Regional Budget Manager – West Africa

IRC’s Crisis Response, Recovery and Development (CRRD) department focuses on various relief, rehabilitation, and development programs for refugees, internally displaced persons and those affected by conflict in different regions worldwide. Each region is managed by a regional team that oversees the region’s country programs, headed by a Regional Vice President (RVP) and Deputy Regional Director (DRD), and supported by a Regional Grants Director (RGD). These programs focus on different sectors, including health; water and sanitation; children and youth protection and development; protection; gender-based violence protection; economic development; civil society development; community-driven reconstruction; and refugee camp management.

Scope:

In the West Africa Region (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone) IRC responds to acute and longer-term needs with integrated programs that improve health and safety, prioritize children’s education, foster economic wellbeing, and empower communities to regain control over their lives.

Where additional support is required by the countries in the region, the Regional Budget Manager will be deployed to work as part of the finance/budgeting and grants teams in country offices. S/he may be deployed to act as a temporary Budget Manager, or to provide surge support to assist in the development of proposals as well as donor financial reports, and to perform general budgeting functions during peak periods. The Regional Budget Manager reports to the Regional Grants Director and works closely with the Regional Business Development and the Regional Program Support Teams as well as country office staff. The position will be preferably based within the West Africa region, or a European or African country where IRC has an office, with frequent travel to country programs within the region for in-country assignments.

Major Responsibilities:

The Regional Budget Manager will be assigned to support specific country programs and will be responsible for the following:

• Lead or support on budget development for proposals and award modifications.

• Coordinate on inputs into proposal or modification budgets for submission to donor and ensure adequate coverage of country operating costs or headquarters costs.

• Work with country finance, operations and technical teams to ensure cost proposals and technical proposals are aligned.

• Coordinate with the proposal team on strategic issues involving proposal budgets. Ensure that the proposal team is educated on donor requirements for cost proposals (budgets).

• Ensure proposal and modification budgets comply with IRC organizational policies.

• Review, edit and finalize explanatory budget narrative to accompany budget in proposal or modification.

• Create and/or modify budget spreadsheet templates in accordance with donor requirements.

• Conduct internal budget reviews during proposal or modification period.

• Lead on engagement with partners on their budgets and review partner budgets.

• Advise on IRC’s standard budget templates.

• Ensure proposal and modification budgets are reviewed and submitted according to internal timelines and donor submission deadlines.

• Ensure compliance with RFP/RFA/tender requirements.

• Lead on or support the preparation of donor financial reports

• Support on other budget related tasks, including audit support and report responses, as requested.

• Provide training and/or capacity building to relevant country office staff on proposal budget development, financial reporting, and other finance related matters.

Qualifications

• Degree (minimum BA) in Business, Accounting, Finance, or related field relevant to the position requirements;

• 3-5 years’ experience in developing and managing budgets for humanitarian and development proposals and projects, including from private and statutory donors (e.g. US Government (USAID, BHA, BPRM, etc.), FCDO/DFID, ECHO, GFFO, Sida, SDC, Irish Aid, etc.;

• Experience in developing and reviewing donor financial reports;

• Excellent Microsoft Excel skills;

• Enhanced interpersonal skills and ability to work in a diverse team setting;

• Fluent English written and verbal communication skills, Strong French communication skills also required

• Ability and willingness to travel across the region (at least 60% of the time),

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize high volumes of work to meet tight deadlines.