Grants Compliance Officer

Diakonia is a Swedish international development organization with the overall goal to change unfair political, economic, social and cultural structures that generate poverty, inequality, oppression and violence. Diakonia works with the most vulnerable people, local partners and other strategic actors for the fulfilment of the right of all people to live a life in dignity - irrespective of age, class, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, political conviction, religion, or sexual orientation and identity.

Diakonia has about 400 partner organizations in 25 countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa Diakonia has country offices in Mozambique, DRC, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Mali and Burkina Faso with the Regional Office in Nairobi Kenya. 

Overall Job Purpose

Provide technical support to partner organizations, ensuring their compliance with Diakonia policies, as well as funding and reporting requirements from inception to contract closure in accordance with grant agreements and other appropriate protocols.

 Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Grant Management

·   Provide technical support to partner organizations in the development of work-plan and budget to be followed during the award contract period

·   Review work-plans and budget from partners to ensure compliance with Diakonia’s planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME) policy guidelines

·   Ensure implementation of donor reporting by partners

·   Facilitate and process grant payment to partners, obtain and record grant payment receipts in accordance with PME guidelines

·   Receive and assess financial reports from partners ensuring compliance with PME hand book requirement on proper reporting of expenditures, invoicing, procurement and asset management

·   Receive and assess audited financial reports, including management letter from partners

·   Follow up on issues raised by auditors in the management letter from partners and ensure resolution.

·   Upload and track processes in relation to disbursement receipts, financial reports, completed assessment tools and audited financial statements to Diakonia’s FixIT

·   Provide guidance and facilitate partner institutional capacity strengthening plans, ensuring partner organizations implement programmes effectively, efficiently and sustainably

·   Participate in assessment and induction of new partners on financial management

·   Prepare grant financial reports in relation to the allocated programme

·   Monitor adherence and compliance to financial control systems, policies and procedures

·   Support the coordination, planning, and execution of annual audit  from partner organizations

 Monitoring

·   Track partner grants disbursement and expenditure and provide internal reporting schedules

·   Monitor partner compliance, conducts field office site visits to ensure consistency with grant terms and conditions, timelines, budgets, and performance measures.

·   Conduct financial assessment of partners, identify and mitigate risks in situations where contractual obligations may not be met

·   Establish and maintain electronic and hard copy files for each grant-funded project to be used for tracking and reporting purposes

·   Ensure monitoring log for the respective partner organization is updated in respect to financial information

·   Review and assess  partner procurement processes to ensure purchases comply with policy guidelines

·   Review partner records and archiving system to ensure compliance with policy guidelines

Financial Management

·   Ensure strict adherence and compliance to financial control systems, policies and procedures

·   Maintain a monitoring log in respect of financial information due from partner organizations.

·   Review and verify that partners maintain proper books of accounts, including an up-to-date register of assets as well as proper filing and archiving of financial documents

·   Support the coordination, planning, and execution of annual audit of partner organizations

·   Coordinate preparation and implementation of the programme budget, including specific project ensuring it is up to date for all funding sources and is participative including all units

·   Ensure strict adherence and compliance to financial control systems, policies and procedures

·   Monitor budget implementation and expenditure and process request for budget revisions

·   Prepare and submit monthly reports ensuring they are complete, accurate and timely.

  Procurement and Logistics

·   Review partner procurement processes and ensure that purchases comply with policy guidelines

·   Liaise with procurement unit to provide sound advice on procurement actions

·   Review partner records and archiving system to ensure compliance with policy guideline

·   Perform other related duties and functions as requested

 Education, Training & Professional Qualifications

 Job Competencies & Experience