Assistant Finance Officer – Grants at Lutheran World Federation

Job Overview

• The Assistant Finance Officer - Grants supports the LWF Kenya-Somalia’s Budget and Grants Management functions. This role requires a motivated, flexible, problem-solving team player with strong analytical and interpersonal skills, and the ability to prioritize activities and work within scheduled timelines. The Assistant Finance Officer assists the Senior Finance Officer in managing day-to-day budget and grants management tasks, ensuring compliance with donor regulations and LWF requirements.

Key Responsibilities
Budget Preparation and Monitoring:
Support In Compliance And Policy Adherence

• Assist in ensuring budgeting practices comply with global LWF and donor procurement policies.

Project Budget Preparation

• Collaborate with program staff to assist in preparing or revising project budgets for new proposals or modifications, ensuring adequate coverage of project operations and HQ costs.
• Help with the setup and creation of new project codes upon receipt of project approvals.

Annual Budget And Rolling Budget Updates

• Assist in preparing the fiscal year budget following LWF’s standard format to meet required timelines.
• Support the regular update of the fiscal year budget to guide new donor proposals and manage program growth or decline.

Support To Project Accountants

• Provide timely, reliable, and accurate support in preparing working budgets, monthly forecasts, monitoring expenditure, journal vouchers, budget reviews and amendments, project reporting, and closure.
• Assist in reviewing and verifying expenditures of restricted projects to ensure adherence to budgetary and donor requirements.

Monitor Budget And Actual Expenses Of Restricted Grants

• Maintain a complete record of all pertinent documents of each project and coordinate with other Finance Staff and various project leaders to ensure financial implementation adheres to the project agreement.

Financial Reporting and Grant Management:
Financial Reporting

• Assist in the timely production of accurate and meaningful project finance management reports.
• Help prepare reports in donor currency to ensure maximum utilization of budgeted amounts.
• Provide analysis and respond to queries from senior management, HQ budget holders, donors, and auditors.

Grant Management & Reporting

• Prepares regular financial updates to guide Partners on project implementation and expenditure, and checks the monthly financial monitoring statements submitted by the Partners before uploading them into SAGE 300 ERP.Assist in preparing the monthly Budget Versus Actual (BVA) reports and distributing them on time.
• Support the analysis of grants for the Senior Finance Officer and provide recommendations for budget holders to ensure accurate grant spending.
• Help review budget spending plans and advise relevant staff on spending status.
• Assist in preparing and updating spending plans for all active grants.
• Prepare regular financial updates to guide Partners on project implementation and expenditure, and review the monthly financial transactions submitted by the Partners before uploading them into SAGE System.

Donor Reporting

• Assist in preparing donor financial reports for all grants, ensuring compliance with donor formats and timely submission.
• Support the review of donor financial reports prepared by the Senior Accountant.
• Help ensure accurate and timely submission of draft and final financial reports in the grants management system.

Internal Controls and Compliance:
Internal Controls

• Support the implementation of internal controls, strategy, and plans required in Head Office and project offices.
• Help verify and approve journal vouchers prepared by the finance officer.
• Assist in monitoring donor receivables and payables, ensuring receivables are collected and reviewing donor payables.

Special Audit Of Restricted Projects

• Assist with coordination and attend entry and exit meetings on audits of projects for grants managed.
• Act as a key resource on queries from external auditors on restricted grants

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
• A partial professional accounting qualification (CPA, CIMA, ACCA), at least Level 3.
• At least 3 years’ experience financial Management in a large and busy Work environment with vast experience in handling project Implementation/reporting for various donors (EU, US government, UNHCR, etc) including management of Consortia’s
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a multicultural team.
• Experience in financial planning, budgets, and donor reporting.