Finance Officer

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Description

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• Budgets are monitored regularly to ensure that spending is within the budget, in line with the project activities and timeline, and fully utilized at the end of the project.
• Annual budgets and rolling budgets are updated in a timely and accurate manner.
• Financial Reports to donors are reliable, accurate and submitted on time.
• Project expenditures are eligible and accepted by the donor and amounts receivable from donors are collected promptly.
• Grant agreements and all financial requirements are carefully reviewed and acknowledged.
• Restricted Grants Partners financial reports comply with the laid down donor and/or CIFOR-ICRAF financial procedures and regulations and in accordance to the budget.

• Maintain a complete record of all pertinent documents of each project and coordinate with other Finance Staff and various project leaders to ensure that the financial implementation adheres with all the other aspects of the project agreement.
• Collaborate with donors, collaborators, project leaders and scientists to clarify financial issues, answer queries and give updates on the financial and budget status of the project.
• Review and verify expenditures of restricted projects assigned to ensure adherence to budgetary and donor requirements.
• 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.

• Collaborate with PI regarding staff time allocation to be updated in OCS planner.
• Collaborate with PI on budgets for partnerships, travel, supplies, consultants, publications, and other costs based on the availability of funds of ongoing restricted projects.
• Review the overall annual budgets of grants in assigned teams.

• 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.
• Ensure that reports to donors are submitted on time.
• draft and final financial reports in grants management system.
• Review donors reports from the Country Offices assigned prior to forwarding for approval.
• Prepare invoice/payment request to the donor according to the payment term and schedule on the agreement.
• Follow up for any query or review from the donor for the submitted financial report.

• Key resource for project amendment budget preparation.
• Review and discuss revised budget for ongoing projects with PI Themes and/or from Country Offices assigned.
• Ensure that the grants recover full overheads as per relevant cost structure.
• 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.

• Update the monthly summary of restricted projects with multi-year budgets and cumulative expenses.
• Update the monthly staff time allocation and the three-year staff’s plan.

• Execute the selection process of audit firm to appoint the auditor for special audit of restricted projects as required by donor.
• Key resource on providing supporting documents and queries from the external auditors during the audit process.
• Review the preliminary draft audit report received from the auditor.
• Review partner audit report in relation to project requirement.

• Monitor donor receivables and payables. Assist in ensuring that receivables are collected. Review donor payables and remind project leaders if there is slow spending. Provide explanation on the monthly summary of donor receivables and payables >USD 50K, prepared by Treasury team.
• Identify incoming funds from restricted donors and provide the code to the Manager of Treasury and Fixed Assets.
• Monitor and ensure that staff time allocation are in accordance with the budget and the time sheets are recorded/adjusted appropriately.
• Collect timesheets from respective staff involved in the project that required timesheets as mandatory supporting documents.

• Review project partner’s agreement and budget in collaboration with PMU.
• Monitor financial compliance for restricted grants partners of assigned grants and ensure partners spend within their budgets 10. Perform other tasks assigned from time to time by the Senior Finance Officer – Grants, Finance Manager – Grants, Team Leader – Finance, and Director – Corporate Services and are following the laid down donor and/or CIFOR-ICRAF financial procedures and regulations.
• Analyze restricted grants partner expenses and provide feedback of analysis to the project leaders and managers on expenditure trends and areas with significant over- or under spending.
• Review the financial reports submitted by the partners, monitor partner balances, and collect any unused funds.

• •University education in accounting with at least 5 years of relevant experience
• Experience in financial and accounting services
• Experience in project or cost accounting
• Fluent in written and spoken English.
• Experience with an ERP, familiarity with Agresso Unit 4 and Vision XL is an advantage.
• Strong computer skills in word processing, database, and other relevant office applications.

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