Financial Consultant

at  IFOAM Organics International

Organizational context
Founded in 1972, IFOAM – Organics International works as an agent of change, advocating for true sustainability in agriculture, value chains, and consumption. We are an international non-profit organization with a membership base that spans around 100 countries, and promote a holistic approach to food systems based on the principles of health, ecology,fairness, and care. The Organization is based in Bonn, Germany, but implements projects worldwide.
The Position

We are looking for a Financial Consultant to support the financial reporting of IFOAM-project titled “Capacity Development of Change Agents for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Southern, Central, East, North and West Africa”, under the framework of the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Project, titled “Knowledge Centre for Organic Agriculture in Africa (KCOA)”. The Project will end on 31 August 2024. The project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and funded by GIZ, with the aim to promote organic agriculture and agroecology, throughout all five African regions, also called Knowledge Hubs. The Capacity Development component of the Project is coordinated by IFOAM- Organics International’ office in Bonn and implemented through the support of local partners, as follows:

• Eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda): Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT)
• Southern Africa (Malawi, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa): Sustainability Institute (SI)
• West Africa (Senegal, Mali, The Gambia, Nigeria and Benin): Federation Nationale pour l’Agriculture Biologique ()
• North Africa (Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco): SEKEM
• Central Africa (Cameroon, Chad and DRC): Centre Polyvalent de Formation (CPF)

Tasks
Responsibilities
The Financial Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Global Academy Manager and the Project Coordinator, through providing professional financial support to ensure proper financial management is in place with IFOAM- Organics International’s and international and donors’ standards and having sufficient documentation for donor audit to get a clear audit view.

The Financial Consultant will be asked to deliver the following duties and responsibilities:

• Claim and retrieve all Financial Reports from Implementing Local Partners, including all supportive documents, in line with GIZ Financial and Procurement Guidelines and the Sub-Agreement with IFOAM- Organics International;
• Review and ensure that these financial Reports have the supportive documentation required (i.e. receipts, quotations, invoices…); and are in line with GIZ Financial and Procurement Guidelines and with the Sub-Agreement with IFOAM- Organics International;
• Prepare the IFOAM- Organics International’s bi-monthly Financial Reports to GIZ, including all the costs of the Implementing Partners’ Financial Reports;
• Provide financial and procurement guidance to relevant matters, related to the Project;Attend all relevant financial meetings with the local partners (if any) and organize clarification meetings with local partners, to ensure proper reporting.

Requirements

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience in Finance and audits, preferably as within an international organization or NGO;
• Previous working experience with GIZ and the German Government and knowledge of the GIZ Procurement and Financial processes will be considered an asset;
• Advanced Computer skills (Excel, Word and Database);
• Computerized accounting package skills preferred;
• Knowledge of finance operations and reporting requirements of international donors (preferably GIZ);
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Self-motivated with strong organization skills;
• Ability to take initiative to manage tasks, and willingness to act as a team member and assist with menial tasks as needed for program success;
• Interpersonal skills, including ability to listen to and respect others. Ability to work collaboratively and supportively with others;
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment;
• Proven ability to prioritize and plan effectively and solve problems;Very good knowledge of English is a prerequisite; and knowledge of German will be considered an asset.

Benefits
Our Offer
We offer you to work starting from 20 April 2024. The total compensation will be discussed during the interview process and only to shortlisted candidates.
The consultancy is completed when all KCOA project reports submitted are accepted by GIZ.
For this position remote work is possible and applicants must be able to work on their own, while working in a multi-cultural environment.
Please submit your CV and a motivation letter by email in one single file (PDF) to jobs (at) ifoam . bio no later than 20(23:59 CET - German Time), indicating in the subject line the title of the position you apply for, and your preferred starting date. Additional documents may be asked at a later stage

• Claim and retrieve all Financial Reports from Implementing Local Partners, including all supportive documents, in line with GIZ Financial and Procurement Guidelines and the Sub-Agreement with IFOAM- Organics International;
• Review and ensure that these financial Reports have the supportive documentation required (i.e. receipts, quotations, invoices…); and are in line with GIZ Financial and Procurement Guidelines and with the Sub-Agreement with IFOAM- Organics International;
• Prepare the IFOAM- Organics International’s bi-monthly Financial Reports to GIZ, including all the costs of the Implementing Partners’ Financial Reports;
• Provide financial and procurement guidance to relevant matters, related to the Project;Attend all relevant financial meetings with the local partners (if any) and organize clarification meetings with local partners, to ensure proper reporting