Candidate Brief Contract and Finance Manager March 2016
Dear Candidate, Thank you for your interest you have shown in the role of Contracts and Finance Manager. It is an exciting time to be part of CARE International as a whole and CARE International UK in particular as we have done a lot of work on defining how we can play a distinct role in fighting poverty and injustice in the world s most vulnerable places. CARE is an organisation that works to save lives in disasters and conflicts and which stands with women, girls and their communities to achieve lasting change for a better future and the ways in which we plan to deliver on our mission are clearly articulated in CARE International s new Global Programme Strategy for 2015-2020. The role of Contracts and Finance Manager is an important position within CARE International UK as our partnerships with key partners like DFID, EU, ECHO and others are crucial for us to reach our ambitious plans to increase our impact and achieve more for people living in poverty. This position is in a new team within CARE International UK and is borne out of the strategic intention of moving CARE into a consistent leading position with our key public donors and programme partners so that our opportunities for funding and influence grow significantly over the next ten years. We have built some great profile and credibility recently and would like to use this as the basis for further strengthening and establishing of some solid partnerships. This is a critical role within CARE UK supporting and developing our internal contract compliance and contract financial management and pushing forward new approaches to demonstrate CARE UK credibility as an effective partner. This position engages with the wider CARE federation positioning CARE UK as a leader in UK and European donor contracting and working in collaboration with other CARE members to continue to improve organisational wide performance. Growth and innovation are key elements to this role so we are looking for someone who is motivated by improving organisational effectiveness with the creativity and drive to bring to create a centre of organisational excellence. Coordination is a key skill in this role and the ability to work well with multiple touch points and to establish effective working relationships with key contacts across the wider CARE federation will be crucial to deliver our vision. Thanks again for your interest and we look forward to receiving your application. Ed Watkiss Head of Institutional Partnerships
Background Information CARE is one of the world s leading humanitarian and development organisations. Founded nearly 70 years ago with the CARE package, CARE now fights poverty and injustice in 84 countries and has built up a strong reputation for innovation and impact. CARE s programmes focus on achieving lasting change by tackling the underlying causes of poverty and strengthening the capacities of poor communities to help themselves. In everything we do, CARE places special focus on gender issues and working alongside poor women and girls because, equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. Women are a vital part of CARE s community-based efforts to improve food and nutrition security; protect life and resilience in humanitarian crisis; increase access to quality healthcare and education and expand economic opportunity for all. CARE helps poor people have a greater say about the decisions and policies that affect their lives, supporting them with information and skills so they can challenge decision-makers. CARE s advocacy efforts also bring evidence from our programmes of what works to change policy and practice at both a local and global scale. CARE is a non-sectarian and non- partisan organisation.
About the CARE Confederation CARE International operates in 84 countries, but is held together by 13 national members. These national agencies are separate legal entities but operate through one presence in each country and work together under the CARE International Board and Secretariat, based in Geneva. They are bound together by the CARE code. Globally CARE employs 8,000 staff, with over 95% of them nationally sourced and has an annual income of $800m. CARE has just agreed a new global Program Strategy which will govern all of our work and which will mean that by 2020, CARE and our partners will support 150 million people from the most vulnerable and excluded communities to overcome poverty and social injustice. About CARE International UK CARE International UK is an important part of the global CARE International confederation and one of the largest and most influential members. We employ 115 staff and generate around 45 million a year for CARE s poverty-fighting work. As well as raising money for CARE s humanitarian and development work around the world, we provide programme expertise in four key areas: Humanitarian response With a long-term presence in many of the world s most vulnerable places, we take a comprehensive approach to emergency response including preparedness, immediate assistance and long-term recovery. We have a particular focus on women and girls; shelter in emergencies, and building resilience through our climate change adaptation and food security work. Women s Economic Empowerment We are working with poor women to give them access to economic resources through programmes on financial inclusion, supply chains and workers rights. The private sector has a critical role to play in reducing poverty and supporting women s economic empowerment. We take an innovative approach to engage with the private sector at global, national and local levels to improve the impact of their activities so that real opportunities are created for poor people. CIUK has also launched Lendwithcare a new solution for financial inclusion which offers the chance for people in the UK to make small loans to poor entrepreneurs.
Preventing and responding to sexual violence in conflict In an increasingly turbulent world, we provide expertise and support to our field operations in countries experiencing conflict, by supporting programmes spanning peace-building, reconciliation and rehabilitation. Protecting women from violence and increasing their participation in peace-building is a major advocacy priority. Governance The capacity of poor people to influence the institutions that govern their lives is fundamental to addressing the underlying causes of poverty. We work at a local level to help the most vulnerable and marginalised hold public authorities and other power holders to account for how they take decisions and allocate public funds.
