Finance Officer – Budgets & Planning

CIFOR-ICRAF is looking for:

Finance Officer – Budgets & Planning – Kenya

Overview

The Finance Officer provides financial services ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of financial reports in accordance with CIFOR-ICRAF internal financial as well as donor guidelines. Review pre-award proposal budgets and ensure full cost recovery methodology is followed to cover CIFOR-ICRAF non-research expenses and specific research unit’s costs. Support the annual CIFOR-ICRAF’s annual Program of Work and Budget process in compliance with current policies and procedures. Implement financial processes, methodologies, procedures in OCS related to budgeting, forecast, analysis of variances and financial reporting at the institutional level. To ensure that CIFOR-ICRAF policies on full cost recovery and laid down donor regulations are adhered to in all donor proposal budgets.

Summary of responsibilities

Pre-Award proposal development

• Develop proposal budgets and budget narratives in collaboration with Resource Mobilization Team and the Research Teams.
• Review and advise on the project proposal/budget preparation regarding compliance issuesfor all prospective sources of funding.
• Ensure an accurate full cost recovery methodology to cover CIFOR_ICRAF non-research expenses and specific research units’ costs.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of relevant donor policies, regulations, and procedures.
• To ensure the organization’s policies on full cost recovery and laid down donor regulations are adhered to in all donor proposal budgets.

Centre Funds Monitoring and Annual Budgeting

• Monitoring of the Center funds budgets and expenditures; and work closely with PI in updating the projection of center funds.
• Prepare financial updates and analysis of center funds and share the report with PI.
• Support Finance Manager in preparation of center funds’ performance report and follow up any correction action that are required from the respective units.
• Monitor the workflow status of budget input in the system and follow up to the respective units.
• Liaise with System Development Team to solve any technical issue in the budget system
• Monitor the status of high probability proposals in collaboration with Resource Mobilization and Research Team.
• Ensure the CIFOR-ICRAF Rolling budget is up to date.
• Provide ad hoc report and gather information from the system to support the analysis on the center funds and annual budget.

Management and Other Stakeholders Reporting

• Support Finance Manager in preparation of performance reports and analysis including funding status and CIFOR-ICRAF burn rate consequently indicating indirect cost recovery.
• Monitor the burn rate status under unit / region that are assigned, provide the analysis, and report to the Senior Finance Officer
• Collaborate with the Grants Accounting Team in providing necessary reports and in analyzing of grants burn rates and indirect cost recovery status.
• Contribute to the discussions with relevant stakeholders on planning and monitoring of interventions to keep the various teams and projects on budget
• Support Finance Manager in the preparation of all reports (including ad hoc reports), information and data required or requested by ILMG and the Board of Trustees.
• Initiate and participate in the development and implementation of reporting platforms and templates within OCS and other platforms for the different stakeholders.

Internal Controls

• Implement internal control systems that ensure CIFOR_ICRAF attains its objectives, produce accurate and reliable data for decision making.

Requirements

Minimum Academic and Professional Qualifications

• University education in accounting with more than 5 years of relevant experience
• Experience in financial and accounting services
• Experience in budgeting and project management
• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Familiar with donor reporting
• Strong computer skills in word processing, databases and other relevant office applications.

Skills and competencies

• Fluent in written and spoken English.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Competent in personal organization and priority setting, with the ability to work efficiently under time pressure and manage multiple priorities.
• Has initiative, can work independently and is an effective team player.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact with people in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment.
• Experience working with a wide and diverse network of groups and individuals.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision.

Terms and conditions

• This is a Locally Recruited Position (LRS). CIFOR-ICRAF offers competitive remuneration in local currency commensurate with skills and experience.
• The initial appointment will be for two (2) years, with a six-month probationary period, with the possibility of extension contingent upon performance, continued relevance of the position and available resources.
• The duty station will be in Nairobi, Kenya CIFOR-ICRAF Offices.