Deputy Finance Manager - Grants at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

The Deputy Finance Manager – Grants and Compliance will directly and indirectly support a defined portfolio of country office projects, leading communications on financial issues, including compliance with related donor and CRS policies. This position requires strong demonstrated experience in the areas of finance and program management, as well as a strong knowledge of donors, especially USG, GF and other donor funding mechanisms and requirements.

Roles and Key Responsibilities 

Grant Financial Management

• Serve as principal point of contact on country office grant financial management and compliance issues with program staff, sub-grantees, CRS HQ Finance, and country program finance and compliance staff, ensuring that relevant staff are aware of donor requirements. 
• Support agreement development/review/approval at both the CRS and sub-recipient levels, ensuring adherence to CRS and donor requirements.
• Provide support for the timely assessment of partner financial capacity and ability to adhere to specific donor requirements. Develop related action plans with program and finance staff to address any capacity/system gaps.
• Contribute to project start-up, mid-term and close-out meetings to ensure broad understanding of finance related requirements.
• Develop and maintain a reporting tracking and communications system to ensure that sub-recipients adhere to SRFMP requirement, reporting deadlines, milestones, expiration dates, and donor approved changes in grant procedures.
• Collaborate with global grant management teams, country office programs teams, HQ finance and compliance colleagues to address issues/questions on grand conditions and the need for modifications or clarifications.

Reporting

• Prepare financial reports in CRS financial systems to support easy reconciliation and budget monitoring of projects.
• Review subrecipient and country level (as appropriate) monthly financial reports.
• Take the lead in working with program management in the preparation of donor financial reports as needed and facilitating HQ review prior to donor submission.
• Anticipate and assist Project Managers/Chiefs of Party and program staff to respond to CRS and sub-grantee questions about budgets, spending and reporting, and encourage information sharing that will allow them to become familiar with requirements and practices of donor/CRS finance policy.

Compliance

• Assist with financial audit preparation. Ensure timely closure of finance audit recommendations related to country office grants; provide oversight of the preparation, implementation and monitoring of related action plans.
• Update as needed the finance section of country office project operations manuals in collaboration with the Chiefs of Party, Program Managers, and country office project staff.
• Develop tools and communications pieces as needed to ensure country office grant staff and subrecipients are aware of and implement donor policies on compliance issues such as proper time keeping, travel, and procurement.
• Oversee and lead the financial close-out of country office projects, coordinating with country level and HQ level staff.

Cost Application Development

• Provide oversight in the development of cost applications, ensuring budgets are reasonable, accurate, and adequately reflect the costs of activities required to successfully carry out the program.

Required Languages - English language required to perform the job

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 30 %.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Thorough knowledge of and experience with grant financial reporting
• Knowledge of Insight and/or Oracle enterprise systems preferred; understanding of Insight Systems helpful. Strong knowledge of MS Office programs. 
• Knowledge of fund accounting and US Government funding regulations for non-profit organizations.
• Experience in setting and monitoring complex budgets
• Strong communication and presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to train financial and non-financial staff of all levels.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Self-guided, strong organizational and planning skills
• Desire to work in a collaborative, proactive, and multicultural team environment, but able to work independently
• Ability to maintain strong customer service

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Professional qualification in accounting (ICAN, ACCA, CPA or equivalent) preferred

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: All staff

External: Sub-recipients 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration with courses in accounting, or a qualification in accounting (ICAN, CPA/ACCA or equivalent).
• Minimum 5-8 years of progressive grants management experience.