Budget and Grants Officer at African Wildlife Foundation

Position Summary

The Budget and Grants Officer (BGO) with special focus on AWF programs on Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) will support the Budget and Grants work in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, DC and UK offices. She will oversee the initial set-up of a broad range of federal, non-federal government and privately funded grants, including proper maintenance of documentation thereof.  The BGO will maintain AWF’s multi-year budget ledger by ensuring the same reflects AWF internal approved work plans and agrees with the donor approved budget. She will coordinate monthly budget phasing from both Program and Support teams and will ensure all budget projections are updated in the respective budget ledgers.  The BGO will support pre and post-award management, grant audits, grants receivables, internal monthly life of the grant reports, budget compliance and financial reporting to donors. The BGO will also assist in developing and maintaining the organizational budget.

BGO ESA will report to the Budget and Grants Manager and will based in Nairobi, Kenya with occasional trips to other AWF offices for training and support.

Key Responsibilities

Organize and disseminate key budget and grant information

• Receive from PD and Development teams all documentation relating to new Awards and Modifications, summarize key donor conditions on a Grant Data Sheet and distribute appropriate key information to the Finance staff, the Program team, Management Systems team and the Program Design team in a timely manner;
• Provide capacity building to Program, Support and Field Finance staff on key donor contractual requirements and AWF best practices in Budgets.
• Proactively disseminate information about up-coming grant milestones (grants coming to an end, reports due, grants closed, etc.) to respective staff to ensure compliance with the grant conditions.

Budget Management and Analysis

• Review and perform real-time maintenance of the Grants and Budget Ledgers by ensuring the two ledgers are reconciled to harmonize Donor approved budget vis a vis AWF internal work plan budgets
• Post budget adjustments in the Budget ledger on a timely basis.
• Administer Unanet timesheet system, ensuring timesheet updates and adjustments are in accordance with the most updated organizational approved operating budget and maximizing on available restricted award budgets
• Tracking and posting monthly in-kind/matching contribution documentation for grants with matching requirements;
• Ensure that spending that does not align with approved budgets is adequately approved and reclassified in the accounting system.
• Assist the Budget and Grants Manager and the Director of Finance in the development of the annual operating budget.
• Assist in the development of tools for budget preparation and monitoring.
• Assist in performing cost-benefits analyses to compare operating programs, review financial requests, and explore alternative financing methods.
• Participate in quarterly monitoring meetings with program teams to review staffing, budgets, and program implementation with a view to track potential risks, constraints or impediments to grant implementation.
• Provide expert recommendations to the Management to mitigate risks.
• Assist with maintenance of system budget controls (Budget rules) and workflow (approval rules)

Grant financial management and Compliance

• Run and share weekly/monthly grant spending reports and analyze for correct spending pattern and compliance to donor budgets; flag them to the Budget and Grants Manager, Director of Finance and respective Program Design staff or donor point of contact on any key highlights requiring action;
• Run bi-weekly grants receivables and advances to ensure accurate and timely donor invoicing and drawdowns;
• Ensure all grants` spending are on track and provide reports on any budget risks promptly;
• Support the Grants close-out processes to ensure that grants are closed out within budget and the established timeframes;
• Assist in completing accurate and timely monthly grants close out checklist;
• Assist in preparation of donor reports for final review and sign off by the Budget and Grants Manager and Director of Finance
• Carry out monthly grant transactional review for compliance with donor regulations.
• Conduct continuous grant/sub grant field compliance reviews and capacity building of AWF field staff and sub grantee staff on compliance requirements
• Assist with grant audits by preparing the required schedules and reports for review.

Financial Reporting

• Run, analyze and disseminate monthly budget management reports to all Budget Managers
• Develop and maintain a Grants Milestone of financial reporting requirements and other performance requirements with related deadlines for each grant and contract agreement and dissemination of such milestones to teams for forward planning.

Other Duties

• Assist in Grants and compliance with donor rules and regulations;
• Prepare and assist in developing ad hoc reports or cost analysis;
• Support in completion of accurate and timely monthly grants close out checklists;
• Provide financial assistance during proposal development in the Program Design;
• Any other relevant duties as assigned by the Budget and Grants Manager and Director of Finance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field
• At least 3 years of relevant working experience, at least within a donor funded nonprofit organization
• Certification such as CGMA, CPA or other related certifications;
• Solid knowledge of grant management principles, including U.S. government funding, European Union and German donors
• Experience communicating financial information to a non-financial audience
• Ability to organize and present issues in a clear, concise and logical manner
• Ability to manage competing priorities, exercise good judgment, and quickly identify and resolve problems with minimum supervision
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to multitask in a fast paced environment
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with the highest level of professional
• Ability to provide good customer service with patience and a sense of urgency
• Ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with staff, partners and donors
• Willingness to travel, sometimes to remote areas
• Interest in learning and understanding conservation programs.
• Financial management system experience;
• Regional/international experience;
• Ability to speak, read and write in French and English is required.
• Strong technical skills, including MS Excel, and ability to navigate within accounting systems and other databases