Project Budget Specialist at IDinsight

About the Project Budget Specialist role

The Project Budget Specialist will prepare all IDinsight project budgets and will assist with project forecasting and financial reporting.

This position will report to the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

Project Budgeting & Forecasting

• Prepare final project budgets for all IDinsight projects in the IDinsight template based on inputs from and in collaboration with client development team members
• Own the project budget template and process and make improvements on an ongoing basis
• Develop and populate a database to record typical costs in locations where we have run projects and for which we have submitted budgets, to facilitate accurate and efficient budget preparation
• Liaise with the FP&A Lead who will review each project budget
• Convert approved budgets to client templates as and when needed
• Prepare quarterly budget estimates to complete for each project based on inputs from and in collaboration with client development team members
• Provide global and specific training to project teams on the high level elements of budget preparation

Reporting & Analysis

Project level:

• Contribute to the monthly process of updating the budget monitors (i.e. budget vs. actual reports)
• Prepare project-level financial reports for the internal management use of IDinsight project teams and contractual obligations for external clients Prepare monthly staff utilization reports

Global:

• Assist in the preparation of standardized monthly reports for donors in order to keep them updated on IDinsight’s financials
• Prepare analysis and commentary on monthly functional dashboards
• Assist in the preparation of ad hoc global reports for grant proposals
• Contribute to the preparation of quarterly Finance Committee Documents

Other:

• Support other global financial and related tasks as and when required

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Commerce, Financial Management, Economics, Public Administration, or other relevant areas required. Master’s degree in one of the above fields is helpful, but not required.
• Professional qualification - CPA/ACA/ACCA part I or equivalent preferred.
• 5+ years of work experience in budgeting and/or financial planning and analysis for a mid-size (or larger) organization.

Skills and attributes:

• Possesses honesty, integrity, strong work ethic, and team skills.
• Strong problem solving and communication abilities; is organized and efficient.
• Excited by and open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.
• Proven ability to meet deadlines in a high-paced work environment.
• Strong Project Management skills and ability to coordinate work of cross-functional teams.
• Proactive and works with minimal supervision.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and QuickBooks (or other accounting software).
• Willingness to take on all kinds of tasks and areas of responsibility, including at short notice.

Professional development

Skill and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy, and have been noted highlights of teammates’ experiences. IDinsighters receive significant mentorship from IDinsight leadership, support from talented peers, and are given considerable autonomy when ready. They maintain professional development plans and are given "stretch" opportunities designed to strengthen a variety of skills. Real-time feedback is embedded in our culture and formal structure enables maximum professional growth. Additionally, teammates have access to an annual professional development stipend that they are encouraged to utilize to explore their career interests and develop their skills.

Nuts & bolts

Location

This position is based in the following IDinsight’s offices:

New Delhi, India; Nairobi, Kenya; Lusaka, Zambia; Dakar, Senegal and Rabat, Morocco

Start date

The start date of this position is as soon as possible, with preference for candidates that can start immediately. We expect a 2-year minimum commitment, with regular professional development conversations and potential for a long-term career at IDinsight.

Work authorization

IDinsight is not able to sponsor work authorization for this role. Successful candidates will not require IDinsight to sponsor their work authorization in the office in which they'll be based.

Compensation

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for, and competitive within the global development sector. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer including comprehensive international health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work from home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

Please note, as a non-profit, we are unable to provide compensation similar to leading private sector organizations.