Background
Founded in 1937, Plan International, Inc. (โPIIโ) is a development and humanitarian organisation that advances childrenโs rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters, and partners in both humanitarian and development settings.
Working together with children, girls, young people, supporters, and partners, Plan International strives for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challengeโs girls and vulnerable children face. Plan International has been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years and now active in more than 75 countries, delivering humanitarian assistance and driving changes in practice and policy at local, national, and global levels using our reach, experience, and knowledge.
Our global strategy โAll girls standing strong creating global changeโ has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalised and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 200 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality in both humanitarian and development settings. Our organisation is transforming itself to meet the enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking, and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 200 million girls.
The position contributes to this goal by supporting the finance and accounts function in the East and Central Europe (ECE) Ukraine Crisis Response by ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and value for money transactions.
Since March 2022, Plan has been responding to the Ukraine crisis. Focusing first on refugees in Moldova, Poland and Romania, we have now opened in Ukraine. As we foresee a long-term impact of this crisis and a potential added value of Planโs expertise in the region, we are now setting up formal offices in each of the four countries. To do so we aim at transitioning from the current support provided globally by Planโs teams to locally-based, permanent staffing.
Plan International is profiling itself as one of the โgo toโ organizations in promoting and protecting the rights of children, girls and young people in conflict and crisis; in particular through adding value in child protection, education, gender and inclusion, social cohesion, GBV, MHPSS and CVA. As the crisis permits, Plan International will expand its humanitarian interventions into longer term development goals driving youth-led action and equality for girls. Plan International Poland currently works exclusively through local civil society partners to support vulnerable children, young people, and their families to cope with the impact of the current humanitarian crisis and to increase their resilience.
Plan International is commited to meeting safeguarding expectations accross all its operations and will expect the country director to ensure all incidents regarding child abuse and secual harassment are reported and effectively managed.
DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE
The role is part of the country leadership team. The CFM will have reporting lines within the finance structure as well as to the Head of Mission for Poland. There will be close communications with the greater operations team within the Ukraine response, as well as programme colleagues and implementing partners. The role complements the Ukraine Hub Finance Manager in all aspects of Country finance corporate systems, financial reporting and internal financial controls for the Poland Country Office.
The role manages in a matrix management relationship and is him/herself managed in this way. This places a requirement for the development of excellent working relationships and communication that is greater than in more regular management relationships. The role will manage a team of approximately 4-6 people, subject to change as the organisation develops.
Responsible for overseeing the financial management; ensuring internal financial control, financial reporting and analysis, business planning process and people management. S/he leads the financial services provided within Plan International Poland. S/he is the approver of financial transactions within the limits of the Countryโs Delegation of Authority. Based in Warsaw, this position ensures support to Planโs program and projects areas throughout the country.
The role requires the ability to analyse data, qualitative indicators and reported issues to determine key risks, adverse trends and the appropriate corrective measures. S/he facilitates negotiations with different service providers, consultants and partner organizations in the event of arising conflict and solicit resolution through a win-win situation protecting Planโs interests and image. The job holder needs to set/establish protocols/processes on various financial aspects for smooth implementation of Planโs program and safeguarding Planโs interest.
Sudden emergency situations are possible in Plan Poland; the post holder must be ready to support the financial management of response programs.
Accountabilities
1.Budget Processes
- Coordinate and approve realistic program and budgets.
- Coordinate with the other country finance manager for regional programs budgeting.
- Support the Hub Finance Manager in the Master budgeting and updates.
- Consider strategic positioning of the Country Office in partnership with the leadership team; project/prepare budgets, phasing and projections accordingly
2.Payment Processes
- Supervise, review and analyse SAP financial transactions
- Approve payments to suppliers.
- Approve partner advances ensuring effective follow-up and liquidation in SAP.
- Facilitate efficient and timely operations and payment processes.
- Build and maintain necessary relationships and structures to allow for transparent and healthy communications between all stakeholders.
3.Reconciliations
- Approve monthly VAT and Witholding tax schedules for payment.
- Validate the reconciliation of balance sheet accounts (receipt voucher / invoice received; bank account, etc.) every month and collaborate with the GH accounting teams to resolve outstanding items
- Monitoring of national commitments in SAP ensuring that there are no more pending commitments (more than three months) in the system without adequate explanation.
- Supervise the timely transfer and liquidation of Partner Advances-Including resolving with programs the unjustified long-term advance balances.
4.Period-End Processes
- Review transactions postings and prepare correction journals for errors before period closure.
- Supervise the preparation and posting of adjustment journals for accruals, expense prepayments and redistribution of support costs to projects.
- Prepare allocated financial reports on monthly, quarterly and annual, including ad hoc reports.
- Supervise the cost allocation process at the end of each period (or month).
- Validate monthly bank reconciliations and Target Bank Balance Report.
- Analyse and validate any external reporting
5.Intercompany Processes
- Validate inter Company transactions and ensure reconciled with different countries/GH.
- Maintain good relationships and clear communications with the Intercompany team and respective country offices/Global Hub.
6.Payroll Processes
- Approve transfer of salaries to staff bank accounts and/or review payments made via other country offices or Global Hub.
- Ensure monthly payroll reconciliation between SAP and payroll.
- Support remittance of payroll deductions to relevant institutions.
- Ensure regulatory and tax compliance requirements are being met at all times.
- Prepare accurate computations of staff separation benefits and ensure remitted after approvals.
7. Treasury Management
- Ensure effective cash management with sufficient cash, for the day-to-day operations of the country office.
- Validate cash forecast in consultation with program and administration staff.
- Ensure all banking and cash processes and protocols are in place and being adhered to.
8. Internal Financial Controls and compliance
- Ensure that the appropriate financial control processes, procedures and systems are in place and followed in the country office.
- Follow up on the implementation of audit report recommendations within the allotted time.
- Perform periodic spot checks of finance teamโs work, including SAP set-up, accounting, archiving, etc.
9.Capacity Building and Line Management
- Recruitment, development, and retention of finance staff.
- Review of the financial systems of partner NGOs; provide support where applicable to ensure full compliance with Planโs standards and protocols.