IRC is seeking a Project Finance Officer

November 25, 2021

Job Description

WHAT WORKS II

Program Scope:

IRC is seeking a Project Finance Officer to support a seven-year Program funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to improve prevention and response to violence against women and girls. The ‘What Works to Prevent Violence – Impact at Scale’ Program will build on the success of its predecessor (‘What Works I’) to prevent and contribute to eliminating violence against women and girls (VAWG) by:

Systematically designing, implementing and rigorously evaluating a range of approaches to scaling up violence prevention efforts, translating proof-of-concept evidence into robust, large-scale Programs and strategies.
Designing, piloting and testing new theory-driven violence prevention approaches (innovation).
Strengthening long-term capability and capacity to deliver cutting-edge, evidence-based violence prevention Programs across the Program’s grantees, the UK Government (principally FCDO), and developing country governments; and
Using evidence to influence a more effective, scaled-up global response to end VAWG.

Job Overview

Project Finance Officer for What Works II

The Purpose of the Role

To provide high-quality support to Fund Management Team and grantees on financial management.
To lead on a range of financial processes on the assigned projects, from reviewing budget proposals, financial planning, budgeting, reporting, performance monitoring and financial risk management, invoicing/transfers processes
To oversee the financial monitoring & forecasting, supplier payments, grantee payment, and contract accounting on the assigned projects.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

This position has no direct line management authority but is responsible for advising staff and grantees on spend

Responsibility for Resources:

This position is not a budget holder but is required to manage and oversee project budgets
Responsible for quality assuring accuracy of donor budget and financial reports within respective portfolio
Responsible for collating quarterly payments, supporting invoicing to donor, and disbursing funds to grantees
Responsible for submission of donor financial and narrative reports for a portfolio of smaller grants and contracts
Supports Grants Managers in their financial management of grantees

Key Working Relationships

Has regular contact with the What Works Fund Management Team and Program Coordination Team, with regards to the financial management of the project
Has regular contact with VPRU Team and Grants/Finance Team in IRC US and UK with regards to financial management of all grants
Has external contact with grantees, as needed, with regards to technical and finance/contract management.

Key Responsibilities

Project Budget Management

Prepare and review the grant budgets to ensure data is complete and maintained on a timely basis
In collaboration with the What Works Fund Management Team and Program Coordination Team, ensure that all donor-related financial information is disseminated to Project, Finance and Logistics staff as well as Partners to enable them to abide by donor rules and regulations.
Review budgets included in grant applications and proposals and ensure these are in line with call requirements.
Provide budgetary guidance to Grants Managers overseeing grantee budgets.

Internal and External Reporting

Prepare monthly budget versus actual reports and ensure that the Project Management Team has a good understanding of the spending progress and any other matters arising from the report.
Prepare quarterly financial reports as per FCDO donor requirements, ensuring they are complete, accurate and produced on a timely manner to ensure adequate review, approval, and submission.
Ensure that grant management system is updated with project financial information; and run reports and analysis to update Fund Director and donor, as required.
Coordinate and review grantee financial reports
- Setting up financial templates for grantee to report on
- Manage and monitor expenses versus project budget, highlighting variances and resource allocation needs to Fund Management team
- Review quarterly financial reports produced by Country Offices and Partners ensuring they are complete, accurate and produced on a timely manner for consolidation and submission
- Review budget variation requests and process in consultation with Fund Management team
Ensure financial reports are produced in compliance with FCDO’s exchange rate policies, including keeping track of expenditure in currencies other than GBP and identifying the rate at which they need to be converted into GBP
May be required to run transaction lists and prepare reports.

Performance Monitoring and Financial Management

In coordination with Project Management Team and Partners, prepare and consolidate monthly & quarterly invoices and expenses forecasts
Prepare cash flow forecasts, consolidated with Partners and Country Offices
Analyze variances of the forecast and actual spending and submit adjustments as required.

Invoicing/Fund Transfer Process Monitoring

Check the invoices received by Partners and monitor the payment process
Submit payment requests to finance and overall financial oversight
Consolidate payment breakdown by Country Offices and partners according to previous quarter spent, balance and forecasts
Process fund transfers to Country Offices, as needed.

Person Specification

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Commerce, Economics, or Business studies, or other related subject or equivalent work experience
At least 3 years of related work experience, preferably for an International Non-Governmental Organization managing FCDO grants or contracts
Knowledge of FCDO’s rules and regulations
Knowledge of computerized accounting software and ERPs
Excellent proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Excellent organizational skills
Ability to build good working relationships with Project Management Team and Partners, at different levels, functions and in different locations
Ability to work with limited supervision, and productively in a fast-paced environment

Experience:

Good experience of providing financial management and monitoring support to development, humanitarian or research projects or Programs
Significant experience in a Finance or Grants Management department
Good experience in providing grant and contract management to donor-funded projects
Good experience of working within an International Donor-funded Organization

Desirable