Operation And Finance Assistant

Position Description

Location: Ulyankulu, Tabora

Position Status: Full-time ,Regular

Reports to: Country Coordinator

Current Team Member: New Position

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps was established in Tanzania on 9th June 2011 and registered under Non- Governmental Act, 2002 and issued with registration number 00NGO/00004646 by Registrar of NGO’s. Since its establishment, the organization implemented number of programs ranging from food and security, livelihood, and peacebuilding includes AgriFin which worked to address the inclusion gap for smallholder farmers (SHF) who lack access to affordable, accessible, demand-driven financial products and services that drive higher productivity and income for farm families. CREATE – Collective Resilience Against Extremism- aimed to mitigate the drivers, enablers, and narratives of violent extremism in Tanzania through support to policy initiatives, engaging local and national government, local civil society organizations and communities in preventing violent extremism; REDP2 – Rural Electrification and Densification Project, Phase 2A- aimed to improve the livelihoods of rural entrepreneurs through the provision of business skills training and the stimulation of productive uses of energy; and, GRUNDFOS – a Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience In Least Developed Regions in Tanzania, with the aim of improving food security and agricultural resilience of small holder farmers by promoting the uptake of the Grundfos Small-Scale Solar Irrigation (SSSI) pumps and providing targeted business development support services. And currently, DREAMS -Delivering Resilient Enterprise and Market Systems aiming at addressing the entrenched and extreme poverty among naturalized Tanzanians and their host communities in Western Tanzania resulting from protracted displacement and limited livelihood opportunities in settlements.

Department Summary

The Mercy Corps Operations & Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Tanzania, 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 Operations and Finance Department provides timely reports and supports the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

General Position Summary

Operations & Finance Assistant will report directly to the Country Coordinator with dotted line to the operation officer and Senior Finance Officer who are responsible for financial reviews, budget monitoring, reporting, resource management, Office Operations management in compliance with donor and MC internal policies and timely submission of quality reports as required. The incumbent will primarily serve as support to the organization’s Operations and Finance. Functions in Ulyankulu , Tabora and help ensure they run effectively and efficiently.

Essential Job Functions:

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES · Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work · Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members · Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

FINANCE

Assist gathering transactions documents required for donor reporting.
Responsible for conducting an initial review and checking for the completeness of payment requests as per Mercy Corps and donor rules and regulations before being submitted for financial review as per the AAM.
Ensure complete documents attached/available are reviewed and approved as per the AAM before processing any transaction.
Verifying mobile money payments details to ensure payments are done without any error.
Responsible for compilation of finance documents and assists with preparation for month end/quarterly/year end package.
Assists with audit related requirements (timely documents retrieval, filling after audit completion).
Assist with scanning, copying, printing and uploading of financial documents on relevant folders.
Uploading payments in banking system based on fully approved documents and present to approved online banking signers for online authorizations.
Recording and uploading fully approved procurement payments into the (ProSource) online system under the supervision of the finance officer.
Responsible for follow ups with advances accountabilities from staff.
Ensuring all finance documents are properly labelled, filled and stored in a clear and easily accessible manner following Field Financial Manual.
Responsible for finance documents filling, statutory and audit reports and other financial documents filling and maintenance of filling system (Hard copy and electronic in the Google drives) according to MC Procedures manages finance archieves and ensure monthly update of the Finance Archiving index.
Maintain advances tracker file and prepare past due advance tracker for Senior Finance Officer review.
Support transaction entries with assigned batches.
Any other duty as may be assigned.

Operations

Take responsibility for the maintenance of the office and all office
Responsible for vehicle fleet in the field office including regular maintenance including monitoring fuel consumption and submit monthly reports as per MC policy.
Responsible for all Mercy Corps ( Ulyankulu and Tabora) assets management. Includes tracking of all assets to ensure accurate record-keeping of Mercy Corps and donor assets, including exceptional items requiring registration and movement tracking, according to the Mercy Corps Field Asset Management Manual
Keep and maintain accurate general inventory management records, including inventory
Track and supervise replenishments for office supplies to ensure a constant supply.
Coordinate and organize field staff travel in the field and other logistics responsibilities as
Responsible for correspondence that includes receiving and forwarding correspondence between offices and external parties
Establish and maintain appropriate filing systems for office correspondence. Receive and dispatch
Ensure that the office is run in a professional and responsible manner, including hosting guests making sure the office environment is clean, and general contact and liaison with outside
Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of
Preparation of Travel Approval Request forms for non -MC staff
Coordinate payments with the finance team for all meeting participants / attendees
Assist with Carbon data and Data Validation monthly reporting
Any other duty as may be assigned by the supervisor
Supervisory Responsibility

Office cleaner or care taker, guards and all maintenance team in the assigned Office

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Three (3) years experience in Operations and Financial Management, Accounting plus experience with office administration and facilities management With INGO
2-4 years of bookkeeping, banking, or cashiering experience.
BA/S degree in Accounting or Finance, Business Administration, or any other relevant field.
Adequate understanding of donor rules and regulations is required
High computer skills on MS Office programs, especially in MS Excel.
Accuracy in the processing of cash transactions, mathematical aptitude, and attention to detail.
Strong proficiency in English/Swahili, including strong drafting skills.
Prior busy office management experience and strong organizational skills preferred.
Willing to travel regularly.
Success Factors

The successful Operation and Finance assistance will be bright, energetic, hard-working and eager to learn. S/he will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance. S/he will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and according to a very high standard of quality. S/he will be creative and flexible, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will not have any difficulty in adhering to systems and procedures. S/he will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Mercy Corps’ values.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is not accompanied and is based in Ulyankuru Tabora. At times evening and weekend work may be required to meet deadlines and at times of shocks and stresses. 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.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis. As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]).