Finance Officer, Global Youth Mobilization (GYM)

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

The Global Youth Mobilization (GYM) is a joint initiative of the Big Six youth organisations - the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), World YMCA, World YWCA, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), IFRC, and the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award - acting as a key delivery mechanism to empower a movement of young people to take action on global issues in their communities. Together, the Big Six actively involve and engage more than 250 million young people worldwide.

The Big Six have partnered with the European Union to deliver the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF), which provides direct financial support to youth-led initiatives contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local level. The YEF is delivered through a Project Coordination Team (PCT) drawn from across the Big Six organisations, with IFRC acting as the Custodian and contract signatory with the European Commission Directorate for International Partnerships (DG-INTPA).

This position is based in the National Society Development Services (NSDS) Department, hosted at the IFRC Global Services Centre in Budapest, and reports to the Program Manager, Global Youth Mobilization. The Finance Officer will be a central point of financial oversight for the GYM/YEF programme, working closely with the IFRC Financial and Administrative Management Department (FAMD), finance focal points across the Big Six organisations, and external providers, to ensure sound financial management, compliance, and reporting across the multi-partner programme.

Job Purpose

The Finance Officer, GYM/YEF plays a central role in ensuring robust financial management and compliance for the Global Youth Mobilization programme and the EU-funded Youth Empowerment Fund. The role is responsible for the full range of financial operations supporting the programme, including budget reconciliation, payment processing and provider/vendor financial management, financial reporting, and financial planning and forecasting.

Working closely with the Program Manager, GYM, the IFRC Financial and Administrative Management Department (FAMD), and finance focal points across the Big Six partner organisations, the Finance Officer ensures that programme funds are managed transparently, efficiently, and in full compliance with IFRC financial procedures and the requirements of the European Commission Directorate for International Partnerships (DG-INTPA).

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Planning and Budget Management

• Support the development and ongoing management of the GYM/YEF programme budget(s), in collaboration with the Program Manager and Big Six finance focal points.
• Lead the regular reconciliation of programme budgets against actual expenditure across the Big Six partners, flagging variances and supporting corrective action.
• Support financial forecasting and cash-flow planning to ensure the programme's financial needs are met throughout the project cycle.
• Contribute to the financial aspects of programme design, including budget development for new phases, extensions, or proposals.

Payments and Provider Management

• Coordinate and process payments to service providers, consultants, grantees, and Big Six partners in line with IFRC financial procedures and contractual agreements.
• Liaise directly with providers and vendors on invoicing, payment schedules, and resolution of financial queries or discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate records of disbursements, including grant payments to Youth-Led Solutions awardees, and support due diligence processes ahead of disbursement.
• Monitor outstanding payments and follow up with internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely settlement.

Financial Reporting and Compliance

• Prepare accurate and timely financial reports for internal management, the GYM Board, the Project Steering Group, and the donor (European Commission DG-INTPA), in collaboration with FAMD.
• Ensure all financial data and supporting documentation comply with IFRC and EU DG-INTPA guidelines, including PRAG and NDICI-Global Europe requirements.
• Support internal and external audits, including the preparation of financial documentation and responses to audit queries.
• Track and report on programme expenditure against budget lines and donor-approved categories.

Coordination and Financial Risk Management

• Act as the day-to-day financial focal point for the GYM Project Coordination Team (PCT), supporting financial coherence across the Big Six partner organisations.
• Support the identification, tracking, and mitigation of financial risks across the programme.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of financial management systems, tools, and procedures to strengthen programme delivery.
• Provide guidance and capacity support to programme colleagues on financial procedures, coding, and compliance requirements.
• Contribute to the staff activities of IFRC, participating in staff sharing days, Global Programmes Team departmental meetings, and other activities as appropriate.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Duties applicable to all staff

1. Work actively towards the achievement of IFRC’s goals.

2. Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.

3. Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education

Required:

• University degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field.
• Equivalent combination of relevant academic qualification and professional financial management experience will be considered.

Preferred:

• Professional accounting or finance qualification (e.g. ACCA, CPA, CIMA, ACA) or working towards one.

Experience

Required:

• 4-5 years of professional experience in financial management, accounting, budgeting, or financial reporting, ideally within international development, humanitarian, or non-profit organisations.
• Experience in budget reconciliation and financial monitoring across multiple funding sources, projects, or partners.
• Experience managing payment processes and vendor/provider relationships, including invoicing and disbursement.
• Experience preparing financial reports and forecasts for management, governance bodies, and/or institutional donors.
• Experience supporting financial and administrative compliance processes, including audits.
• Experience working with financial and accounting software/systems, and advanced use of Excel.
• Experience working within a multi-partner or multi-stakeholder programme environment.

Preferred:

• Experience working in a finance role within IFRC (highly desirable).
• Experience working with Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA)
• Experience with EU-funded grants and familiarity with EU financial compliance requirements (e.g. DG-INTPA, PRAG, NDICI-Global Europe).
• Experience working within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement or with the Big Six youth organisations.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

Required:

• Strong knowledge of financial management principles, including budgeting, forecasting, reconciliation, and reporting.
• Familiarity with donor compliance and financial reporting requirements for institutional donors.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and financial/accounting software.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in financial data management.
• Ability to liaise effectively with vendors, providers, and multiple internal/external stakeholders on financial matters.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple financial processes and deadlines simultaneously.
• Demonstrated core proficiency in (a) digital communication & collaboration, (b) basic digital content creation, (c) digital safety & security, (d) data literacy, and (e) problem solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants.
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values.
• Fluent spoken and written English.

Preferred:

• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic), or Hungarian.

Competencies, Values and Comments

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust

Comments: This is a national staff position open to Hungarian nationals and others who are legally eligible to work in Hungary. Candidates must be able to provide proof of their eligibility to work in Hungary.