Job ID: SYR_042
Job Title: Syria Finance Manager
To Work for: Help
Country: Syria
City: Damascus.
Field of Work: Humanitarian/Disasters
Job Type: Fixed-term contract.
Military service: Not Specified
Minimum Education Level: Bachelor
About Help:
Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. is a non-profit, independent organization that was founded during the war in Afghanistan in 1981 and is now active worldwide. With an annual project volume of more than 60 million euros, Help provides emergency aid in the event of disasters and sustainable reconstruction with and for people in need, primarily in Africa, Asia, and Europe. As a globally operating humanitarian aid organization, Help receives high recognition through funding from national and international donors and is committed to national and international humanitarian aid standards as well as the transparent use of funds and impact monitoring.
About the Role:
The Finance Manager is responsible for the strategic oversight and overall financial management of all Help operations and programmes in Syria, including projects implemented directly and through local partner organisations. The role ensures strong financial systems, effective internal controls, risk management, compliance with donor and Help policies, and high-quality financial planning and reporting.
The Finance Manager leads and develops the finance team, oversees partner financial management and capacity strengthening, and enables sound decision-making by the Country Director and senior management. The position is the primary liaison with the Regional Finance Manager on strategic financial matters, compliance risks, operational adjustments and financial system improvements.
1. Financial Strategy & Planning
• Lead the development and execution of the Country Office financial strategy in alignment with Help’s global financial standards.
• Lead financial planning processes and support the Country Director and Programme Managers in annual budget planning and forecasting.
• Prepare quarterly fund requests together with the Country Director and Programme Managers.
• Oversee liquidity and cash flow planning to maintain sufficient funds for programme operations.
• Follow up transfers of funds from HQ to the Syria office and to partner organisations.
• Lead strategic cost analysis, resource optimisation and resource allocation across projects.
2. Budgeting & Financial Oversight
• Lead the preparation of project budgets and financial proposals in coordination with Programme Managers and under the guidance of the Country Director.
• Review and validate budgets, forecasts, burn-rate analyses, fund requests and other financial planning inputs prepared by Finance Officer(s).
• Oversee and validate major budget revisions and resource allocation adjustments.
• Monitor project burn rates, run variance analyses and alert management promptly to under- or overspending.
• Provide regular financial analysis, variance explanations and strategic recommendations to the Country Director, programme teams and budget holders.
• Support Programme Managers, budget holders and partners in understanding and applying financial controls.
3. Accounting, Reporting & Financial Systems
• Oversee all accounting, bookkeeping and financial transactions in accordance with Help policies, donor regulations and legal requirements.
• Ensure timely recording, reconciliation and reporting of all financial activities, including advances.
• Ensure all financial documents are entered into the accounting system (WINPACCS) on a monthly basis.
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of monthly financial reports and trial balances to the Regional Finance Manager.
• Supervise the preparation of financial reports for donors, HQ and management.
• Oversee financial closing and project close-out processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness and quality.
• Ensure the effective use, quality assurance and data integrity of WINPACCS and related financial tools, and facilitate their set-up and configuration where needed.
4. Internal Controls, Risk Management & Audit
• Maintain a robust internal control system to ensure transparency and prevent misuse of funds.
• Develop, contextualise and continuously improve financial procedures, workflows, approval processes, SOPs, templates and compliance tools for the Syria mission, in coordination with the Regional Finance Manager.
• Identify financial risks, irregularities and compliance concerns, and develop mitigation measures with relevant stakeholders; contribute to organisational risk management.
• Manage the resolution of compliance findings, financial irregularities and audit recommendations in close coordination with the Country Director, the Regional Finance Manager and HQ Compliance.
• Prepare and coordinate internal and external audits and ensure timely, effective responses to audit findings.
5. Partner Financial Oversight & Capacity Strengthening
• Oversee partner financial management and ensure effective financial monitoring and follow-up together with Finance Officer(s).
• Lead assessments of partner financial systems, policies, procedures, internal controls and financial management capacities.
