Reporting to the Senior Manager, Program Administration, s/he will provide financial and administrative assistance to, and oversight of, program staff and grantees to ensure that budgets and agreements are handled in accordance with IFES policies, procedures, systems, and donor requirements. S/he is responsible for all areas relating to project financial management and ensuring that project spend within their obligation ceilings. S/he must be self-motivated and is responsible for ensuring that work is completed in a timely and accurate manner.

Responsibilities 

• Prepare, administer, and maintain budgets, ensuring that data is accurate and current, and assists with the consolidation of program-wide annual budgets.
• Review and monitor status of budgets and communicates to appropriate program staff.
• Ensure spending levels are appropriate and coding is correct. Identifies problems and recommends corrective action, and assists in the revision of budgets as necessary.
• Ensure organizational standards and guidelines are met.
• Review funding proposals and assists program staff with development of proposal budgets.
• Coordinate proposals with Development, Contracts & Grants, and other departments as appropriate.
• Maintain data in tracking database. Works with program staff to draft agreement budgets and develop spending plans.
• Review field accounting transactions to ensure accuracy before entry into the HQ General Ledger
• Coordinate and prepare financial reports to restricted donors, ensuring donor requirements are met.
• Examine government financial reports prepared by the GL Accountants to ensure accuracy.
• Review and analyze all project financial reports to ensure compliance, and notifies program staff of any problems or discrepancies and provide technical assistance to grantees in resolving problems.
• Ensure all IFES-issued agreements and payments are processed timely and in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Monitor agreement-related accounts to ensure payments are adequate and correct.
• Recommend and implement departmental procedures and provide feedback on policies and operating procedures.
• Maintain good working relationships and stays abreast of program issues to provide overall support to program initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

• Candidate needs to have program finance and operations experience and a demonstrated track record of capacity building, financial management of programs, project budgeting, coaching and developing local finance teams, BVA analysis, international development, and analyzing project spending trends.
• DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING: Multi-factor decision-making requiring research and analysis, subject to supervisory guidance. Analyze and interpret issues and propose alternative solutions relying on knowledge of professional standards and principles. Consult with necessary stakeholders regarding issues, possible solutions and implementation of alternative approaches.
• FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Perform regular tracking, analysis and reporting of project financial data. Provide full service accounting for projects and ensure compliance with IFES policies, A-133 regulations and donor requirements. Monitor program performance vs budget and funding and prepares month-end reporting and account reconciliations. Participates in project budget planning, critical review of project financials and preparation of reports.
• RELATIONSHIPS: Maintain collaborative working relationship with team members and other staff, both within the headquarters and field offices. Initiate contact with staff in other departments to exchange detailed, substantive information and coordinate activities necessary to achieve work goals. Requires highly-developed interpersonal skills, involving active listening, creativity and problem solving, to assure desired outcomes. Collaborates with internal and external partners in planning, implementing and evaluating results. Builds and maintains relationships with internal and external partners, auditors etc.
• SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Supervise entry level and professional staff. Coordinate and monitor the activities of others to assure goals are met.

Requirements

• Education : Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business or Public Administration, or related field or equivalent work experience.
• Experience: 4 plus years of experience overseeing financial and administrative activities.
• Related Skills or Knowledge: Familiarity with US Government (USG) funded projects highly desired. Organizational, quantitative, and analytical skills required. Attention to detail, ability to prioritize and work accurately under time constraints. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Language Skills : Fluency in English required. Fluency in other languages highly preferred such as Spanish, French, Arabic, or sign language highly desired.
• Travel : Travel up to 10% of the time.