Background/Context:
The IRC has operated in Syria since 2012, providing protection, health, economic recovery, and early childhood development programs in Idleb, Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Hassakeh, and Deir ez-Zor, with new programs expanding into Hama, rural Damascus, and Homs. With a team of over 700 members, the IRC has established trust and strong community relationships, ensuring access and effective service delivery. It plays a significant role in Syria’s NGO, donor, and coordination forums, holding key positions and adapting to the evolving context.
With the new realities under the new government, as of December 2024, the IRC has deployed a team to Damascus to set up operations and engage in coordination structures for newly accessible areas across Syria—including parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency.
Job overview:
The Finance assistant is an integral part of Syria finance team. This position supports Damascus office and program centers in Homs and any future program’s centers which fall under Damascus D4, in implementing the Finance policies & procedures of IRC and our donors. Besides, this position is mainly responsible about all cash related activities (i.e. receive cash from Bank or Hawala and make deposits in Damascus safe and related banks, issue cash payments, contribute in preparation of cash requests/cash forecasts, checking the supporting documents of the payments requests before release payments , ensure that all needed approvals are available based on the authorization matrix, monitor the cash flow, arrange with Hawala agents and banks for cash distributions to (vendors, staff, Incentive workers, …) , ensure timely payments for all payees, ensure that complete and accurate supporting documents are uploaded to the system and to the related files for all released payments, invoices). In addition, this position is responsible for liaising with the contracted banks and Hawala inside and outside Syrai for any deposit, withdrawal including the quiches. Will make sure all cash and bank entries booked in system on time and cash and bank reconciliation are performed on monthly bases on time with accurate performance, also support Finance Officer for data entry into Integra System and audit requirements and daily operations of accounting side in Damascus related work.
Responsibilities:
- Closely work with Finance Officer to ensure the best understanding and implementation of IRC Finance Policies and Procedures, as well as IRC Donors rules and regulations.
- Support the finance officer in initial reviewing all kinds of financial documents to ensure that all the supporting documents and approvals needed are available. Support in record and submit PO & Non-PO invoices, JEs, Cash receipts, PMNTs to Integra daily. Besides, ensure saving all the supporting documents in the related files & uploading them to the system per transaction references.
- Prepare the cash request for Damascus office in coordination with the line supervisor, and under direction from FM and per cash management SOP guidance.
- Receive cash from Hawala agencies and bank, make sure all cash pieces of dollar/ SYP and any other Currency have been received properly (no scratch, tidy, etc.). Besides, maintain the cash in office in a safe in a proper way and ensure all information about cash/ cheques are confidential.
- The finance assistant should contact all suppliers and ask them to collect their dues on the determined distribution dates. Besides, for other types of payees such as IWS, beneficiaries .... etc. the finance assistant should ask all payments requestors to contact the payees and ask them to collect their dues on the determined distribution dates and follow up with requestors regarding any uncollected amounts to mitigate cash risk.
- Represent finance in the distribution sites if needed, sign & reconcile any related documents. Besides, verify the payees’ identities before disbursing as well as the letter of delegations from staff, suppliers or beneficiaries.
- Pay out all suppliers, incentive workers, vendors, advances, salary of staff when needed and deal with them in high performance of respect and integrity and in line with cash management SOP. Besides, before releasing the payments the finance assistant should make sure that all required approvals/ documents are available (make sure PO match invoice match payment in terms of amount and payee name), and he/she should take quick action and inform the head of finance department and line Supervisor in case of any findings.
- Ensure all documents are labeled as “PAID” once payment is cleared with vendors and in line with Cash management SOP.
- Conduct a cash count daily in a proper and secure way. Verify any discrepancies and report that immediately to the Finance & line managers if not resolved. Maintain cash tracking sheet on daily basis and keep the signed versions of cash count in the cash count file and keep scan copies on BOX, share the final cash count /bank statements after reconciliation with system with FM for action.
- Receive cash refunds from staff/contractors and charge them back to proper account codes, make sure that the receipt Voucher is signed by the staff and approved by the Sr. Finance Officer / Finance Officer.
- Support finance officer in providing any documents needed for audit purposes or any other reason. And help with the finance office admin work such as photocopying and scanning if any.
- Plan, organize and manage workload and be resilient in accepting new assignments and extra working hours during competing priorities.
- Contribute in the month & year end closing to ensure high quality of closing & meeting HQ deadlines. Besides, participate in coordination with the finance officer in the monthly review for the following balance sheet accounts: Cash in office, Petty cash, Advances, Accruals, Prepaid, Vendor payable, Miscellaneous Payables, Miscellaneous Receivable, Hawala/ Cash Transfer Agent/ bank statements.
- Support finance officer in preparing cash requested and fees allocation JVs resulted from: incentive workers payments, NES staff salary payments, drivers’ payments, and vendors payments.
- Attend distribution sites for staff salaries and vendors dues in program centers per need.
- Support finance officer in doing Pool cost allocation JVs Damasus office when needed.
- Support in Prepare cash projection on monthly basis, share with Finance Manager on time.
- Support in Conduct inventory check for warehouses and assets and property from time to time and per request from Supply Chain team.
Job Requirements:
Education:
- University or institution Degree in economics (accounting departments, business management or relevant financial studies), or any other college degree alongside one years` experience in accounting position preferably in an INGO.
Work Experience:
- Good understanding of accounting processes and procedures.
- Meeting targets and deadlines and being flexible and comfortable in multi-cultural workforce.
- Team player, cooperative and supportive to colleagues from same and different departments.
- Ability to work under pressure and load of work and willingness \ ability to work for extra hours when and as needed.
- English is a plus.
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- Computer literate and has strong competencies in MS Office package, especially Excel (e.g common formulas) and outlook
- Any ERP System experience is an advantage.
- Strong ability to work independently, organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to details.
- A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct.
- Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development.
- Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution.
- Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context.
- Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience.
- Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity.
- Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop is a must.
- Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies.
Language/Travel:
- Good practical and spoken language skills of Arabic and English, Kurdish is an advantage.
- Travel: 10% to field sites in NES upon request as well as attending regional and global workshops and meetings upon request.
Key Working Relationships:
Position Reports to: Finance officer
Position directly supervises: N/A
Indirect Reporting:
Key Internal Contacts: Other Finance team members in all areas, Supply Chain team, Field Director, program colleagues.
Key External Contacts: Suppliers, IWs, Beneficiaries**.**
Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the country where this position is based and are currently residing outside of your home country, you may be eligible for an attractive relocation package. Eligibility is determined based on IRC's operational needs and specific role requirements. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs.
Accountability to Clients: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.
How to apply
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/E58asU3Uj5
NGO Jobs in Syria