• Review and validate partner financial reports, high-risk documentation and liquidations before consolidation, ensuring accuracy, completeness and compliance.
• Ensure partner audit preparedness and financial compliance.
• Identify finance-related capacity needs with partners, and develop and implement tailored capacity strengthening plans with the Regional Finance Manager and the Capacity Sharing Coordinator.
• Support partners in strengthening their finance departments, financial policies, procedures and internal control systems in line with donor, Help and international standards.
• Plan and facilitate capacity development sessions and trainings at individual and organisational level.
6. Team Leadership & Internal Capacity Building
• Lead, supervise and manage the performance of Finance Officer(s), including task allocation, prioritisation and quality assurance.
• Coach, mentor and develop the finance team; promote accountability, efficiency, continuous learning and adherence to financial standards.
• Train staff and budget holders on financial procedures, documentation requirements, internal controls and compliance expectations.
7. Coordination & Representation
• Coordinate finance-related communication and collaboration between Country Office teams, partner organisations, HQ and the Regional Finance Manager.
• Coordinate closely with the Country Director and the Regional Finance Manager on strategic financial planning, major operational adjustments, compliance matters, risk mitigation and system improvements.
• Develop finance-related tools, guidance materials and training resources with the Regional Finance Manager.
• Represent Help’s financial interests in strategic and operational discussions, coordination forums and relevant meetings.
• Undertake additional and ad-hoc assignments as required.
Education:
• Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field.
• Recognised accounting qualification (e.g. CMA, CPA, ACCA) is an asset.
Experience:
• Minimum 6 years of relevant professional experience in financial management, accounting and donor compliance, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or managerial role, ideally with an INGO or in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Proven experience managing donor-funded programmes and their financial compliance requirements; proven experience with German donors such as the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is an advantage.
• Proven experience working with local partner organisations in complex operational environments.
• Strong knowledge of financial regulations, accounting standards, internal controls and donor compliance frameworks.
Skills & Competencies:
• Strategic and analytical thinking; excellent financial planning, budgeting, analysis and reporting skills.
• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills, combined with strong intercultural competence and sensitivity.
• Sound decision-making, negotiation and problem-solving abilities and professional judgement.
• Excellent organisational skills; able to prioritise and manage multiple tasks under pressure.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively in diverse, cross-functional and geographically dispersed teams, including virtual settings.
• Advanced Excel skills, including financial modelling and data analysis; proficiency in MS Office and accounting systems, with WINPACCS experience an advantage.
• Attention to detail, accuracy and integrity.
• Fluency in Arabic and English (written and spoken).
• Experience in setting up and strengthening financial processes and internal control systems, and in managing change.
• Strong training, facilitation and coaching skills to build the financial capacity of partners, staff and budget holders.
• Resilience and the ability to work calmly and accurately under pressure and in rapidly changing security situations.
• Commitment to the humanitarian principles and to localisation, working with local partners as equals.
Context-specific knowledge (Syria)
• Sound knowledge of sanctions regimes (EU, UN, US) and of counter-terrorism financing and anti-money-laundering requirements, including experience in screening partners and suppliers.
• Experience managing finances in restricted banking environments, including cash management, alternative transfer mechanisms (e.g. money transfer agents) and multiple exchange rates.
• Strong fraud and corruption awareness, including handling suspected cases and familiarity with whistleblowing procedures.
Travel & Working Environment
• Based in the Country Office in Damascus.
• Willingness and availability to travel within Syria as required, including to partner locations.
• Ability to work in dynamic and sometimes insecure environments.
• All candidates are subject to safeguarding screening as part of the recruitment process, including reference checks and background checks.. Help reserves the right to withdraw an offer if the screening results are unsatisfactory.
Please send your CV and Cover letter along with the Job ID
Applicants are required to provide at least three professional references.
Please indicate your expected monthly gross salary
Required employees’ number: 1
Posted On: 07.11.2026
Expiry Date: 15.11.2026
CV Language: English
نصيحة لحمايتك
ننصح بقراءة طريقة التقديم بعناية و التقيد بتعليمات التقدم للوظائف و المناقصات.