts, ensuring the partner complies with the obligations of the ‘Head Contract’
• Support the global finance manager in the production of the monthly finance information (including but not limited to Budget versus Actual spending reports and forecasts, Reconciliation reports including Balance Sheet, Petty Cash, together with appropriate financial/contract variance and risk reporting
• Ensure that the programme delivers and accounts for all activities in accordance with National, Regional and Local taxation requirements
• Assist the Country Director in ensuring that the Country is compliant with all statutory legislation, particularly with regard to company registration
• Ensure a high level of financial control is in place across all activities (in all Nigeria locations), including the development and maintenance of financial policies and procedures (tailored to the local context) to ensure compliance with Statutory, Donor and TWB requirements
• Ensure transparent accounting and systems are developed and implemented in accordance with contract and HQ requirements
• Facilitate and provide support to all donor and internal audits in co-ordination with the Country Director & Director of Finance
• Any other duties in support of a smooth and efficient programme office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting

Essential Experience:

• At least 2 years professional work experience in finance, ideally in an NGO or other international agency
• Experience of financial reporting to a range of external donors / multi-donor grants
• Experience of reporting and monitoring to tight deadlines

Essential Skills and Knowledge:

• Effective financial management skills
• Knowledge of finance systems and procedures
• Knowledge and understanding of a range of institutional donor requirements
• Excellent organisational skills
• Good literacy, numeracy and IT skills including Excel. Quickbooks experience a plus
• Good working English. Kanuri or Hausa language a plus

Essential Aptitude:

• Ability to demonstrate initiative, be proactive and offer a solution-oriented approach
• Determined and committed to high quality standards with attention to detail
• Ability to establish effective working relationships at all levels internally and externally
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to prioritise work, meet deadlines and work calmly under pressure
• Self-motivated, flexible and enthusiastic approach to work
• Disciplined and with strong sense of accountability
• Interest in and commitment to TWB’s humanitarian mandate

Core Values:

• Translators without Borders employees and volunteers are made of people who believe passionately about the value of this work and take personal responsibility for achieving the mission. Translators without Borders’ mission and organizational spirit embody the core values established in its strategic framework:
• Excellence: As the leading voice for communicating humanitarian information in the right language, Translators without Borders is a leader in the translation industry and in the non-profit sector.
• Integrity: Translators without Borders believes that every person, whether it’s the people who we serve, our volunteers or our staff, has value, deserves respect and has inherent dignity.
• Empowerment: Translators without Borders believes in using language to empower people around the world to control their own development and destiny.
• Innovation: Translators without Borders recognizes and celebrates the power of innovation to address humanitarian and crisis issues around the world.
• Sustainability: Translators without Borders recognizes that meeting our mission necessitates establishment and maintenance of a solid financial and organizational infrastructure.
• Tolerance: Our staff and volunteers are highly knowledgeable and skilled; value each other, our partner and our recipients; create a supportive work environment; and, conduct themselves professionally at all times.

Note: That these roles and responsibilities are approximate and may change over time.