International Finance Coordinator at Médecins Sans Frontières

Visits: 1

Location: Any MSF office*
Contract: 3 Year mandate renewable once – Full time position
Starting date: 1st of April 2022
Deadline for applications: 8th of February 2022

* By default, the successful candidate will be offered a contract in the MSF office of their country of residence at the time of application.

I. MSF

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian action-driven organization, which offers assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. 26 associations, 23 sections, and 16 branch offices make-up the international movement and work in partnership around 6 operational entities.

II. POSITION BACKGROUND

The International Finance Coordinator (IFC) reports to the Deputy to the International Secretary General and supports the International Treasurer in the delivery of their statutory responsibilities. The IFC works in close partnership with the other coordinators of the International Office, the International President, the Financial Directors and treasurers of all MSF entities.

The IFC leads the International Finance Team, consisting currently of several positions: the Senior International Financial Officer (SIFO), the International Financial Officer (IFO), the International Senior Finance Analyst (IFSA), the International Finance Analyst (IFA), the International Treasury Manager (position subject to the outcomes of an ongoing pilot) and a part-time executive assistant.

III. OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION

The IFC position supervises key international financial processes:

i. preparation of the International Combined Financial Statements of MSF,

ii. consolidation of budgets, forecasts and multi-year financial projections,

iii. monitors and reports on financial information pertaining to the resource-sharing agreement,

iv. preparation of the structural analysis, and

v. management of the international treasury activities.

The IFC position supervises internal financial publications such as the field financial accountability dashboard and ensures that the information is complete and accurate. The IFC leads the FinDir platform in ensuring financial and accounting coherence, transparency and accountability within the movement, through the maintenance of accounting standards. The IFC position also facilitates and optimizes the exchange of ideas, knowledge and information within MSF, in support of our overall operational goal.

IV. MAIN ACTIVITIES

The International Financial Coordinator’s (IFC) main activities include:

1. Ensure and promote financial transparency and accountability

MSF is a global network made up of many separate organisations, with more than 40 separate but inter-connected legal entities producing their own local statutory accounts.

The International Finance Coordinator is responsible to gather, compile and share financial information as required/relevant, to facilitate and enhance decision-making by providing accurate, relevant and complete financial information and to contribute to ensure mutual transparency and accountability.

The IFC will ensure a constant improvement in the quality, timeliness, and the relevance of international financial and accounting information.

1.1. International Financial Statements

The IFC will ensure, in close collaboration with the International Treasurer and the Finance Directors of all the reporting financial entities, the timely production of the international combined financial statements in compliance with Swiss GAAP RPC and the international financial accountability framework.

More specifically, the IFC, with their team, is responsible for:

• Ensuring effective and compliant processes and tools (currently SAP/FC) for financial reporting, anticipating and overseeing required system updates and migrations,
• Ensuring maintenance of and updates to MSF accounting manual with regards to Swiss GAAP RPC and other internal accounting conventions, including harmonized rules for allocation of expenses per categories of social mission activities,
• Ensuring appropriate responses to the international auditors’ management letters and overseeing required actions to address any deficiencies,
• Alerting the International Treasurer regarding any lack of compliance, weaknesses or problems, whether actual or potential, concerning the financial reporting, accounting, audit or any matter of a financial nature,
• Proposing continuous improvements and updates to the combination process and tools, anticipating future needs
• Ensuring adequate staffing and resourcing of the International Finance Team

1.2. Consolidated forecast and planning

The IFC, with all Finance Directors and in particular with the FinDir Platform (the international platform of MSF in charge of movement-wide financial matters), will ensure the monitoring and reporting of income and expenditure across the movement in order to facilitate and support the implementation of financial resource sharing agreements and other international financial policies and frameworks.

More specifically, the IFC, with their team, is responsible for:

• Ensuring an effective and timely system of financial forecast and reporting, and in compliance with MSF agreed financial rules and standards,
• Publishing a timely monthly consolidated forecast of revenues and expenses, and regular multi-year projections,
• Providing the required data during the closing process to ensure that allocation of resources among MSF entities is in compliance with the Resource Sharing Agreement,
• Publishing a yearly Accountability Report on the adherence to the Resources Sharing Agreement and to the International Reserve Policy.

1.3. Other financial analysis and reports

The IFC will put in place all means to ensure that any additional international combined financial reporting such as the Structural Analysis (on headquarter activities), the Field Financial Accountability dashboard, and any other relevant analysis (e.g. payroll cost structure, exposure to foreign exchange risk,…) is produced in collaboration with relevant entities in the movement.

2. Coordination and chair of the FinDir Platform

The IFC, with the members of the FinDir platform and consistent with the terms of reference of the platform, will assess the needs for long-term international finance coordination and will actively clarify financial priorities.

As such, the IFC will coordinate and chair the FinDir Platform, the International Annual Financial Directors’ meetings and propose Financial subject matter expertise in other finance-related working group (s) and will:

• In collaboration with the FinDir platform, prepare, monitor, and execute the multi-year work plan of the FinDir platform;
• Coordinate, prepare, chair and facilitate FinDir platform meetings, paying special attention to the topics to be discussed.
• Identify with the FinDir Platform the issues of concern to be brought to the attention of other international platforms;
• Follow-up the implementation of recommendations and decisions of the FinDir Platform;
• Liaise with and represent the FinDir Platform in the Executive Committee (ExCom), the International Board, Finance and Audit Standing Committee, and any other international platforms as necessary, as well as with the International Treasurer;
• Provide the necessary coordination and support to International Working Groups on matters related to financial management.
• Facilitate information sharing on key topics identified by sections;
• Provide regular and transparent communication to all Finance Directors on financial matters and/or international projects that have financial implications and define the appropriate communication channel.

