FINANCE AND GRANTS MANAGER

Position title:Finance and Grants Manager

Reports to:Chief Executive Officer

Counties:Nairobi

Function:Finance and Grants Management

Department:Finance and Grants

Background: I Choose Life – Africa (ICL) is a leading youth focused Non-Governmental Organizations that has significantly contributed to the realization of socio-economic development and empowerment of individuals bringing about transformative change across communities in Kenya. The organization has over 16 years’ experience implementing evidence-based adolescents and youth programs in over 345 institutions of learning (Primary, Secondary and Higher learning institutions) across 25 Counties in Kenya. ICL aims at contributing towards improved life opportunities of adolescent and youth aged 10-24 using a holistic transformational model. ICL employs evidence to design and run innovative and high impact interventions to improve key indicators in health, education, economic empowerment and leadership and governance with regards to children, adolescents and youth. To ensure maximum impact, ICL utilizes a multi-sectorial approach, Quadra Helix development approach (which brings together the Government, Private sector, Academia and Civil society) to foster innovative and sustainable transformation in communities. In this model ICL envisions better health and well-being, quality education and improved livelihoods for sustainable development. In her work, ICL is guided by Vision 2030 whose objectives it seeks to cascade to counties, sub counties, wards, organized groups and households. In her sustainable and transformative service delivery, ICL invests in generation and documentation of evidence to influence policy and practice. The organization is guided by a vision of a “Healthy Africa, Empowered People!” and is on a mission to improve the life opportunities of youth aged 10-24 through strategic empowerment for sustainable development.

Vision: ‘Healthy Africa, Empowered People!’

Mission: To improve the life opportunities of youth aged 10-24 through strategic empowerment for sustainable development.

Job Purpose:

The main purpose of this role is to ensure effective and efficient Finance and Grants management at ICL – Africa. The incumbent ensures establishment and maintenance of Financial and grants Management procedures and processes at I Choose Life-Africa that ensure compliance and achievement of the Organizational Objectives in line with the strategic plan.

Position Summary

The Finance & Grants Manager is assigned the responsibility of supporting the functional areas including but not limited to budgeting, financial management and reporting, contract/sub-award procurement and management, logistics and prime award compliance, proposal preparation, funding information, award negotiations and acceptance, monitoring expenditures, accrual reports, post proposal award administration, project accounting, supporting sub partners, reviewing cash management, cost analysis, compliance and financial audits. He/She must be able to provide compliance and finance support and mentoring to Finance operations and program staff members throughout the organization.

Key responsibilities

Finance Planning

• Lead the development and implementation of the annual organizational and program operational budget, monitor, control and report performance on a weekly – monthly basis

• Coordinate the project planning process including creating Resource, Financial, Quality, Risk and Reporting plans

• Participate in the recruitment, induction and deployment of the finance staff in line with the policies of ICL

• Build the capacity of the finance team to deliver high quality project finance management.

Finance Management

• Maintain day-to-day financial control of the organization within budget heads agreed by the donors and development partners.

• Ensure that all finances are properly administered and monitored, including credit control.

• Support the project accountants in the provision of information for the estimates.

• Advise on the proper allocation of resources.

• Ensure that appropriate financial regulations and controls are in place and in use at all times.

• Prepare and review detailed budgets for approval by the management and development partners.

• Make regular reports to the management, donors and development partners on income, expenditure and any variations from budgets

· Grants Management

• Oversight and coordination of the ICL’s grant portfolio.

• Work with selected partners to ensure budgets are in line with programmatic, cost and feasibility criteria

• Prepare grant award documents for approval, this will include: grant agreements, negotiation memorandums and modifications.

Resource Mobilization and Sustainability

• Facilitate the organization’s funding base to secure present and future service delivery.

• Liaise and negotiate, as appropriate, with the development partners and donors and other funding sources on future service delivery initiatives and developments in conjunction with the Management.

• Maintain appropriate relations with Donors and development partners and make reports as necessary, ensuring compliance with any contracts.

Finance Reporting

• Participate in reviewing the goals and objectives as set out in the scope of work

• Compile finance reports (narrative and data) and submit them to the CEO as per the set deadlines

• Track the overall performance of programme, through coordinating preparation of quarterly activity plans and monthly & quarterly performance reviews

Audit and Compliance

• Prepare close-out documentation at end of funding cycles in compliance with donor and government regulations.

• Ensure procurement procedures are in alignment with ICL policies and donor requirements.

• Ensure implementation of audit recommendations

• Implement financial policies in accordance with international donor standards, rules and Regulations and local financial regulations.**

Any other duties and responsibilities in line with the organization Mission and Vision**

Minimum qualification, Education and experience

1. Master’s degree in Commerce, Accounting, Finance or other relevant fields.

2. Professional accountancy qualification (Certified Public Accountants – CPA, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – ACCA, or equivalent membership of a recognized professional accountancy organization in good standing).

3. A minimum of 7 years of experience in Finance with 3 years at managerial level with a strong background in grants management

4. A minimum of 7 years of experience supervising overall operations of donor-funded activities (e.g. teams of human resource, logistics, grant/contract, and finance staff).

5. Excellent financial management skills with strong analytical and computer skills, with emphasis on budgeting and financial analysis.

6. In-depth understanding and experience of working with proposals and contracts from donors. Experience of complex planning and budgeting processes including the ability to provide clear guidance on donor policies and procedures

7. Must have previously managed large complex projects of both DfID, USAID, EU and UN Funding.

8. Proficiency in accounting packages and systems including NaVision

Desirable skills

1. Skilled at and passionate about supporting the use of data for decision-making, strategizing and course correction

2. Experience with using supportive approaches to building capacity of fellow colleagues to accurately record, document, report and use data

3. Team building skills