PROJECT FINANCE MANAGER

Womankindis recruiting for the role of Projects Finance Manager to join its dynamic staff team based in their North London offices (home based during COVID-19). The successful candidate will play a vital role in helping Womankind manage its many overseas projects and achieve its organisational objectives.

We are looking for an experienced accountant with a proven track record in managing project grants and contracts, dealing with a diverse group of stakeholders, and who is interested in ensuring equal rights for women everywhere.

The role provides administration and financial management services to the portfolio of project grants and contracts that are made and administered by Womankind. The role is responsible for ensuring effective and timely administration of donor and partners' agreements through the project life cycle.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced accountant wanting to make a difference for the women's rights movement.

Overall Purpose

The Projects Finance Manager (PFM) is a key member of the Finance & Resources Team and will be expected to work closely with the all the other Teams across the organisation. The role is tasked with leading and coordinating the financial operations, management, and administration of Womankind's portfolio of projects.

The PFM is responsible for leading on project financial development, contract compliance, project reporting and financial management across Womankind's portfolio of women's rights projects, in line with the Womankind Project Cycle Management (PCM) Manual and approach, as well as providing timely and accurate financial information and monitoring income and expenditure of all grants and contracts and identifying any over/under expenditure, and making recommendations to resolve these.

As PFM, you will be able to juggle competing and time-bound priorities and to build effective relationships with colleagues across the organisation and with partner organisations in the UK and internationally.

The PFM will be expected to be proactive in providing integrated contract, financial and compliance expertise to a portfolio of Womankind work, throughout the project cycle: from due diligence with partners, funding proposals, project inception and interim reporting, through to final donor reporting and project close-out.

The PFM is a member of Womankind's Finance & Resources Team, which is made up of the Finance Officer, Office & HR Manager, Management Accountant and Director of Finance and Resources. The role reports to the Director Finance & Resources and has no direct report responsibility.

This role is tasked with delivering five key areas of responsibility, as detailed below:

Responsibilities

1. Projects Cycle Management (75%)

• Work with partners in our focus countries to develop budgets for concepts/proposals, ensuring the inclusion of Womankind costs. Make recommendations for improvements and liaise with the Womankind teams and partners in our focus countries to ensure these are complete, accurate, and consistent with the narrative.

• Prepare Project Cooperation Agreements (PCAs) with Womankind partners. Lead on consortium/partner agreements, ensuring compliance with UK donor requirements and identification and management of risk for each Project undertaken.

• Work with partners in our focus countries to develop donor financial reports, ensuring compliance with donor requirements, that the reports are produced on time and to a high standard and are consistent with the narrative.
• Review of contractual performance of projects with Project Lead, proactively working to address financial/compliance issues; escalate risks and issues to line manager when needed
• Manage the process of claims from Donors including ensuring timely submission of all claims in line with project requirements, as required by donor contracts and internal sub-grant agreements.
• Verify requests for transfers to partners, ensuring sufficient cashflow for projects, including Womankind pre-financing
• Develop donor and internal sub-grant agreements with Agencies, and other partners, including (but not limited to) those that include co-financing.
• Design, implement and as needed, improve already-existing quality controls to ensure compliance with donor requirements, including manuals, checklists, templates, and other tools.
• Develop financial processes, controls and guidelines for donor commercial contracts.
• Ensure that donor and Womankind rules are being adhered to regarding procurement, accounting, project expenditure, and implementation of activities through regular engagement with project partners.
• Develop, in collaboration with the programme/partnerships team, and implement an annual monitoring and internal (in-person or remote) spot check schedule on specific projects including Spend Rate monitoring & reforecasting.
• Develop, deliver and continuously update training and reference material on grants management, including procurement, donor regulations, IATI, finance and reporting for Programme, Finance, and other field-based staff, and act as a resource for agencies/field units with regards to donor regulation compliance.
• Prepare audit schedules and attend to external auditors for financial audits of grants.
• Provision of finance and contracts technical expertise, guidance and support to colleagues within Womankind and to our partners in Africa and South Asia.
• Undertake hands on technical assistance visits to partners in Africa and Asia, in liaison with the Policy, Programmes & Learning team, as required.

2. Projects Financial Reporting & Processes (15%)

• Ensure robust financial systems, procedures and controls are in place for the entire life cycle of grants, properly documented, regularly reviewed and efficiently used
• Ensure all Womankind grant transactions are reflected accurately each month and produce timely management reports, data and analysis.
• Ensure monthly reconciliations of all grant funds are completed in a timely manner.
• Maintain a monthly cash flow projection for Womankind grant transactions and jointly with the projects teams, regularly review and analyse grants.
• Ensure internal budgets and financial reports relating to the grants portfolio are robust and meet requirements.
• Monitor spending on grants and escalate significant under or overspend on a timely basis.
• Ensure cost recoveries from grants are made and monitored against budgets and that new funding opportunities include provision for Womankind to cover its costs, where possible.
• Own and develop internal tools that track the active grants portfolio, secured and pipeline funding, reporting schedule and other compliance, cost recoveries and cash balances and ensure they are kept up-to-date.
• Generate financial analysis, forecasting, back-up papers and reports and produce effective synthesis for management decision-making, Board and Finance and Resources Committee submissions and other reporting requirements
• To contribute to ensuring that team members across the organisation follow Womankind's financial systems, policies, and procedures.

