Finance Officer Grants at Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

Overview

• The role is to ensure that donor budgets and reports are prepared, reviewed, and submitted on timely basis ensuring compliance with relevant donor rules and regulations.
• Regular communication with administrators/budget holders on their budgets versus expenditure.

Summary of responsibilities
Restricted Grants Monitoring:

• Assist in budget and expenditure monitoring for all restricted grants for the assigned units, regions, and Themes.
• Be a key lead player and advisor in grants accounting and management to ensure proper coding and posting of expenses in the system as well as full compliance with the donor and CIFOR-ICRAF requirements.
• Regularly review and analyze grant expenses and advise the stakeholders on expenditure trends and areas with over or under expenditure.
• Assist in developing financial management mechanisms that minimize financial risk and maintain internal financial control safeguards/mechanisms on restricted grants activities.

Restricted Grants Reporting and Compliance:

• Prepare and submit all units/themes donor financial reports on timely basis and ensure that the reports comply with all donor requirements.
• Assist in the review of Donor Financial Reports from the regional offices ensuring that they have been done as per the donor and ICRAF requirements before presentation for internal ICRAF approval.
• Ensure all the expenses reported have been reviewed and approved by the project holder and project managers before sharing for approval.
• Preparation of donor invoices for funds request as well as other invoices as may be requested from time to time.
• Ensure adjustments are done on a timely manner and any other issue affecting the report has been addressed.
• Ensure funds follow up from donors to ensure Centre’s cash flow is not affected.
• Coordinate project audits as per the donor agreement; provide all support documents and clarifications that are raised by the auditors.

Partners Financial Management Monitoring:

• Follow up on partner financial monitoring for the restricted grants in the regions/units.
• Assist in the financial management capability assessment of partners.
• Review partner sub-agreements to ensure they are in line with donor and CIFOR-ICRAF policy.
• Follow up on partner financial reports, review, and post expenses in the system.
• Prepare monthly ageing of partners for the units responsible for and follow up on overdue liquidations Follow up on partner financial statement, invoices, and share this for payment processing.
• Restricted Grants Budget review.
• Follow up on budget revision and extensions for on-going restricted grants with the Project management team and ensure the revised budget has been posted on My-Tree system.

Internal Stakeholders Reporting:

• Prepare project performance reports including the funding status and burn rates and share with the project managers.
• Ensure continual communication with project staff on matters related to partners.

Project and Grants Audits:

• Plan and coordinate audits for restricted grants as per the donor agreements for all assigned unit projects.
• Ensure that the audit reports are shared with the donor.
• Ensure audit recommendations are followed up and implemented.

Internal &External Audits:

• Assist in providing partner and Account receivable schedules.
• Assist in providing support documents as per the audit sample and following on partner confirmations.

Donor, Partner agreements and proposal review:

• Review donor agreements financial requirement and ensure the budget is fully costed, the agreement has clear reporting timelines and check if an audit is required.
• Review partner agreements and ensure the reporting timelines are clear and in line with the donor agreement, if the partner has an administrative cost and the end dates are before the grant end dates.

Internal Control System:

• Adhere to internal control systems that will ensure that the centre attains its objectives, produce accurate and reliable data for decision making, ensure compliance to policies and laws of host countries and safeguard the center assets.
• Identify and assess changes that could significantly impact the system of internal control in the center.
• Evaluate and communicate internal control deficiencies in a timely manner to supervisor.
• Prepare and analyze financial data for budget estimates provided by the various units and themes for the annual financial planning (POWB).
• Monitor budget expenditures for the units at the HQ, the regions and country offices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce. CPA(K).
• 7 years’ experience in accounting, 3 of which should be in grants management.
• Exposure to an ERP
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Experience in an NGO or international organization environment.
• Personal attributes and competencies:
• Strong team player with ability to work in virtual teams.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of individuals within a broad range of cultural environments.
• Proficiency in database applications and MS office suite and Unit4 Business World (Aggresso).
• Excellent interpersonal skills demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multicultural team.
• Ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong self-starter with initiative to identify opportunities and take appropriate action.