Position
Regional Finance Manager (RFM)
Grade G
Department
Operations Support
Date
Reports to
Deputy Regional Director – Operations (DRD-Ops)
Purpose: How
does this post
support Plan’s
strategy and
mission?
Jan 2016
Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian
organization committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence
and injustice. We actively unite children, communities and other people
who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s
and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills,
knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling
life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and
young women, who are most often excluded and marginalized. We
have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75
years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. Increasingly PLAN
in RESA is working in emergency contexts which require quick and real
time financial and operations support.
The RFM provides financial leadership and management in the region,
champion’s innovation in business processes and ensures an effective
financial information system is maintained all times.. The role engages,
inspire, motivate and lead a team of dedicated staff at different levels to
provide best in class financial management and support to 12 countries
in one of the largest INGOs in the world and a regional budget in
Eastern and Southern Africa of more than Euro150 million a year. As
region is increasingly expanding its reach to respond to emergency
situations ,the RFM requires to support countries in terms of Finance
capacity deployments and setting up systems and procedures that
facilitates timely programme response.
Specifically, s/he will take care of the end to end regional financial
management and business planning processes, the regional accounting
and treasury activities, and the financial reporting and analysis. The
RFM anchors financial management innovations and process in the
region and links with the head office teams. S/he will also ensure
internal financial controls and financial risk management in addition to
people management responsibilities. As the organization is also going
through a variety of change processes, the RFM will be a key staff
member to lead some of the change in his/ her area.
Dimensions of Role:
Financial measures or statistics relevant to post such as budget; list of direct and indirect reports
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Direct management of five staff in the Regional Finance Department and matrix management of
12 Country Finance Managers and a Regional Finance Controller.
Strategic engagement with diverse teams across functions.
Leadership of financial services provided to countries managing a combined budget of over
Euro150million in the last fiscal year
Report internally and externally on matters of financial management.
Influencing and informing role regarding global financial standards, policies and systems
development and implementation.
Oversight of statutory financial requirements and bankers
Membership of the Senior Finance Leadership Team, regional management networks and
forums
Budget management responsibilities in line with Plan International authority limits
Representation in appropriate forum within and outside of the organization.
Typical Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position:
“What” is done and “why”, but not “how”; include indicators for success
Regional Management:
 Contribute to regional management team decision-making
 Member of the Extended Regional Office (RO) Management Team
 Support regional leadership to manage relationships and processes relating to partners, including
partner assessment
 Take responsibility for relevant risk management processes in the region.
 Furnish regional leadership with quality, relevant and timely management and risk analysis
information to inform decision making and performance management
 Promote, with management, a culture of value for money, efficiency and cost/ benefit analysis across
the region
Country management support
 Engage with county finance and senior management for country strategic planning, focusing primarily
on financial planning, reporting, workforce analysis and business processes
 Work with countries to ensure they are audit ready for Global Assurance or donor audits. Follow up
with Countries post audit to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to implement actions and
improve financial management
 Engage with countries to help get them disaster ready, ensuring financial processes, procedures,
policies and guidance have the flexibility to allow countries to respond to humanitarian crisis in a
timely and efficient way, whilst ensuring appropriate standards are met. Identify country capacity
needs to support the roll out and implementation of financial systems, procedures and policies and
identify innovative solutions to meeting capacity needs.
Senior Finance leadership team:
 Participate in Senior Finance leadership team decision-making
 Convene the Regional finance network meetings
 Support DRD Ops to manage finance function performance
 Take responsibility, as part of the Senior Finance leadership team, for efficient and effective finance
management across the organization
 Influence global finance leadership on ensuring financial initiatives are country friendly
Regional Business Planning Processes:
 Communicate instructions and milestones within the region for business planning, including longterm planning, budgeting, quarterly forecasting and cash flow forecasting
 Facilitate and coordinate regional business planning processes
 Consolidate and review planning inputs from countries
 Support Regional Director (RD) to communicate regional business plans to IH
 Support RD to disseminate approved business plans to countries.
