Senior Advisor, Humanitarian Budgeting Analysis and Finance

Summary

The Senior Advisor, Humanitarian Budgeting Analysis and Finance oversees and implements the finance function of the Department of Humanitarian Response (DHR) and Center’s Humanitarian Technical Team (CHT); manages the Member Control process on behalf of DHR; and serve as the primary finance focal point on a portfolio of active humanitarian awards.

The Senior Advisor’s responsibilities include but are not limited to, providing oversight and direction for the Departments annual budgets; advising and building capacity within the department in preparing and managing annual budgets and lead the completion of department financial analysis. You will provide financial management guidance across various internal and external stakeholders; and manage salary resources. You will identify systems and procedures to enhance DHR efficiencies in budget management, and assure financial management is implemented in compliance with the SC policies and procedures, and in accordance with donor requirements.

In this role, you will report to the Managing Director, Humanitarian Finance and Compliance (HF&C).

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

DHR & CHT Department Budget and Financial Management (50%)

• In coordination with the HF&C Managing Director, ensure that the annual budget is developed in line with strategic and operational plans. Fully managing the timeline, develop the drafts and revisions, incorporate feedback, and maintain accountability for accuracy and final submissions.
• Oversee and track the DHR & CHT budgets. Collaborate with budget holders to review, revise, and establish systems for efficient budgeting and financial management. Provide monthly/quarterly financial reports.
• Serve as a direct line contact with HQ Finance Units, the CHT Leadership and the International Programs (IP) Division for departmental budget matters.
• Conduct monthly /quarterly financial reviews, inclusive of Budget versus Actual (BVA) reports for all projects.
• Track DHR’s privately funded-resources and monthly spending.
• Escalate issues or risks as appropriate.

Management of Financial Compliance (20%)

• Oversee issues as needed and as appropriate for financial compliance including collaborating with humanitarian management, legal, finance, and/or grants and contracts support.
• Identify compliance risks and issues, and determine mitigation plans with program focal points and other staff as relevant. Escalate issues to the Managing Director, Finance and Compliance on high-risk issues exposing Save the Children compliance risks.
• Oversee effective compliance to systems and procedures for sub-grant financial management and reporting.
• Maintain knowledge management of donor rules and regulations including attending needed trainings in order to accurately monitor and review compliance. Support department to maintain knowledge management systems around financial compliance.
• Lead the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) with regards to appropriate financial management, coding and expensing, as relevant; developing early drafts; coordinating reviews and finalizing draft; ensuring proper documentation and access to relevant stakeholders.

Award Portfolio Finance Management (20%)

• Provide financial management oversight to a portfolio of humanitarian programs, engaging in the start-up, implementation and closing of projects.
• Actively contribute to the development of cost proposals, including: sharing and conducting necessary trainings on cost proposal templates; ensuring SCUS costs are appropriately budgeted into the projects; conducting thorough review of partner budgets in collaboration with country office and HQ colleagues; and ensuring proposal budget documents are ready for donor submission.
• Identify and effectively respond to risks affecting humanitarian awards; determine mitigation plans; share knowledge with appropriate program, implementing partners and other staff as relevant; and escalate concerns on high-risk issues exposing Save the Children to compliance risks.
• Collaborate across departments and with technical staff to ensure that awards budgeted Level of Effort (LOE) are appropriately utilized on a timely basis for technical support.
• Oversee effective compliance with systems and procedures for sub-grant financial management and financial reporting.
• Monitor financial reporting key performance indicators. Oversee accuracy and compliance with donor requirements and internal organization policy.
• Lead and monitor the timely internal close out of awards including closing out any sub awards issued by DHR including financial reconciliation; monitor Award Management System (AMS) close-out status and on-time close out key performance indicators.
• Identify trends, best practices and challenges of financial compliances with donors; share knowledge across the Humanitarian Portfolio Unit ensuring streamlined approach to ways of working.
• Propose solutions and ways forward to advance engagement with this donor on financial compliances.
• Travel to Save the Children country offices to conduct award reviews, provide financial management support, support project closeout, and/or to build CO capacity on project/donor requirements.

Member Control File Coordination and Management (10%)

• In coordination with the Humanitarian Portfolio Unit, Center Humanitarian Technical Team, and Save the Children International Offices, lead the review and finalization of monthly charges against the Member Control Account.
• Manage the invoice trackers, and ensure documentation of relevant financial data, including charge codes, banking details, and receipts.
• Establish and lead cost reviews, ensuring documentation for payments and reimbursements align with internal accounting policy and complies with donor requirements.
• Responsible for coordinating signatories and signing invoices; escalating relevant signature requirements to budget holders.
• Work with Grants & Contracts Policy and Compliance, and Finance to standardize compliance guidelines for the Member Control Account.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor Degree or equivalent experience, plus at least 7 years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated experience in financial and budget management
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing large, complex budgets with multiple funding streams
• Ability to work with non-financial stakeholders and communicate effectively to explain financial processes and procedures
• Demonstrated ability to lead financial review and analysis processes to ensure oversight, inform ways of working, and recommend course corrections
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and work well under pressure, many times with competing priorities and deadlines
• Ability to think and act strategically including the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with individuals and teams at all levels, both internally and externally
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering and maintaining and environment of diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience providing training to both finance and non-finance staff
• Experience working with general ledger and financial systems
• Prior experience with USAID-funded programs, including contracts, is a desirable advantage
• Knowledge of BHA and BPRM
• Demonstrated experience with international humanitarian (emergency) response at field and/or home office-level
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and cross cultural skills