Senior Finance Officer- Grants

Overview

Overview The Senior Finance Officer – Grants (SFO) is responsible for overseeing and monitoring of the grants’ budgets and expenses of assigned Themes, Units and Countries in CIFOR-ICRAF. The SFO is also responsible for the assignment of new projects to the finance Officer(s) and maintenance of an up-to-date list of project assignments. Key Result Areas: 1. Proper supervision, overseeing and coordination of the preparation of donor reports, internal budgets (POWB) and proposal budgets input. 2. Ensure Financial Reports to donors are reliable, accurate and are submitted on time. 3. Ensure grant budgets are monitored regularly; ensure there are no budget overruns. 4. Continuous communication and feedback to the PIs on their grant’s status. 5. Monitor donor payables and receivable balances; ensure the donor amounts receivable from donors are promptly collected.

Duties and responsibilities

Grants Budgets and Actual Expenses Monitoring:

• Coordinate with donors, collaborators, project leaders and scientists to clarify financial issues, answer queries and give update on the financial and budget status of the project.
• Review and verify expenditures of assigned grants to ensure adherence to budgetary and donor requirements.
• Ensure that the grants recover full overheads including project services as per the approved donor budget.
• Monitor staff time allocations in Planner for the assigned grants and ensure it is as per donor budgets.
• Ensure timesheets are done, signed, and submitted on time for assigned grants.
• Monitor and ensure that staff time is charged in accordance with the budget and the time sheets are recorded/adjusted appropriately.
• Monitor changes in exchange rates and the impact on available project balances; promptly raise any forex concerns with the Finance Manager – Grants and the PIs concerned.
• Liaise with the Program Management Unit (PMU) regarding the development of Letter of Agreement (LoA) with partner Institutions, project start-ups and set ups in MyTree and OCS, budget update and management in OCS and project tracking & closures.
• Ensure the annual Budget and rolling budget is updated in OCS Planner.
• Review of financial status of the project prepared by the finance officer(s)activities.

Partner Financial Management:

• Review of partner LOAs focusing mainly on the payments schedules and reporting timelines.
• Monitor and follow-up partner financial reporting for assigned grants.
• Supervise financial compliance for partners of assigned grants and ensure partners spend within their budgets and are following the laid down donor and CIFOR-ICRAF financial procedures and regulations.
• Analyze grants partner expenses and provide feedback and analysis to the project leaders and managers on expenditure trends and areas with significant over or under spending.
• Communicate with partners of assigned grants on areas of weaknesses and steps to take to mitigate the risks and internal control issues.

Donor Reporting:

• Prepare reports on the specific projects’ finances to donors and other users in compliance with Center standards and as specifically pre-determined by the donor as mentioned on the signed Grant Agreements and Donor’s General Conditions.
• Review all donors reports from the Country Offices, Units and Themes assigned prior to forwarding to Finance Manager - Grants for approval and clearance.
• Ensure that reports to donors are submitted on time.
• Ensure submission of fully approved / signed financial reports in grants management system in myTree for assigned grants.
• Provide grant financial management support to Countries staff as well Units and Themes assigned.

Projects Audits:

• Coordinate and supervise projects audits for assigned grants.
• Attend entry and exit meetings on audit of projects for assigned grants.
• Key resource on queries from the external and internal auditors on assigned grants.
• Assist in reviewing the draft audit reports and provide draft management responses for review and approval by Finance Manager - Grants for assigned grants.
• Review partner audit reports.

Grant Proposal Budgets and Grant Agreements:

• Support project proposal/budget preparation regarding compliance issues for prospective sources of funding.
• Provide guidance and ensure the budget figures are correct and the budget lines follow the donor requirements.
• Review the financial part and other relevant information of the new Grant Agreements and Grant agreement amendments.

Donor payables and receivable balances management:

• Monitor and reconcile donor payable and receivable balances for assigned grants.
• Ensure the invoicing timelines conditions as per the grant agreements are adhered to.
• Ensure the donor amounts receivable from donors are promptly collected.

Team leadership:

• Supervise direct staff directly reporting to you by managing their performance, including setting goals and objectives, coaching, and delivering results.
• Perform performance evaluation for the team, both mid-year and annually.

 Internal Controls and Other Duties:

• Ensure compliance with policies and safeguard of CIFOR_ICRAF assets.
• Identify and assess changes that could significantly impact the system of internal control in CIFOR-ICRAF.
• Evaluate and communicate internal control deficiencies in a timely manner to the supervisor.
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Finance Manager – Grants.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in accounting or in related field.
• Certified Public Accountant and a member of a recognized accounting institute
• At least 7 years in Grants Management
• Proficiency MS office suite.