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.
The Program
Mercy Corps has been operating in Venezuela since 2018 implementing humanitarian and development programs, with special emphasis on water, sanitation and hygiene, health, protection, food security, and nutrition, and plays a key role in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information relevant to the humanitarian community in the country. The team is expanding its programs at the country level and expanding its team at the country level to implement quality programs with the required attention.
The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions at Mercy Corps in Venezuela, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures. In its support role to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reporting and assistance to the Country Leader and Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.
The Position
The Finance Assistant is responsible for ensuring the day-to-day financial operations of the Mercy Corps Venezuela Office in an efficient manner. He/she is responsible for updating Navigator information and the local accounting system on a daily basis, reviewing disbursement documentation prior to payment, ensuring that supporting documentation is complete and that budget calculations and codes are correct. This position is also responsible for setting up and monitoring financial operations in the field offices.
Essential Responsibilities
CASH AND BANK MONITORING
Monitoring of daily cash flow, so that there is sufficient liquidity to pay suppliers, partners, taxes, services and other commitments.
Preparation of monthly and/or weekly cash counts when required by the Senior Finance Officer (SFO) as custodian of the cash account.
Payment to suppliers through the different modules and mechanisms established by Mercy Corps.
NAVIGATOR AND LOCAL SYSTEM
Journal entries, review of the information uploaded to the system, in order to efficiently generate reports, control and record the accounts.
Ensure that the accounting records are correct. PI, GJ and Adjustments, review of the Test Report (Coding and Records in the system), that there are no errors.
Support in closing activities, preparation of depreciation, amortization, depreciation and reclassification items.
Ensure that all bank and/or cash movements are processed in the system.
Employee account reconciliation.
MONTHLY - ANNUAL CLOSING AND REPORTING TO HEAD OFFICE
Travel & Operating Advance Reconciliation (1520).
Employee Accounts Receivable Reconciliation (1521).
Update in bank account modifications 3.2A Form.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Purchase requisitions and purchase orders, requests for payments, advances and settlements of funds and per diems.
Settlement of operating fund advances, to ensure that they are in accordance with budget specifications and donor regulations.
Review of payment vouchers and cash and bank TR / system, verifying that the supporting documentation is adequate for the senior financial officer to review and approve.
Review of all payment requests to ensure that they are in accordance with budget specifications, donor regulations and coding.
Ensure that the supporting documentation is complete so that it can be consulted in an agile manner and for auditing purposes.
PAYROLL AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Monthly payroll-based transfer processing to ensure that the transfers uploaded to the bank system are correct.
Review and payment of severance payments.
DOCUMENT ARCHIVE
Filing and safekeeping of payment transactions to suppliers, transfers and other supports for payments.
ASSET ACQUISITION AND INVENTORY RECONCILIATION AND RECORDING
Review of physical inventory in central and field offices. Verification of the proper recording and observation of incidents in the equipment for timely reporting.
PAYROLL SYSTEM
Basic knowledge of the payroll system to enter information and update personnel data (Eventually).
ISLR WITHHOLDING SYSTEM
Knowledge of the ISLR withholding system for employee information (Eventually).
Coordinate with the HR department, the due delivery and management of the ARI form by the personnel, and provide assistance if required.
STAFF INDUCTION
Provide induction to new personnel in relation to the subject of the finance unit (Eventually).
MONITORING MERCY CORPS IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS
Support in financial monitoring for mission partner organizations. (Eventually and if required).
FEEDBACK TO STAFF
Support to all personnel who need information or accompaniment in relation to processes and budget verification for proper coding.
MONTHLY CLOSE
Support in making: Amortizations - Payroll payroll โ Reclassifications
Follow-up on the implementation of Mercy Corps' administrative and technical policies and procedures.
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Senior Finance Officer.
Works Directly With: Finance, Programs, Operations, HR, Security and Finance team at HQ.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills
Two or more years of accounting experience is desired.
Bachelorยดs degree in accounting or a relevant career.
Strong computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
Knowledge of computerized accounting systems, double entry.
Strong organizational skills and high attention to detail.
Excellent interpersonal relationships.
Fluent in Spanish. English is a plus.
Accuracy in processing cash transactions, and mathematical aptitude.
Success Factors
Ability to interact effectively with national and international staff is required. A demonstrated ability to multitask, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is required. A high professional level of financial and procurement ethics is essential, as is the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures. The Senior Accountant must be willing to travel to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Caracas, Venezuela and will require occasional travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services.
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 worldโs 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