Finance Coordinator CIMMYT at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Overview

To provide Financial Management leadership enabling strategic and timely decision-making by the initiatives and projects leaders and staff. On a periodic basis and ad-hoc upon request provide overall financial overview of the program, including variance analysis; propose appropriate corrective actions in response to unacceptable variances. Advise initiative and project leaders about potential problem areas and recommend/implement agreed solutions.

Duties and responsibilities
Financial coordination and management support.

•  Provide Financial Management leadership and support to BRI and BMI Directors, Senior Project Managers and other senior staff enabling strategic and timely decision making by upper management.
•  On periodic basis and ad-hoc upon request provide overall financial overview of the initiatives, including variance analysis; propose appropriate corrective actions in response to unacceptable variances.
•  Advise supervisor and management about potential problem areas and recommend/implement agreed solutions.
•  Support the Senior Project Managers with financial aspects of workforce planning and recruitment of staff by identifying gaps in staffing in relation to available budgets: identify/signal funding gaps.
•  Review partner/collaborator contracts on financial aspects; review of financial reports issued by collaborators and request contractual payments. Ensure financial compliance of collaborator with grant agreement.
•  Review financial transactions as per established Delegation of Authority Matrix (DOA) and eligibility as per CGIAR financial frameworks and CIMMYT financial policy and procedures.

Planning, Monitoring & Operations.

•  With input from senior management, develop budgets for new proposals and grant applications as required by donors in line with institutional procedures and tools.
•  Ensure full cost recovery of project proposals (and / or identify funding gaps).
•  Develop operating budgets for the initiatives, including CAPEX and staffing requirements.
•  Perform a monthly budget vs. expenses analysis at project and initiative level, including suggested actions and proposed solutions, to support strategic and timely decisions by Senior Management.
•  Upon grant approval, to timely prepare budget templates, coordinate the uploading of budgets in the financial ERP system, and to forecast spending potential, based on project plans in coordination with the Program Finance Management Unit (PFMU) for W3 and bilateral funding and/or Financial Planning Unit (FPU) for W1/2.
•  In cooperation with Project leaders/Senior Management, review Financial Donor Reports as prepared by the Program Finance Management Unit (PFMU) and ensure consistency with technical reports and donor agreements.
•  Ensures that all accounting entries corresponding to the month and year end closing processes are completely and correctly uploaded into the financial system. Review, analyze and prepare necessary adjusting entries for initiative monthly transactions report.
•  Review and/or Maintain Up to date high quality Program Master Data in the ERP, such as, but not limited to, staff allocation percentages, ICC holders, and project master data.

Compliance, Policies & Systems.

•  Ensure compliance with CIMMYT policies and procedures and recommend improvement in internal financial controls and acts as ambassador to cascade down financial policies and procedures within the initiatives.
•  During the entire Projects life cycle ensure compliance with donor financial guidelines: Required activities consist of reviewing donor grant agreement, donor grant regulations and periodic review of project transactions. For W1/2 funding preparation and review of periodic financial reporting to the CGIAR system management office (SMO) jointly with the Financial Planning Unit (FPU).
•  Support and timely respond to Donor/project Audits and or internal audit requests.
•  Ensure research and support costs are fully allocated to projects/ grants in a transparent manner.

Requirements

•  Bachelor’s degree in accounting.
•  Minimum 5 years’ experience in a finance position with increasing levels of responsibility in a medium sized to large grant funded organization.
•  Excellent use of MS Office (advanced Excel skills). Experience with AX Dynamics will be an advantage.
•  Knowledge of financial systems, data mining bases, data extraction methods, report presentation and analytical skills.