Background to the job/the team Team Mission The team works at a strategic and up stream level to ensure that CARE is well placed to position itself as a partner of choice and grow its market share from key public funders (DfID, EU, ECHO, DEC, Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief etc). The team has a core focus on public funding growth and delivering the key ingredients to deliver that growth in line with our strategy. The team will support the wider multiplying impact agenda for our development and humanitarian programmes. The team provides the leadership, knowledge, skills and connections to position CARE as an expert and innovative programme partner and implementer across our Programme Strategy priorities. The team feeds the Programme Management team with opportunities and tools necessary to win more of the right bids. The team acts as a strategic knowledge and learning hub but will work closely with other key teams within CIUK and the wider CARE to support their multiplying impact objectives through strategic cultivation and donor engagement strategies. The team is helping move both CIUK and CARE into a priming role for major contracts and will design the practices, systems and processes necessary for success. The team supports major bidding efforts where necessary and helps to negotiate resources and solutions. Above all, the team is moving CARE into a consistent active position with the key public donors and programme partners so that our opportunities for funding and influence grow significantly over the next ten years. Key Team Responsibilities Lead the strategic development of key UK donor strategy and engagement across CIUK and CARE. Grow our public income and provide the necessary internal approach and landscape that will allow CIUK to win more bids and deliver programmes that will bring long term impact and good rates of overhead recovery. Position CARE with Contracts and Finances and partners as a go to partner for our Programme Strategy priorities ensure we are showcasing the right content with the right people so that we are positioned favourably for winning the business we want to win. With our new Global Programme Strategy in place, there are clear opportunities to strengthen our institutional relationships and help CARE reach its ambitious multiplying impact objectives. An essential part of strengthening these relationships is that CARE UK is seen as an exemplary contract partner showing expertise in compliance management and financial/accounting acumen. Success in these areas is seen as the foundation for developing high level of trust in CARE UK and positioning us for taking on larger and new contracting opportunities.
This is the senior role in CARE UKs contact management and compliance function. You will work closely with the Contract and Finance Officers in the Programme Management Team, the Finance Team and the SMT advising and recommending approaches and processes to manage compliance and financial risk form a contractual view point. Additionally you will have a key role in the wider CARE International Federation representing CARE UK in developing processes and approaches to maximise CARE s effectiveness and efficiencies in contract management. Organogram Head of Strategic Partnerships Head of Institutional Partnerships DFID Manager Key Donor Manager MEL Coordinator Contracts and Finance Manager
CARE International UK Job Description 1. Overview Post Title: Directorate: Team: Responsible to: Accountable to: Contracts and Finance Manager Fundraising, Partnerships and Communications Strategic Funding and Partnerships Team Head of Strategic Funding and Partnerships Director of Fundraising, Partnerships and Communications Base Location: London, with travel CARE International UK reserves the right in consultation with employees to change base location according to organisational and departmental requirements. Line Management Responsibility: Budgetary Responsibility: N/A N/A Key External and Internal Contacts and Relationships External Contacts Internal Contacts Our key public donors DfID, EU, Echo, Comic Relief, Big Lottery Fund and DEC. The relationships with these key donors will be driven by this team but will involve many other CIUK and CI contacts Potential programme and bid partners including INGOs, private sector organisations, academic institutions and development consultancies. Programme Management team Finance Team Management Accountant (Programmes) Senior Management team especially the Finance Director but including regular contact with the CEO. Leadership team. Key Country Offices and Regional staff. Programme leads across CI including European EU leads; resource mobilisation staff across COs and Regions. CARE USA Programme and Funding leads;. Corporate Partnerships team WEE; Governance; Gender in Emergencies/Shelter teams plus other key outcome/approach teams across the CARE Confederation. The above list is provided for guidance only and is not an exhaustive list of all the contacts with whom the post holder may be required to liaise.
