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WILPF Is Looking for a Head of Finance (HoF)

We are seeking to hire a full-time Head of Finance, who is aligned with our mission, to implement the financial strategy of the International Secretariat (IS) based on our International Programme 2022-2025. WILPF’s International Secretariat has an annual budget of approx. CHF 7 million. The current Finance Team is composed of 6 Finance staff and long-term consultants based in Geneva and worldwide.

Image credit: WILPF
  • 6 min
WILPF International Secretariat
4 May 2023

About WILPF

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is a membership-based organisation with Sections and Groups in over 40 countries and partners around the world, with an International Secretariat (IS) based in Geneva, and a New York office focused on the work of the United Nations (UN). Since our establishment in 1915, we have brought together women from around the world who are united in working for peace by non-violent means and promoting political, economic and social justice for all.

Job Purpose

We are seeking to hire a full-time Head of Finance, who is aligned with our mission, to implement the financial strategy of the International Secretariat (IS) based on our International Programme 2022-2025. WILPF’s International Secretariat has an annual budget of approx. CHF 7 million. The current Finance Team is composed of 6 Finance staff and long-term consultants based in Geneva and worldwide.

The successful candidate will be a visionary with strong financial technical abilities and proven experience developing and managing an organisational financial strategy. The successful candidate will be able to communicate and convey complex finance and operational concepts in an accessible and user-friendly way. They will also be a hands-on leader who is excited to build the capacity of our growing Finance Team and foster a culture that prioritises operational effectiveness, flexibility, and accountability across the organisation and with our partners. They will also be committed to feminist, anti-racist, and inclusive ways of working and they will thrive in a collaborative working environment.

Job Definition

The Head of Finance (HoF) has the overall responsibility of developing and implementing the financial strategy of the International Secretariat (IS). The HoF is the highest compliance authority at the International Secretariat in terms of financial regulations. The HoF manages the organisational budget, including reporting against the budget for the International Board (IB). The HoF manages accounting and audits, oversees grants management and reporting, and supervises the Finance Team.

Main Responsibilities

  • Financial Strategy and Management
    • Maintain the financial health of the organisation and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
    • Oversee the implementation of WILPF’s Financial Manual, policies and systems.
    • Oversee the management of online budget and accounting systems. Provide adequate training to budget managers to enable them to use the system confidently.
  • Budgeting/Reporting
    • Develop the annual organisational budget review in consultation with the Secretary General (SG), Deputy Secretary General (DSG), Programme Directors, and WILPF’s NY (UNO) office.
    • Communicate financial plans regularly to SG and DSG.
    • Produce accurate and timely financial reports for internal and external audiences.
  • Grants Financial Management
    • Provide senior-level technical support for grants and contracts administration office-wide. Oversee the administration of monitoring and reporting to donors.
    • Provide fundraising support to programmes, specifically for grant proposal submissions. Review proposal budgets to ensure organisational consistency.
  • Internal Controls/Auditing
    • Maintain an internal control environment. Build WILPF’s capacity to manage overall financial policies and procedures for adequate financial controls to mitigate organisational risks.
    • Oversee risk mitigation efforts with donors in terms of safeguarding and anti-corruption capacity building.
    • Coordinate and lead the annual audit processes in Geneva.
  • Accounting/Bookkeeping
    • Provide strategic management and support to the Finance Team with an array of financial administrative work critical to WILPF’s operational success.
  • Governance
    • Work with the Audit Committee of the International Board (representing the SG) as needed. Serve as a member of the  Standing Committee on Risk Management and provide technical finance expertise as situations arise. 

Interdependencies and Reporting

  • HoF supervises the Finance Team, which currently includes: 1 Finance Associate (based in Geneva), 1 Human Resources and Operations Associate (based in Geneva, split with HR), 1 Grants Coordinator (based in Geneva), and 3 Grants and Finance Coordinators (2 based in Geneva, and 1 based in Tunis).
  • HoF reports to the Secretary General (SG).
  • The HoF and DSG work together to ensure that the operational frameworks of the IS are functional and fit for purpose.
  • HoF works closely with the International Treasurer, the HR Manager, budget managers, programme staff, and the UNO Office Manager.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English, working knowledge of French desirable.
  • Keen interest in WILPF’s work, aims and principles.
  • Demonstrated financial management and planning skills. Demonstrated knowledge of budgeting and forecasting. Proven ability to draft financial reports.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of Swiss GAAP accounting principles and international accounting standards.
  • Demonstrated working knowledge of Swiss legislation and regulations, and knowledge of US financial legislation and regulations is a plus.
  • Demonstrated ability to interpret financial information to non-finance colleagues.
  • Proven project management skills. Ability to establish priorities and to maintain a variety of projects and activities simultaneously, while meeting quick deadlines during busy times.
  • Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise work and take initiative. Ability to quickly pivot to evolving organisational priorities, based on fluid programmatic contexts in complex environments. Detail oriented.
  • Demonstrated analytical skills, with the ability to communicate arguments clearly, logically and effectively.
  • Excellent feminist management skills, which include coaching and developing teams, mentoring staff, delivering timely feedback, and encouraging professional development opportunities.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills. Experience working with global, diverse teams across time zones and locations, both co-located and remote. Ability to collaborate and work well in a team setting.
  • Ability to build strong and genuine interpersonal relationships. Ability to organise work across programmes and teams to achieve common objectives.

Education and Experience: 

  • University degree in a relevant field.
  • Minimum of 7 years of experience in a similar position.
  • Experience in applying and improving internal controls and financial processes.
  • Experience in ERP implementation, ideally with Microsoft Dynamics.
  • Previous relevant experience in NGOs or international organisations is a plus.
  • Experience in committee work (preferably as a member of an oversight committee) is a plus.

Approach and Values

  • A strong commitment to WILPF’s feminist values and engaging staff and partners based on collaboration and trust.
  • Demonstrated self-awareness and ability to self-reflect. Commitment to learning, creativity, and innovation. Upholds and values transparency, commitment, accountability, and integrity.

Location

This position is based in Geneva, with the option to telework.

Compensation

WILPF will provide the Head of Finance (HoF) with compensation commensurate with experience. The starting salary in Geneva is 97’000- CHF, plus 3’000 CHF/year for healthcare and well-being.

Submissions                                                                                                             

Please send a resumé or CV and a cover letter to jobs@wilpf.org with “Head of Finance (HoF)” in the subject line by 28 May, 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

WILPF thanks all applicants for your interest; however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

We are hoping for candidates to start ASAP.

WILPF is an Equal Opportunity Employer

As an equal opportunity employer, WILPF welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates, irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, ethnic or social origin, disability, religion, or belief. During the different stages of the recruitment process, specific measures may be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities.

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WILPF International Secretariat

WILPF International Secretariat, with offices in Geneva and New York, liaises with the International Board and the National Sections and Groups for the implementation of WILPF International Programme, resolutions and policies as adopted by the International Congress. Under the direction of the Secretary-General, the Secretariat also provides support in areas of advocacy, communications, and financial operations.

Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.

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