Senior budget and Compliance Manager

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international NGOs, provides relief, rehabilitation and development support to vulnerable people and communities over 30 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in six regions in Ethiopia, implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

Summary statement of duties and responsibilities:

The Senior Budget and Compliance Manager will contribute to overall grants management at IRC Ethiopia. The position reports to the Grants Coordinator. This position is based in Addis Ababa with occasional trips to field sites, if needed. The Senior Budget and Compliance Manager will work collaboratively with the all 15 members of the Grants and Partnership Unit, and with the technical coordinators, operations team, and the finance team.

Detailed responsibilities and tasks:

1. Budgeting

• Lead and coordinate budget development for assigned new proposal budgets, working with program staff, other members of the Grants and Partnerships Unit, the Finance Department and Regional Program and Business Development Units.
• Ensure proper review of new budgets and realignment/modification budgets at both HQ and Addis levels, incorporating all feedback and ensuring that budgets are error free.
• Write and edit budget narratives, as needed (predominantly USG donors).
• Act as focal point with donor’s in-country for the budgeting process, as needed.
• Lead on requests for Cost/No-Cost Extensions and related budgeting requirements
• Monitor and support the use of management tools such as Budget vs. Actual (BVA) for the accurate monitoring and the successful implementation of programs and early warning in case of obstacles or challenges. Advise appropriate team of low burning rates and support them in resolving budget spending issues.
• Build budgeting tools and templates for program teams and establish standardized budgeting processes.
• Carry out ad-hoc data research and analysis, as needed

3. Donor Compliance

• Research donor compliance issues for new opportunities or existing grants.
• Review donor agreements and coordinate their review with the relevant IRC HQ office.
• Acquire compliance mentorship from HQ as needed. Ensure that the compliance knowledge of the portfolios team grows.

4. Communication and Information Management

• Update the grant Tracker on a weekly basis
• Update and share the Burn Rate Tracker on a monthly basis
• Update the Financial Management (FM01) Tracker on a monthly basis

5. Staff Management and Capacity Building

• Provide on-the-job training to Grants and Partnerships Unit’s members on advanced Excel, budgeting, and basic accounting principles, as needed. Topics may include donor compliance rules and regulations, BVA, OTIS, project design, proposal development, budget development, Grant Opening and Grant Closing meetings etc.