2. Job Summary This is a high profile with CARE UK and the wider federation with three key areas of leadership and influence. The first is within CARE UK to provide functional leadership for contract, financial and compliance management. This includes mentoring Contracts and Finance colleagues in the Programme Management team to operationalise best practice in response to new donor requirements. The second is to work closely with Donor Managers, Programme Management and Technical teams with a focus on business development and contract management. The post holder will ensure CIUK is strongly positioned to bid for, win and successfully manage new contractual arrangements with new and existing donors, including commercial contracts/tenders and leading consortia of strategic partners. This will include designing the practices, systems and processes necessary for success, as well as actively engaging in large or complex bids and contracts. The third area is to be the CARE UK representative within the CARE International confederation on contact and financial compliance management for federation wide understanding and approaches of compliance management within the global and UK contexts. 3. Specific Areas of Responsibility Business development Engage with donors, partners and fund managers, supporting Donor Managers in their roles, and presenting CIUK as a strong partner. Monitor donor trends with a particular focus on emerging financial, contractual and compliance changes. Work closely with Donor Managers to identify new types of funding opportunities; assess contractual and financial risks, and develop strategies, systems and processes to adapt to new donor funding methods. New contractual arrangements Develop costing/pricing policies, tools and monitoring systems for new types of contracts, including fees-based contracts, ensuring full cost recovery. Develop templates for internal and external partnership agreements (IPIAs, subcontracts, sub-grant agreements) in line with changing donor requirements. Work closely with Finance to ensure financial systems and policies adapt to support new contractual arrangements, including donor reporting.
Bidding Provide expertise to bid teams, actively engaging on large or complex bids, leading on pricing of contracts, cost recovery, contractual issues and new donor requirements. Commercial proposals (financial narrative): lead on developing approaches to demonstrate a strong financial methodology, competitive fee rates, VfM and robust risk management. Contract management and compliance: new donor requirements Monitor implementation of contracts under new types of donor requirements, providing guidance and capacity building as required. Undertake compliance reviews and provide expert guidance and capacity building to Programme Management team and Country Offices Risk Management Establish robust risk management approaches to support PBR, commercial contracts and other donor arrangements. Monitor and report on risk exposure across the portfolio. Contribute to key internal risk management forum, including monthly Project Risk meeting and pipeline reviews, focusing on donor trends and new risk area Oversight of donor audits and finance / programme responses to internal and external audit recommendations, ensuring systematic changes are made as required Functional leadership Provide expertise in donor regulations and requirements, with a particular focus on emerging financial, contractual and compliance changes. In coordination with other CI members, ensure capacity development at Country Office and Regional level on UK and European donor compliance; seek to influence the development of country systems to ensure compliance with donors Contribute to CI working groups and forum to strengthen donor compliance and contract/ financial management. Contribute to external forum, such as cross-ngo groups (e.g. BOND Commercial Contracts working group. OSSIG) Team membership Contribute towards the development of the team and department annual operating plan and develop an annual individual operating plan. Participate in team, departmental and organisational meetings as required Contribute to developing the knowledge and skills of others at CIUK by actively sharing knowledge and experience with others.
1. Any additional duties as may be reasonably required by a senior manager within the scope of the above. 2. This document forms part of the post holder s contractual terms and conditions of employment. 3. The document is not an exhaustive list of core elements of the role. This job description is a working document and may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement. Data Protection The post holder hereby agrees not to disclose any confidential or sensitive information to a third party or outside organisation except where required to do so by law. Health and Safety The post holder agrees to abide by CIUK s Health and Safety principles and code of conduct and to take all reasonable steps to ensure both their own safety in the work place as well as that of their colleagues. Equal Opportunities The post holder agrees to promote and uphold the principles of equal opportunities in accordance with CIUK s Equal Opportunities Statement and all related policies.
CARE International UK Person Specification Essential Desirable Education / Qualifications Degree level of education or equivalent experience Skills / Abilities Excellent communication skills, ability to represent the organisation internally and externally at a senior level Strong analysis skills, ability to present complex information with clarity Relationship building and influencing: able to build effective relationships and influence a range of colleagues, in the UK, Country Offices and across CI (members and regional teams) Experience / Understanding Thorough understanding of a range of institutional and non-institutional donor requirements, in particular compliance with financial and contractual regulations Significant experience of contract financial management, in particular for large and complex projects; consortia as lead and sub. Significant experience of commercial and grant contacting and modalities Experience of developing tools, policies and guidance, and establishing new ways of working. Experience of using financial and management information systems, for analysis and reporting. Robust understanding of granting and Experience of working in developing countries contact legalities and language. Other Able to deploy at short notice as part of a bid team or monitoring team.
Application Process To apply please send your completed application form via email to jobs@careinternational.org quoting C776 in the subject line or Via post to Human Resources Department, CARE International UK, 9 th floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP. Closing date: Friday 8 April 2016 Interview date: week commencing 18 April 2016 For further information please visit www.careinternational.org.uk Twitter: @careintuk