Operation and Finance Assistant at Mercy Corps Tanzania

Operation and Finance Assistant

Operation and Finance Assistant at Mercy Corps Tanzania September 2024

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
(integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

How to Apply:
Consent Language:
“Mercy Corps collects your personal data for the purposes of managing
Mercy Corps recruitment related activities as well as for organizational
planning purposes globally. Consequently, Mercy Corps may use your
personal data in relation to the evaluation and selection of applicants
including, for example, setting up and conducting interviews and tests,
evaluating and assessing the results thereto and as is otherwise needed
in the recruitment processes including the final recruitment.

Mercy
Corps is an international organization consisting of multiple
affiliated companies in various countries. Mercy Corps has international
sites and uses resources located throughout the world. Your data may be
held on secure platforms globally, including outside of the EU. All
personal data whether relating to recruitment or employment, is held on a
secure platform and system which is subject to regular testing and
audit. Unless stated in the job description that the post involves other
organizations with which the information will be shared as part of the
recruitment process, your personal data will only be shared with third
parties where consent is given.

Mercy Corps participates in the
Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (the “Scheme”)
(www.schr.info/the-misconduct-disclosure-scheme). Accordingly, we
request information from a job applicant’s previous employer(s) about
any investigations which found that the applicant committed sexual
exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment,
or incidents of misconduct under investigation when the applicant left
employment. By applying, you confirm your consent to Mercy Corps
collecting your prior employment history under the Scheme as part of the
application process. Your data will be stored for up to four years.

Attestation Language:
“By applying for this position, I attest that I have never violated a
sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or
human trafficking policy and that I have never been disciplined for
violating an employer’s code of conduct.”

This is Full-time
Job, Interested applicants are requested to go to the apply section of
the link and submit their updated 3 pages maximum CV (with three
professional referees) and 1 page cover letter addressed to Mercy Corps
Country Coordinator (combine your cover letter and CV). Be sure to
highlight your relevant experience and explain why you are the ideal
candidate for this position.
Deadline: 16th September,2024. tz-hrrecruitment@mercycorps.org