ALIGHT (previously known as the American Refugee Committee -ARC) Sudan Program started in 2004 in response to the emergency needs of some 600,000 war-affected IDPs and host populations in the Tulus and Gereida corridors in South Darfur. In 2014, ALIGHT expanded services into underserved villages in the East Darfur, and more recently in Kassala state, East of Sudan.  The overall aim of the program is to improve the well-being of the target populations by addressing their immediate humanitarian needs and contributing to long-term community stabilization.

With oversight and direction from the Head Office in Khartoum, the field offices in Nyala, South Darfur Ed Daein, & Adilla East Darfur and our recent program in Kassala State, we support the delivery of primary health care services at 30 rehabilitated community clinics, one reproductive health unit and one BEmOC facility.  Water and sanitation services, including the construction/rehabilitation of boreholes, water yards, household and institutional latrines and hygiene promotion messages, are also delivered in over 70 conflict-affected communities. A small agriculture component assists resettling IDPs and host populations with seeds, tools and extension services to grow their own food.

In 2020, in partnership with UNHCR, we are providing health and WASH services to 100,000 mainly Eritrean refugees who reside in the camps of Shagarab I, II, III, K26 and Girba Refugee Camps in Kassala state. We are currently operating 5 health facilities in the camps and WASH interventions related to hygiene promotion and sanitation. This is our first year of operations with UNHCR and we hope to scale up our program in 2021.

With support from IOM’s Rapid Response Fund (RRF) we are delivering a COVID-19 preparedness and response intervention in Kassala state. We are focusing our response on Khashma Girba locality and specifically helping the isolation center located in the main hospital. The overall aim of the program is to improve the well-being of the target populations by addressing their immediate humanitarian needs and contributing to long-term community stabilization.

ALIGHT programs enable resiliency in rural communities in both regions in the face of recurring conflicts and natural disasters such as drought, flooding and environmental degradation. The goal is to aid transition to early recovery in Darfur, in an equitable and environmentally sustainable manner.

With an annual budget of between $20-25m, the Sudan Program has 10 expatriates and over 700 national staff some of who are seconded from the line Ministries of the Sudan government, which covers Health, WASH and protection activities.
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The finance officer is responsible and accountable for the day to day operations and financial transactions in Khartoum Office.  S/he will be handling and processing timely program and operations/admin payments, ensuring that all necessary supporting documents are compliant with ALIGHT policies and procedures, donor and audit requirements.

Financial Management and reporting

• Work with the Head of Finance and donors to produce timely, quality, and accurate financial reports, including monthly financial reports.
• Assist Accounts department to manage payments to local and international outside service providers;
• Prepare draft budget with consultation of program staff.
• Review (BVAs) budget V actual reports and provide feedback to Head of Finance and management and take corrective measures to respond the findings and gaps with consultation of Head of Finance.
• With consultation of Program and other team members prepare (LOGSP) life of grant spending plan and monitor the actual with planned activities
• Oversee financial management of sub awards and subcontracts in coordination with the Sub Grants Officer;
• Ensure that proper financial procedures and systems are operated and maintained;
• Assist with new business development, including budget preparation and forecasting;
• Ensure all financial transactions are accurately recorded and reported, working closely with Accounting & Process & Systems teams.
• Perform on-going analysis of budgetary status and impact of supplemental needs and requests, prepare periodic and ad-hoc analyses of Budget/Forecast versus Actual
• Prepare reconciliations of revenue and all balance sheet account and ensure the time clearance of all outstanding balances, including staff advances.

Audit, Compliance and Internal Control

• Facilitate and coordinate in country audits requested by host government and donors
• Manage preparations of internal and external audits, and prepare responses and actions to audit comments;
• Prepare action plan based on audit findings and enforce the recommendation of auditors and management.

BANKS

• Assist in Banking matters that is reconciliations, follow-up of outstanding payments, work with field to clear the outstanding balances.
• Update signatory’s files at Khartoum and field level.
• Monitor bank charges and allocate them across the project.
• Review field office projections and assist in fund transfer etc.

PAYROLL

• Assist with monthly local staff payroll reports review and confirm submission of time sheets before payment is made.
• Ensure salaries approved to be paid through bank wires are processed in a timely manner.
• Review after staff service benefits and issue finance clearance before payment is made to the staff
• Assist the finance manager in preparing Khartoum payroll.

GENERAL ACCOUNT:

• Provide technical support to Khartoum finance assistant.
• Make sure all financial transactions and payments comply with ALIGHT procurement policy and procedures. Payment Request Vouchers are properly filled out and appropriately approved.  All transactions are adequately supported and auditable
• Make sure bills / vouchers and other necessary supporting documents against cash advance are submitted before posting against grants.
• Review and audit all bills/vouchers / receipts (including verification of authenticity of receipts) for its validity, accuracy, completeness and compliance.  If authenticity of any receipt is in question, inform your supervisor immediately.
• Prepaid payable and receivable accounts reconciliation on a monthly basis and clearing regularly of outstanding items.
• Obtain all project budgets, review them, be familiar with line items and codes and use codes properly in making any outstanding items.
• Assist with facilitating of internal and external audit /compliance activities as required in consultation with supervisor and/or Head of Finance.
• Back-stopping of other Field Finance Officers or Field Finance Assistants as needed.
• Enter to the system (Serenic) all SDG and USD transactions and invoices on a daily basis as possible as or no later than the following 5 working days. Ensure that the description is in plain English precise and clear
• Ensure weekly and monthly field offices transactions are compiled, reviewed and posted on time for Khartoum.
• Assist Head of Finance in processing grants expense accruals.
• Assist the Senior finance manager on processing payment accruals
• Assist the finance manager with rents amortizations.
• Train new finance Assistant staff in Khartoum with ARC’s Serenic accounting system.

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

• Ensure USD & SDG documents (both hard and soft copies) properly with respect to any financial payments and receipts transactions as per ALIGHT policies, procedures and guidance.
• Ensure that all USD & SDG field financial and administration documents are filed and labeled in a logical, orderly and neat manner in order to provide for security of documentation, ease of accessibility and the preservation of records.
• Keep all bills/vouchers or any cash transaction documents under your responsibility in a protected place. No one should have access to any documents under your care without your knowledge.

OTHERS

• Contribute towards improvement of financial management systems including internal control systems.
• Keep supervisor informed of all activities including concerns on a regular basis
• Follow ALIGHT policies, procedures and protocols as outlined and instructed by the management of ALIGHT
• Carry out any other special responsibilities occasionally assigned by supervisor or/and Head of Finance

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Accounting
• Experience as Finance Officer in NGO for at least 5 years
• Experience in doing payroll for national staff.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience working closely with government agencies preferred
• Ability to work productively and impartially in a multi-cultural environment
• Fluency in Arabic and English.
• Willingness and ability to work in insecure environment and adhere to ALIGHT security policies
• Ability to work independently as well as working in a team.