Grants & Finance Officer

Background:

Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future.

Technical Excellence and Grant Operations & Analytics Team:

At the IRC, we define and measure our success as positive changes in people’s lives in relation to five outcome areas: health, education, economic well-being, safety, and power, while helping to narrow the gender gap. To achieve these outcomes – to drive our impact – our programs must be based on the best available evidence and aligned with our theories of change; adapted to context; responsive to client needs and preferences; and continuously improved by generating evidence, measuring what we do, and acting on what we learn. The Technical Excellence team supports the delivery of this. Established in April 2021, the Grant Operations & Analytics Team (GOAT) brought together grants, business development, finance, and analytics functions and staff from each Technical Excellence Unit to one centralized team to increase efficiency, effectiveness and quality control across Technical Excellence grants and business operations. The primary purpose of this new team is to harmonize capacity and capabilities and drive efficiencies by establishing consistent, high-quality standards and best practices to the service of improved budgeting, grants & contracts management, business development, and data collection and analytics. The Grant Operations & Analytics Team strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, create a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible service to our clients.

The Role:

The Grants and Finance Officer will maintain quality grants management for a portfolio of grants within IRC’s Technical Excellence Department. Reporting to the Grants & Finance Coordinator, Grant Operations and Analytics Team, this position will work closely with in-country and HQ grants staff, finance and business development to ensure timely and accurate grant reporting, maintenance of grant records, and leadership of the proposal process for new grants. The Grants and Finance Officer will also be responsible for tracking grant spending, developing spending plans, and managing internal disbursement of grant funding to country programs. The Grants and Finance Officer will also provide support to the Senior Adviser, Grant Operations as GOAT seeks to continuously improve ways of working. This position has limited field travel and logistical support for special projects.

Major Responsibilities:

Grants and Budget Management (estimated 75% of time):

· Develop and maintain an expertise in the management of private and government funded global awards that are highly complex multi-country, multi sub-award grants and contracts

· Develop and maintain a high-level understanding of Technical Excellence funding streams, spending patterns and salary coverage to align grant funding with Unit Operating Budgets. Alert the Senior Grants & Finance Coordinator when there are issues.

· Track and monitor salary lines in Technical Unit led grant budgets and Country Program allocations and accurately recode in the appropriate IRC systems when necessary

· Review monthly BvAs and transaction detail reports, lead monthly budget meetings and ensure that all BvAs and financial reports accurately reflect the current and planned spending

· Make any necessary spending plan adjustments for Technical Excellence led grants

· Review and process sub-grants/allocations to partners and country programs for grant activities

· Manage and coordinate the approval of agreements, amendments, cost extensions and no-cost extensions for grants

· Lead, attend and actively participate in all grant related meetings within Technical Excellence

· Utilize existing IRC standard grant management processes and systems (PEERS, OTIS, Project Cycle Meetings) and contribute to the development of new tools or reporting formats to improve grants management

· Work with other Grants staff to streamline and harmonize grants management processes

· Manage OTIS (Opportunity Tracking Information System) workflow for proposals, ongoing grants, reporting, agreements and amendments

· Work with relevant Technical Unit and HQ-based finance staff to ensure accuracy of grant financial reports and promptly identify and advise the Senior Grants & Finance Coordinator, TU Director, and applicable grant leads on areas of concern

· Develop guidance, templates, and toolkits to ensure timely submission of narrative and financial donor reports

· Produce interim and final financial reports as required for non-USG grants

· Assist in donor relations; participate in calls with select donors, represent Unit at donor meetings as the need arises; and communicate relevant priorities to donors and internal business development and foundation relations units.

Business Development (estimated 20% of time):

· Support the Senior Business Development Adviser in tracking the pipeline of business development opportunities across Technical Excellence

· Complete strategic evaluations and make recommendations for all potential TU-led grants and facilitate review and approval as part of the Go/No go process

· Support Unit technical staff in the development of proposals for new opportunities, including reviewing and contributing to concept notes and full proposals, crafting budgets in accordance with donor guidelines and program needs and ensuring IRC compliance

Strategic projects support (estimated 5% of time):

· Support the Senior Adviser, Grant Operations in engaging in strategic projects for GOAT such as, but not limited to, the creation of a standardized Grant Operations Guide, Onboarding Manual, and Grants staff training packages.

· Serve as a focal point and staff representative for Grants Managers on process improvements, gathering information through regular meetings on ongoing issues related to TechEx grants management processes.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Grants & Finance Coordinator, Grant Operations and Analytics Team

Position directly supervises: N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal:

· Regularcontact withTechnical Units, Finance teams, Global Supply Chain team and the Awards Management Unit

· Collaborate closely with country program staff.

External: Interact with donors, vendors, contractors, and consultants.

Job Requirements:

Education:

· Bachelor’s degree in relevant field is or equivalent experience.

Work Experience:

· Approximately 3 years of experience managing government and/or private grants

· Demonstrated experience developing proposals for public and private donors

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

· Excellent budget management skills including experience tracking expenses and developing spending plans

· Dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion and a strong passion for our mission

· Excellent organizational skills: the ability to multi-task, learn quickly, and work independently and productively in a fast-paced and exact environment

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to effectively collaborate with and motivate a variety of people in a multi-cultural environment

· Excellent digital literacy: MS Word, Excel, and Desktop Publishing. Proficiency in Excel preferred.

Language Skills:

· Fluent in English; French, Spanish or Arabic language a plus

Working Environment:

· Standard office work environment

· Travel less than 20%

The Grant Operations & Analytics Team strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, create a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.

The International Rescue Committee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. International Rescue Committee considers all candidates based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation

The International Rescue Committee is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including flexible hours (when possible), parental leave, transportation support, and gender-sensitive security protocols.