Finance and Grants Compliance Specialist - Plan International

The Finance and Compliance Sub-Grant Specialist’s role within this team will be to monitor and provide grantee support on financial management and contractual compliance to local women’s rights organizations. The Finance and Compliance Sub-Grant Specialist will focus on financial management and compliance capacity development to multiple women’s rights organizations and sub-grant recipients.

The position is based in Accra, within a Plan International Office and in addition requires extended travel to Plan field offices (up to 50%).

Typical Responsibilities – Key End Results of Position:

“What” is done and “why”, but not “how”; include indicators for success

Grants Planning, Delivery, and Control: Responsible for coordinating and overseeing all financial and compliance aspects of grant funding, disbursement, management and reporting for women’s organizations.

Expected Outcomes:

• In collaboration with women’s organizations, contribute to the design of the grant mechanisms and processes from a financial and compliance perspective.
• Support the development of grant agreement templates and review agreements with women’s organizations to ensure alignment with compliance requirements.
• Support the development of financial aspects for grant application forms, instructions, and guidelines in a participatory approach with women’s organizations.
• Support in the planning, design and presentation of financial and compliance information sessions for women’s rights organizations to encourage applications, guide them through the application process, and address any queries, etc.
• Participate in the review of grant applications with a focus on budgets and financial management and compliance capacities of grant recipients.
• Coordinate preparation of budget templates, reporting requirements, and monitoring of grant periods and close out of the grant awards.

Financial Management, Analysis, and Compliance: Direct support provided to women’s organizations to manage funds effectively in line with granting and compliance requirements.

Expected Outcomes:

• Support women’s organizations with financial management, grants and compliance tools, templates, and best practices to effectively execute their grants.
• Perform thorough reviews of women’s rights organizations' financial reports and related supporting documentation to demonstrate accountable use of funds.
• Carry out compliance reviews and project audit processes of women’s organizations to ensure donor compliance and grants are well-positioned for audits.
• Identify areas of risk by providing regular analysis of the financial health of the grant portfolio against standard key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Develop and implement strategies to minimize financial risk.
• Maintain an up-to-date tracker for women’s rights organizations' expenditures and advances.
• Ensure grant budgets and forecasts are developed, implemented and monitored.

Qualification Required & Experience

Knowledge and skills

• MBA in Finance and related field
• Fluent in oral and written English.
• Progressive experience in financial reporting and analysis.
• Excellent computer skills using Microsoft Office, Internet and databases.
• Coaching & mentoring skills for building project the capacity of women’s rights organizations on quality financial management and compliance.
• Superior skills in building productive working relationships with team colleagues, field offices, donors and partners.
• Understanding of the project management cycle.
• Flexible approach to deal with ambiguity.
• Understanding of feminist principles, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.
• Ability to establish priorities in a time-sensitive environment, track project performance, meet deadlines, and ensure high-quality deliverables.

Experiences

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in finance, accounting, grants analysis
• Progressive experience in financial reporting and analysis, risk assessment and mitigation.
• Proven experience in developing financial and program management tools and processes, including financial reporting budget guidance, work plans and monitoring templates.
• Solid understanding of compliance requirements of donor government agencies such as Global Affairs Canada; multilateral agencies (UNICEF, AfDB, etc.) and/or charitable organizations / Foundations preferred.
• Experience leading or participating in financial audits.
• Hands-on experience reviewing complex contracts and agreements.