Organization Profile
Every year, millions of people around the world go missing as a result of conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized crime, irregular migration, and other causes. This is a complex global challenge that can be tackled effectively through cross-cutting programs that address a variety of difficult, interconnected issues.

The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization with Headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands. Its mandate is to secure the cooperation of governments and others in locating missing persons from conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized crime, migration and other causes and to assist them in doing so. To learn more about ICMP click here.

Background of the Consultancy
The ICMP seeks a Senior Financial Expert with extensive experience in financing international organizations or international NGOs. The Senior Financial Expert will provide strategic financial guidance and expertise to support the ICMP in optimizing its internal financial management procedures, funding strategies, ensuring compliance with donor requirements, enhancing financial transparency and accountability, and managing financial change effectively.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Director General, the Senior Financial Expert will have the following objectives:

• Financial Compliance and Reporting: Advise and develop draft policies relating to financial compliance, audits, and reporting for donor-funded projects, ensuring accuracy and transparency.
• Financial Change Management: Advise the Director General and provide leadership and guidance to initiatives related to financial change management, guiding the organization through transitions in funding strategies, financial processes, and compliance requirements.
• Capacity Building: Train and mentor finance staff and project managers on financial management best practices, donor compliance, and change management strategies.
• Risk Management: Assess financial risks related to funding and operational activities and advise upon mitigation strategies.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning and Analysis:

• Review and provide timely advice and guidance on budgets, forecasts, and financial models for donor-funded projects.

• Analyse financial performance and provide recommendations for improvement.

• 2025 Budget Preparation: Guide the preparation, review, and finalization of the 2025 budget, ensuring alignment with ICMP’s strategic goals and IPSAS requirements. Liaise with relevant programs and departments to gather comprehensive budget inputs and ensure alignment with organizational objectives.

Compliance Oversight:

• Advise the Director General and ICMP senior staff to ensure all financial practices comply with organizational policies and donor regulations.

• Guide the coordination of internal and external audits related to grant funding.

• Review the financial statements and make recommendations to the Director General and ICMP senior staff to ensure compliance with IFRS for 2024 and IPSAS for 2025, maintaining the integrity and reliability of financial information.

• Make recommendations to the Director General and ICMP senior staff to ensure that financial statements reflect an accurate view of ICMP’s financial position and comply with ICMP’s financial regulations and donor requirements.

• Oversee and ensure that the 2024 external audit process is conducted efficiently and effectively.

• Guide the reporting process for the implementation of audit recommendations from the 2023 financial and operational audits.

• Provide guidance and recommendations to relevant department heads to address audit recommendations.

• Provide guidance to the ICMP’s Finance and Accounting teams and ICMP senior staff to ensure that the Director General and Board of Commissioners are provided with regular status updates on the progress and challenges in implementing these recommendations.

Financial Change Management:

• Design and advise upon the implementation of a change management strategy for financial processes and systems.

• Facilitate stakeholder engagement and communication throughout financial transitions.

• Provide support and guidance to the Finance and Accounting teams in adapting to IPSAS standards, ensuring alignment in all financial documentation and reporting. Provide regular updates to the Director-General and senior management on the progress of IPSAS implementation and compliance.

Reporting and Documentation:

• Review and provide guidance on timely and accurate financial reports for prepared for donors and stakeholders.

• Review the ICMP’s records of financial transactions relating to grants and advise on process improvements.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Collaborate with program managers to align financial management with programmatic goals.

Mentoring and capacity building

• Train and mentor finance staff and project managers on financial management best practices

Requirements

• Professional fluency in English.

• Advanced University degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field.

• Minimum 15 years of experience in financial management within international organizations or international NGOs, specifically with organizations with funding from grants or voluntary donations.

• Proven track record in grant management and compliance.

• Demonstrated experience leading/facilitating financial change management processes and leading process improvements.

Skills

• Strong analytical and financial modelling skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Proficiency in financial software and reporting tools.

• Willingness to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends.

• Access to a reliable internet connection.

• Proficiency in Microsoft applications, including Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and Teams.

This is a fixed-term consultancy. The length of the consultancy, along with the working hours will be discussed and agreed with the selected candidate. The Consultant may be required to come to the office when needed.


Payment will be made within thirty (30) days or earlier of ICMP approving the invoice for payment by bank transfer.

Expected start date: as soon as possible. End date of the contract will depend on the start date of the consultant.

VN close date: 01 November 2024

ICMP is committed to maintaining an environment of mutual respect, where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants. ICMP believes that diversity and inclusion among our staff are critical to our success as a global organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented individuals from a thoroughly diverse range of candidates. ICMP is proud to be part of the International Gender Champions network.

ICMP may cancel this recruitment without notice or may decide to offer a position with different duties and/or contract length.