Head of HQ Finance (Maternity leave)

About Us:

GOAL has responded to the world’s major humanitarian crises since its founding in 1977, working with vulnerable communities in 14 countries across the globe with a dedicated team of personnel. While GOAL continues to be an agile first-responder to humanitarian crises, it is also committed to working with vulnerable communities to help them survive crises and support them on the road to recovery.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Head of HQ Finance is responsible for all aspects of HQ financial and management reporting to internal stakeholders.  The Head of HQ Finance serves as a critical member of the Finance Management Team working with the CFO, and other members of the Finance Management Team to deliver on the strategic objectives of GOAL and the Finance team.

**Please note this role is a maternity leave contract until Feb 2027 - role is based in our HQ office in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin with 2 days in office attendance per week **

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day accounting and financial operations of GOAL HQ finance.
• Ensure high quality reviews and management of accounting systems, policies, procedures, compliance, and the internal financial control environment.
• Preparation of monthly financial reports on a timely basis and report financial results and issues to the CFO
• Management of the organisation’s treasury functions including banking activities, managing foreign exchange and cash flow.
• Lead the Preparation of HQ annual budgets.
• Coordination of the statutory and institutional donor audits in GOAL Ireland, UK, US, and with field operations.
• Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of finance systems, initiatives and processes in HQ.
• Review efficiency/effectiveness of the organisation, seeking approaches to lower costs as appropriate and to provide financial analysis of opportunities and risks as they arise.
• Work closely and collaboratively across Finance and other Functions to achieve priority organisational objectives.
• Drive a culture of innovation and change in the design and implementation of key organisational projects.
• Support identification & selection of appropriate solutions (technical & non-technical) which deliver business process improvements, and value across the organisation and ensuring a comprehensive project specification and project scope is in place for all assigned projects.
• Work on projects which look to streamline and improve processes, identify and track benefits or implement effective business change
• Any other duties as may be deemed appropriate by the CFO

Key Requirements.

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA, CIMA etc) with proven experience in a financial leadership role
• Demonstrated experience with treasury functions including banking activities, managing foreign exchange and cash flow.
• Proven track record in facilitating change and process improvement
• Ability to simplify and clarify complex financial problems
• Strong knowledge and understanding of accounting systems, compliance and internal controls
• Experience in a senior finance role, ideally within an Irish non-profit or similar INGO is highly advantageous

GOAL commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
GOAL is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees. We foster an inclusive culture where all voices are heard and valued, we are particularly eager to receive applications from women (and other underrepresented groups). We know that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

All employees share in the responsibility for fulfilling GOAL’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and equal treatment. GOAL does not discriminate against any employee or volunteer; or any applicant for employment or volunteering on the basis of age, gender identity, ancestry, political opinion, civil status, medical condition, ethnic background, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Accountability within GOAL

A commitment to GOAL values and GOAL’s integrity framework is critical to working with GOAL. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability: 1) Comply with GOAL’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols; 2) Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area; 3) Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a GOAL staff or partner.

Safeguarding

Children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with GOAL as a result of our activities must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury and any other harm. One of the ways that GOAL shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.

General Terms and Conditions

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change this document.