Since 1979, we have helped people grappling with the toughest hardships survive – and then thrive. That’s the heart of our approach: We help communities turn crisis into opportunity. Throughout our history, Mercy Corps has demonstrated innovation, timeliness and the ability to adapt quickly to changing realities.
- Experience 4 – 5 years
- Location Abuja
General Position Summary
The Finance and Sub Grants Officer works under the guidance and supervision of the GIRL program Director at the Africa regional office. Key roles are project financial management, monitoring and reporting and Grants management. The Finance and Sub Grants Officer is an integral part of the Project Management Team of GIRL -H and works closely with the management, technical and operations field and country teams in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria.
Essential Job Responsibilities
FINANCE
- Support the country teams in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. Accountable for all financial operations of the project, including accounting and reporting, cash management, and budget management.
- Manage financial operations of GIRL-H.
- Provide monthly management reports to the GIRL-H Program Director and Country Program Managers, including expenditures by fund and country, sub-grantee reporting and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.
- Ensure that the project financial operations comply with all Mercy Corps policies and procedures.
- Ensure that monthly transactions are reviewed and entered in the General Ledger accurately and on a timely basis.
- Assist with monthly review and reconciliations of Staff advances and all the GIRL-H related expenditures.
- Review payment documents and other supporting documents ensuring their compliance with the local laws, donor regulations and MC Kenya internal policies.
- Prepare monthly cash flow projections and request funds from the country office.
- Review and track expenses and proper documentation as per Mercy Corps procedures and donor requirements for record-keeping and accountancy.
GRANT MANAGEMENT
- Oversee and coordinate management of sub-grant agreements and financial management of Nigeria sub-grants.
- Responsible for the processing of sub-grants and issuance of payments, transfers and transactions between consortium members as well as locally engaged partners.
- Oversee pre-award and post-award activities including asset control, timely reporting and contract fulfilment to check against payment.
- Work with the GIRL-H program team to verify and track budget and expenditures vis-à-vis sub-grant awards and ensure proper reporting, documentation and overall deliverables are reviewed by Senior Management and signed off on prior to issuance of payment.
- Ensure consistency across sub-grantees on basic provisions and highlight issues that could be viewed as bias or discrepancies.
- Provide regular reports on GIRL-H issues, and recommendations that need to be considered for operational adjustment.
- Work with Mercy Corps team members and sub-grantee management teams to conduct ad-hoc audit reviews of GIRL-H field operations.
- Coordinate GIRL-H expenditure verification and project audits.
- Other financial and sub-grant tasks as required.
MONITORING & EVALUATION (M&E) AND REPORTING
- Work with the GIRL -H Senior Management, M&E and finance team members to ensure that deliverables are aligned with objectives and that financial milestones are proportionate to programme milestones.
- Provide financial perspective in management and decision-making to enhance Mercy Corps’ adaptive management.
PROGRAM SUPPORT OPERATIONS
- Ensure that GIRL-H financial systems are efficient and are based on smooth-running infrastructure that facilitates timely and efficient program implementation.
- Provide regular review of field operations to ensure cost-effectiveness
STAFF MANAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TEAM BUILDING
- Contribute to country team-building efforts, and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes
SECURITY
- Work with field office management teams to establish financial reporting and management systems that ensure the safety and security of GIRL-H financial resources including cash assets and records.
- Conduct yourself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
- As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
- Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Accountability
Reports directly to: GIRL-H Program Director with a dotted line to the Finance Directors of GIRL-H countries
Works directly with GIRL-H Program Managers, Country Finance/Grants Teams, Programme Teams, Implementing Partners and HR and Operations departments.
Knowledge and Experience
- A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics or relevant field; advanced degree preferred.
- Professional accounting certification is desirable
- At least 4-5 years of demonstrated professional experience managing grants, subcontracts, procurement and compliance with donor regulations, preferably Donor-funded projects.
- Strong accounting skills and experience in the management of the general ledger, journal entries, payables and balance sheet.
- Demonstrated experience applying clauses and negotiating without heavy management oversight including developing amendments and modifications as a result of negotiations.
- Experience providing capacity-building training to staff and local organizations.
- Proven abilities in analytical, excel and reporting skills.
- Required competencies and skills:
Grants Administration
- Knowledge and application of best practices in grant management.
- Demonstrated knowledge of financial and management systems, regulations and reporting requirements. Evidence of ability to be creative and flexible within those requirements.
- Analytical capabilities with accounting procedures and processes for structuring projects.
- Knowledge of grants management software and information technology skills.
2. Management and Communications
- Ability to communicate technical, budgetary and program details to staff, grantees and applicants.
- Ability to design and implement effective workflow processes and procedures.
- Capability to foster an atmosphere which recognizes and respects cultural and individual differences.
SUCCESS FACTORS
The Finance and Grants Officer will have proven abilities in analytical and reporting skills with sound judgement in regard to budget, financial analysis and management of program issues. S/he will have the ability to communicate and interact effectively across diverse program teams and support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful information.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified? Go to Mercy Corps on recruiting2.ultipro.com to apply
