CIFOR-ICRAF is looking for a:
Senior Finance Officer- Grants
Overview
The Senior Finance Officer – Grants (SFO) is responsible for overseeing and monitoring of the grants’ budgets and expenses of assigned Themes, Units and Countries in CIFOR-ICRAF. The SFO is also responsible for the assignment of new projects to the finance Officer(s) and maintenance of an up-to-date list of project assignments.
Key Result Areas:
- Proper supervision, overseeing and coordination of the preparation of donor reports, internal budgets (POWB) and proposal budgets input.
- Ensure Financial Reports to donors are reliable, accurate and are submitted on time.
- Ensure grant budgets are monitored regularly; ensure there are no budget overruns.
- Continuous communication and feedback to the PIs on their grant’s status.
- Monitor donor payables and receivable balances; ensure the donor amounts receivable from donors are promptly collected.
Summary of responsibilities
Grants Budgets and Actual Expenses Monitoring:
- Coordinate with donors, collaborators, project leaders and scientists to clarify financial issues, answer queries and give update on the financial and budget status of the project.
- Review and verify expenditures of assigned grants to ensure adherence to budgetary and donor requirements.
- Ensure that the grants recover full overheads including project services as per the approved donor budget.
- Monitor staff time allocations in Planner for the assigned grants and ensure it is as per donor budgets.
- Ensure timesheets are done, signed, and submitted on time for assigned grants.
- Monitor and ensure that staff time is charged in accordance with the budget and the time sheets are recorded/adjusted appropriately.
- Monitor changes in exchange rates and the impact on available project balances; promptly raise any forex concerns with the Finance Manager – Grants and the PIs concerned.
- Liaise with the Program Management Unit (PMU) regarding the development of Letter of Agreement (LoA) with partner Institutions, project start-ups and set ups in MyTree and OCS, budget update and management in OCS and project tracking & closures.
- Ensure the annual Budget and rolling budget is updated in OCS Planner.
- Review of financial status of the project prepared by the finance officer(s)activities.
Partner Financial Management:
- Review of partner LOAs focusing mainly on the payments schedules and reporting timelines.
- Monitor and follow-up partner financial reporting for assigned grants.
- Supervise financial compliance for partners of assigned grants and ensure partners spend within their budgets and are following the laid down donor and CIFOR-ICRAF financial procedures and regulations.
- Analyze grants partner expenses and provide feedback and analysis to the project leaders and managers on expenditure trends and areas with significant over or under spending.
- Communicate with partners of assigned grants on areas of weaknesses and steps to take to mitigate the risks and internal control issues.
Donor Reporting:
- Prepare reports on the specific projects’ finances to donors and other users in compliance with Center standards and as specifically pre-determined by the donor as mentioned on the signed Grant Agreements and Donor’s General Conditions.
- Review all donors reports from the Country Offices, Units and Themes assigned prior to forwarding to Finance Manager – Grants for approval and clearance.
- Ensure that reports to donors are submitted on time.
- Ensure submission of fully approved / signed financial reports in grants management system in myTree for assigned grants.
- Provide grant financial management support to Countries staff as well Units and Themes assigned.
Projects Audits:
- Coordinate and supervise projects audits for assigned grants.
- Attend entry and exit meetings on audit of projects for assigned grants.
- Key resource on queries from the external and internal auditors on assigned grants.
- Assist in reviewing the draft audit reports and provide draft management responses for review and approval by Finance Manager – Grants for assigned grants.
- Review partner audit reports.
Grant Proposal Budgets and Grant Agreements:
- Support project proposal/budget preparation regarding compliance issues for prospective sources of funding.
- Provide guidance and ensure the budget figures are correct and the budget lines follow the donor requirements.
- Review the financial part and other relevant information of the new Grant Agreements and Grant agreement amendments.
Donor payables and receivable balances management:
- Monitor and reconcile donor payable and receivable balances for assigned grants.
- Ensure the invoicing timelines conditions as per the grant agreements are adhered to.
- Ensure the donor amounts receivable from donors are promptly collected.
Team leadership:
- Supervise direct staff directly reporting to you by managing their performance, including setting goals and objectives, coaching, and delivering results.
- Perform performance evaluation for the team, both mid-year and annually.
Internal Controls and Other Duties:
- Ensure compliance with policies and safeguard of CIFOR_ICRAF assets.
- Identify and assess changes that could significantly impact the system of internal control in CIFOR-ICRAF.
- Evaluate and communicate internal control deficiencies in a timely manner to the supervisor.
- Perform any other tasks assigned by the Finance Manager – Grants.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in accounting or in related field.
- Certified Public Accountant and a member of a recognized accounting institute
- At least 7 years in Grants Management
- Proficiency MS office suite.
Personal attributes and competencies:
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a multicultural team.
- Good understanding and experience in budgeting and financial management procedures of donor funded projects.
- Good experience in donor compliance and reporting for international donors like EC, USAID, GIZ etc.
- Good experience in sub-grantee financial management monitoring and reporting
- Keen, detail-oriented and very good analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong oral and written communications skills
- Self-starter with initiative and ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.
Terms and conditions
- This is a Locally Recruited position. CIFOR-ICRAF offers competitive remuneration in local currency commensurate with skills and experience.
- The duty station will be in Nairobi, Kenya CIFOR-ICRAF Offices.
- A cover letter illustrating your suitability for the position against the listed requirements and salary expectations.
- A detailed and updated curriculum vitae,
- The names and addresses of three referees, including telephone and email addresses.
- The application deadline is 14 May 2024.
- We will acknowledge all applications but will only contact short-listed candidates.
CIFOR-ICRAF is an equal opportunity employer. Staff diversity contributes to excellence.
