Budget and Grants Officer

Job Description

The Budget and Grants Officer (BGO) will provide support to the Chief of Staff (CoS) to ensure efficient management of the budgeting and grants aspects of the organization’ projects and Programs. S/he will assist with the initial set-up of a broad range of grants, including proper maintenance of documentation thereof, and in the day-to-day work of project grants and contracts processes in coordination with other staff. The BGO will support pre-award management, grants receivables, internal monthly life of grant reports, grant audits, and budget compliance. Candidates must have the proper work authorization to work in Rwanda.

Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the CoS, the BGO will perform the following duties:

• Support the development of proposals budgets and provide support in the post-award grant management process by ensuring compliance to donor regulations and adherence to all internal policies and procedures.
• Receive and organize all documentation relating to new awards and modifications, summarize key donor conditions on a Grant Data Sheet and distribute appropriate key information to applicable staff in a timely manner.
• Proactively disseminate information about up-coming grant milestones (grants coming to an end, reports due, grants closed, etc.) to appropriate staff (Project/Program Managers, Finance & Admin Staff, etc..) to ensure compliance with grant conditions.
• Assign personnel and other direct costs distribution, administer the timesheet system, ensuring timesheet updates and adjustments are in accordance with the organizational approved operating budget.
• Support the development of subaward documents, grant, and contract agreements; conduct pre-award reviews/ due diligence assessment of possible partners and/or grantee organizations, in addition to periodic monitoring reviews during implementation and at close-out. Maintain systems for grant and sub-grant tracking and reporting.
• Run and share weekly/monthly grant spending reports and analyze for correct spending pattern and compliance to donor budget; flag any key highlights requiring action to Chief of Staff and Director of Finance & Administration. Ensure all grants spending are on track and provide reports on any budget risks promptly.
• Run bi-monthly/monthly grants receivable and advance reports to ensure accurate and timely donor invoicing and drawdowns.
• Manage project database and support Grants Managers and coordinators in keeping an accurate and up-to-date Grants/Proposals Filing system on the Shared Drive to ensure documents are easily accessible for day-to-day work and internal/external audit purposes.
• Conduct desk research on donor rules and regulations for new opportunities or existing grants, as needed.
• Assemble data required on a recurrent basis to assist in the preparation of reports, analysis, and presentations on grantee/activity performance.
• Support the Grant close-out process to ensure that grants are closed out within budget and established timeframes.
• Support other projects, initiatives, work streams and any other work, as assigned.

Qualifications

• Degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or closely related field. M.Sc. strongly preferred but a bachelor’s degree will be considered with two additional minimum years of relevant experience
• At least 4 years of relevant working experience within a donor funded nonprofit organization
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required, French is a plus
• Solid knowledge of   grant management principles, including U.S. government funding, European Union, and German donors
• Experience communicating financial information to a non-financial audience
• Ability to organize and present issues in a clear, concise, and logical manner
• Strong technical skills, including MS Excel, and ability to navigate within accounting systems and other databases
• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet demanding deadlines, exercise good judgment, and quickly identify and resolve problems with minimum supervision
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with the highest level of professionalism
• Ability to provide good customer service with patience and a sense of urgency
• Ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with staff, partners, and donor