The IFC will manage and take the lead on specific dossiers and projects agreed upon by the FinDir Platform.

3. Provide financial support/advice at international level to maintain good financial governance

The MSF movement governance includes several international platforms covering various direct and transversal activities, and chaired by international coordinators: operations, medical, finance, HR, logistics, fundraising, communication, information systems, legal, supply, etc. The Secretary General coordinates and chairs the Executive Committee and manages the coordinators of the different technical platforms.

Finance is seen as a support function within MSF, and the IFC is responsible to provide financial advice and expertise to other international platforms. As such, the IFC will be requested to provide support and technical knowledge as required/relevant with the FinDir platform on any international project that has financial impact/implications.

The IFC will provide advice on appropriate strategy and framework for follow-up, in close collaboration with the FinDir Platform and other concerned platforms through their coordinators and will ensure the link and communication on financial matters with relevant stakeholders.

The IFC is an ex-officio member of the Finance and Audit Standing Committee of the International Board and works in close collaboration with the International Treasurer to enable the correct functioning of this key governance platform.

The IFC chairs and coordinates the Working Group of Heads of Operational Finance, aiming at sharing experiences, promoting best practices and preparing recommendations to the FinDir platform.

The IFC is a member of the International Insurance Steering Committee, which oversees the portfolio of common insurance policies.

The IFC ensures communication and coordination with the Tax Working Group.

The IFC is the focal point for international aspects of Institutional Funds portfolio, in particular sharing information and animating the group of Institutional Fundraisers. They will coordinate with the International Fundraising Coordinator on the management of these topics.

4. International financial policies and mechanisms

The IFC, with the FinDir platform, will ensure the follow up of existing International Agreements and will pro-actively submit proposed International agreements, policies or mechanisms to deliver on / formulate International Executive or Associative platforms requests.

In particular, the IFC will play an active role in ensuring the production, monitoring, updates, and re-design of the following policies/mechanisms:

• Resource Sharing Agreements
• International Reserves Policy
• Emergency Funding Mechanism
• International Investment Policy Framework
• International re-invoicing policies
• Any other movement-wide policy or mechanism driven by the finance function

Together with the Secretary General and the International Fundraising Coordinator, the IFC will manage the Emergency Funding Mechanism (EFM) upon its launch by the ExCom and ensure with the International Fundraising Coordinator the coordination of fundraising initiatives in major emergencies.

5. Treasury management

The IFC, with their team, oversees the international treasury activities.

In particular they is responsible for:

• Ensuring effective tools and processes for the multi-lateral netting of intra-group transactions,
• Overseeing the performance of the partner banks and treasury service providers,
• Developing the international treasury services as agreed by the FinDir platform (cash-pool, forex hedging…),
• Ensuring accounting processes within MSF International are accurate, timely and efficient.

6. Knowledge Management

The IFC, with their team, is responsible for the maintenance and the content of the International Finance Portal, the Heads of Finance Teams’ channel, the distribution lists and contact lists of finance community and any other communication tool implemented to facilitate the coordination and experience sharing among the finance community.

The IFC will particularly pay attention to:

• the accessibility of updated versions of International Finance Policies and guidelines,
• the organization of frequent webinars to share key information,
• the timely release of updated calendars for the international combination, the monthly financial reporting, and the multilateral netting,
• the accessibility of official reports and publications,
• making themself available to provide briefings on international finance to new heads of finance, new IB members, and upon requests to new Executive Directors and new treasurers of MSF sections.

7. Management and Responsibilities

• The IFC will supervise the International Finance Team;
• The IFC will attend and contribute to the IO Management Team meetings.
• The IFC will attend and contribute to the IB Finance and Audit Standing Committee meetings;
• The IFC will ensure that active role and participation are maintained within their team towards MSF movement topical debates and discussions.
• The IFC will pro-actively propose field support through direct field visits as needed by the Operational Centers, especially during big emergencies.

8. Additional activities

The IFC will:

• Build relationships with external actors and counterparts on financial matters.
• Provide support, as required, to all MSF entities on any finance-related matters;
• As a team member, contribute to establishing constructive work relationships and a positive, collaborative work environment.
• Other as needed.

Job requirements

• Solid combination of financial training and experience in financial management in an international environment, preferably with international consolidation experience; Relevant financial and / or accounting certification is a strong additional asset.
• Experience with large global organizations, with in-depth knowledge of NGO’s functioning, governance and financial structure; field experience is an additional asset.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and project and change management skills and ability to interact with a broad range of actors in a diplomatic and efficient manner.
• Strong organisational skills, able to work with strict and sometimes narrow deadlines; ability to work effectively under pressure, displaying sound initiative and judgment.
• Ability to develop, comprehend, effectively apply, and successfully communicate complex information to enable decision-making, understanding, commitment, and alignment.
• Ability to set priorities and be self-directed; Demonstrated excellent problem-solving abilities and flexibility.
• Self-motivated & enthusiastic.
• Demonstrated management and team building skills; Ability to delegate, motivate and create and maintain high performing teams.
• Fluent in English. French and other languages an asset.
• Computer literacy: excellent command of Excel a must, strong drive for improvement and innovation; SAP Financial Consolidation knowledge an asset.
• Regular travel necessary (mainly within Europe).