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Systems, Accounting and Treasury:
 Provide guidance on cash flow/treasury management in region
 Monitor regional general ledger and cash management processes
 Manage RO SAP and cash management processes
 Ensure that region finance fulfils agreed roles for payroll management
 Monitor RO transactions with partners, if applicable
 Monitor country transactions with partners
 Ensure compliance with local regulatory and tax legislation
Financial Reporting and Analysis
 Prepare and review periodic regional financial reports
 Support the RD with timely and reliable financial information
 Support effectiveness and efficiency by ensuring sound business analyses and the provision of key
management information.
Internal Financial Control and Financial Risk Management:
 Ensure appropriate financial control processes, procedures and systems are in place and adhered to
 Follow up finance related audit actions from countries and RO.
 Coordinate Regional year-end financial audits and oversees statutory compliance across countries.
 In conjunction with Financial Risk Manager, to identify, assess and report on financial risks.
 Work with IH Finance to develop and implement policies and procedures that mitigate financial risks.
 Ensure that key financial risks are reported and incorporated into regional risk register and general
risk management processes.
People Management:
 Recruit, develop and motivate a high performing finance team
 Manage team performance, identify and develop talent, support team members.
 Support in recruitment of country Finance managers
 Develop an active and engaged network of finance managers from across the 14 countries and
regional offices for learning, troubleshooting, and sharing of good practices
 Engage with peer finance managers in other regions, HQ and National Organizations to support
regional initiatives and country capacity
Capacity Building
 Mentors finance team members and offer technical support to regional Finance teams.
 Support Country Directors in identifying capacity development needs for finance teams.
 Trains staff on key financial systems modules as necessary.
 Coordinates and facilitates in Finance for non- Finance managers trainings.
 Inducts Country Directors in Finance and related systems and procedures.
 Facilitate deployment finance staff to critical areas across the region including in emergency
projects/
Dealing with Problems:
Complexity of problems handled & the degree of investigation, analysis, & creative thinking required to solve them
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Being able to troubleshoot specific problems identified at country or regional level
Working as a member of a remote global team operating in different time zones.
Balancing conflicting demands and priorities.
Working across a large geographical area and multiple countries.
Providing a regional oversight to finance in emergencies.
Being able to identify and provide relevant management information to senior leaders
Communications and Working Relationships:
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Working contacts inside and outside the organization; include the purpose and level (high, medium, low) of the
contact
Internal
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Regional Director and Deputies
Country Diretcors
International Headquarters Finance Team
Country Finance Managers
Regional Financial Controller
Functional Networks
Regional office managers/ heads of
departments
National organization finance managers
External
 Other INGO Finance staff
 Relevant professional Finance networks
 Banks and Financial Institutions
Knowledge, Skills, Behaviors, and Experience Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:
Gained through education, training, & experience
Knowledge
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Demonstrable knowledge of critical finance areas, Eg control, reporting, treasury, accounting, etc.
Knowledge and understanding of the development sector.
Demonstrable expertise in financial management, leadership and analysis
Knowledge of current key donor requirements.
Skills
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Strong leadership and management skills
Strategic Analytical skills
Communication skills, appropriate to the audience
Problem solving
Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment
Strong team-building and motivational skills
Strong negotiating, facilitating and influencing skills
Proficient in computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word
processing, spreadsheets, database, internet
Attention to detail
Behaviour
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Strong sense of integrity and ability to be a role model to others
Creativity, innovation and problem solving
Good judgement
Decision-making
Commitment to continuous improvement
Qualifications
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Relevant professional qualifications
Proven senior finance experience at a regional/ multi-country level, ideally within the development or
humanitarian sectors.
Demonstrate experience in areas outlined in Knowledge, Skills and Behaviour above
Physical Environment and Demands:
May be “typical office environment”; note if heavy lifting, climbing, excess travel, etc.
Based in the Regional Office with regional and international travel (approx. 25% time), including travel to
remote areas
Level of Contact with Children:
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Mid contact:
Occasional interaction with children
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