3. Financial Planning (3%)

• Support the annual budget and forecasting process, under the leadership of the Director of Finance & Resources.
• Work with The Management Accountant on the preparation of Management Accounts and Mid-Year Forecasts

4. Audit, internal controls and risk (7%)

• Contribute on programme finance to all audits and statutory compliance in line with UK and Womankind regulations and compliance requirements and respond to Audit queries for projects and the organisation.
• Prepare the programme finance elements of the Womankind statutory financial statements and supporting working papers.
• Manage follow up of external audits of Womankind on programme finance and compliance related matters.
• Ensure that Womankind is up to date on all programme finance related financial regulations, rules, procedures, formats, compliance, reporting requirements and that the Finance Manual and Project Cycle Management Manual reflects these changes.
• Manage and oversee internal financial control policies and procedures related to Womankind grants.
• Carry out the due diligence assessments and updates on potential partners
• Manage the section of the Womankind risk register that relates to programme finances

Undertake other responsibilities not outlined above which are commensurate with a role of this nature - including providing cover within the Team - and which have been discussed and agreed with your line manager.

• All team members are expected to contribute towards developing a supportive working environment, and to demonstrate their commitment to Womankind's values on an ongoing basis. Team members are expected to exhibit professionalism, respect for colleagues, transparency and accountability and to uphold quality standards as outlined in Womankind's policies and procedures.

Person Specification

The post holder must be committed to the mission, vision, values, and aims of Womankind Worldwide.

Essential Knowledge

• Part qualified accountant (CIMA, ACA, ACCA) or equivalent
• Clear understanding of international NGOs' common compliance, accounting and reporting requirements, including in relation to grants from key donors
• Understanding of Value For Money principles and their application to international grant funded programming
• Clear knowledge and understanding of Charity Fund accounting, SORP 2005 & the Companies Act
• Programme monitoring and reporting
• Understanding and experience of development issues and organisations
• Knowledge of accounting software systems

Essential Experience and Skills

• Good experience of financial management and inter-departmental budgeting in the international NGO sector, including computerised accounting systems
• Experience of leading and providing support on international programmes l management, from project development through to donor contract management and compliance
• Sound analytical and technical skills in financial accounting and ability to produce and interpret financial statements and reports
• Experience of working with fundraising colleagues to identify the financial aspects of donor calls and develop the financials of project proposals
• Strong presentation skills and interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to influence and negotiate effectively
• Experience working effectively in multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural teams
• Experience of developing and maintaining financial and administrative operational systems, schedules and reporting

• Experience working with DFID or equivalent and familiarity with the various compliance rules and regulations

• Experience of the preparation and review of grants and contracts and their administration
• Experience of programme budgeting and accounting including cost recovery modelling, cash flow management and reporting

• Proven ability to prioritise in a demanding environment with multiple accountabilities, and to tight deadlines
• Experience of delivering training, coaching and / or capacity building support
• Ability to travel to programme countries in Africa and South Asia and other international destinations as and when required, estimated 4-6 weeks per year
• The ability to originate, introduce and be open to, new practices, concepts, ideas and change and to demonstrate your commitment to personal development
• Highly organised, flexible and able to function with a high degree of autonomy

• Honesty and integrity, including desire to accept ownership and accountability, whilst getting things done well and meeting challenging goals

Essential personal attributes

• Ability and willingness to travel internationally, up to 4 - 6 weeks per year

Desirable

• Experience of working with others in multi-disciplinary teams
• Experience of working and living in Africa or South Asia
• Experience of delivering technical assistance to NGOs in Africa or South Asia
• Ability to review and develop financial systems and procedures

Terms and conditions

Hours

35 hours

Salary

£42 353

Contract

Permanent

Probationary period

6 months

Holidays

25 days per annum plus statutory holidays and Christmas break

Pension

Womankind has a contributory pension scheme in place

How to apply

To apply for this position please complete an application form by clicking an 'apply for this job' button below.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret we will not be able to respond personally to applicants who are not short-listed. If you have not heard from us within three weeks from the closing date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Closing date for applications: Monday, 14 September 2020, 12:00 noon

First round interviews: TBC

Second round interviews: TBC