Overview
The Financial Specialist – Special Projects and Major Grants is responsible for ensuring effective financial oversight of donor-funded projects and partner organizations, safeguarding compliance with donor requirements and internal policies.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the process for budgeting of budget revisions on need basis for WFP and UNOCHA portfolio in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces.
- Collaborate with the Senior Analyst to ensure all forecasts and budget revisions are submitted on time and meet quality standards.
- Provide monthly and quarterly forecast for funding needs for the projects managed and track usage.
- Ensure timely disbursement of funds to partners/key implementing stakeholders.
- Ensure accurate budgets (LoA) and FY are uploaded in the WVDRC financial system (SUN) in a timely manner.
- Prepare and maintain reporting templates, ensuring they meet donor and organizational standards.
- Ensure accurate transaction coding to facilitate accurate reporting.
- Conduct monthly reconciliations between grant spending against project performance (distributions) to measure spending levels against realized income and advise Senior Analyst, FAM and the project teams accordingly.
- Conduct regular reconciliation of accounts 325 and 180 to ensure accurate balances are reported and year end entries are accurate for the WFP country portfolio.
- Conduct quarterly partner financial spot check for assigned projects.
- Liaise with partners to ensure timely submission of financial reports for review and consolidation.
- Ensure the partners advance accounts relating to projects supported are regularly reconciled and balances are accurate.
- Ensure reporting issues raised by DMT/SO and/or donor are resolved in a timely manner.
- Ensure timely submission of invoices to WFP and prepare monthly invoice aging analysis report and ensure quarterly invoice & commitments aging analysis is submitted for North and South Kivu.
- Coordinate the process for credit SAs to SOs, ensuring that PBAS (Planning, Budgeting and Accountability System) commitments are accurately reflected and communicated.
- Liaise with SOs and internal teams to resolve any issues related to credit SAs and PBAS commitments, ensuring compliance with donor and organizational requirements.
- Track and document all PBAS commitments and credit SA transactions for audit and reporting purposes.
- Prepare monthly reconciliation of CSS uploaded vs PBAS commitments to facilitate prompt commitments of pending GIK income.
- Ensure all financial data related to assigned projects are accurately recorded, maintained, and archived for audit and compliance purposes.
- Monitor compliance with donor and organizational policies, identifying and addressing any gaps in financial management or reporting.
- Ensure project staff finance requests/issues are facilitated including follow up on payments and advance issues and retirements.
- Facilitate internal/external audits for the project, follow up on implementation of audit observations and respond to donor recommendations on the audit.
- Keep track of financial commitments such as accruals, purchase orders or works against projects assigned to avoid overspending or under reporting project spending.
- Conduct review of data, payment documents, monthly bank reconciliations, procurement requests and travel requisitions for assigned projects.
- Engage with internal and external stakeholders, including program teams, partners, and SOs, to facilitate effective communication and collaboration.
- Support the Senior Analyst in preparing for audits, donor reviews, and management meetings by providing relevant financial data and analysis.
- Enforce BPS compliance through regular reviews.
Required Experience
Minimum of 3 years relevant experience in a grant management role in NGO environment. Experience in WFP and UNOCHA projects management is an added advantage.
Qualifications
First degree in Accounting or Finance. A professional qualification such as ACCA or CIMA will be an advantage.
