Financial Management for Humanitarian Programme Staff

Purpose

This two-day workshop aims to build the skills and confidence of humanitarian programme staff to implement emergency response programmes in an accountable, controlled and cost effective way, for maximum impact.

Target Audience
This course is designed for non-financial humanitarian personnel who are currently working, or intend to work, in an emergency situation.
It may also be useful for Head Office based staff who need to appreciate the financial management challenges facing humanitarian field personnel.

Course Content
The course will include the following key topics:
• Responding to financial management challenges in emergencies - including budgeting, banking and cash security, managing cashflow and procurement procedures.
•Accountability in practice - including keeping accounting records, monitoring budgets and reporting to stakeholders.
•Safeguarding assets during an emergency - internal control in the field.
•Emergency preparedness - key financial management checklists.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Do: •Prepare an activity-based budget based on a project logframe.
•Implement and manage a budget during a rapidly evolving emergency programme.
•Set up effective cash management systems, including cashflow forecasting and cash security
•Establish practical procurement procedures including a working advance policy, to ensure effective use of funds.

•Maintain minimum accounting records, including keeping a register of commitments.
•Prepare a budget monitoring report from the accounting records.
•Prepare a funding grid in a multi-funding situation.
Know:•Describe the key challenges of financial management in an emergency response.
•Identify the options for cash management where the banking system is in disarray.
•Identify and plan to fulfil donor and Head Office obligations.

Feel: •More confidently use financial management tools in their humanitarian roles.
• Appreciate that good financial management systems are important to the success of humanitarian programmes in a disrupted working environment.

Training Approach
The Mango training approach is highly practical, participatory and often fun! We focus on real issues and help participants to use the techniques covered, rather than just discuss them. We work especially hard to de-mystify financial concepts to overcome the fear of finance.