The Finance Officer provides financial services ensuring high quality, accuracy, and consistency of financial reports in accordance with CIFOR-ICRAF internal financial as well as donor guidelines. Review pre-award proposal budgets and ensure full cost recovery methodology is followed to cover CIFOR-ICRAF non-research expenses and specific research unit’s costs. Support the annual CIFOR-ICRAF’s annual Program of Work and Budget process in compliance with current policies and procedures. Implement financial processes, methodologies, procedures in OCS related to budgeting, forecast, analysis of variances and financial reporting at the institutional level. To ensure that CIFOR-ICRAF policies on full cost recovery and laid down donor regulations are adhered to in all donor proposal budgets.

Duties and responsibilities

1.Pre-Award proposal development

• Develop proposal budgets and budget narratives
  in collaboration with the Resource mobilization Team and the Research Teams.
  
• Review and advise on the project proposal/budget preparation regarding compliance issues for all prospective sources of funding.
  
• Ensure
  an accurate full cost recovery methodology to cover CIFOR_ICRAF non-research
  expenses and specific research units’ costs.
  
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of relevant donor policies, regulations, and procedures.
  
• To ensure the organization’s policies on full cost recovery and laid down donor regulations are adhered to in all donor proposal budgets.
  

• Monitoring
  of the Centre funds budgets and expenditures; and work closely with PI in
  updating the projection of center funds.
  
• Prepare
  financial updates and analysis of centre funds and share the report with PI.
  
• Support
  Finance Manager in preparation of centre funds’ performance report and follow
  up any correction action that are required from the respective units.
  
• Monitor
  the workflow status of budget input in the system and follow up to the
  respective units.
  
• Liaise with System
  Development Team to solve any technical issue in the budget system
  
• Monitor
  the status of high probability proposals in collaboration with Resource
  Mobilization and Research Team.
  
• Ensure
  the CIFOR-ICRAF Rolling budget is up to date.
  
• Provide
  ad hoc report and gather information from the system to support the analysis on
  the centre funds and annual budget.
  

• Support
  Finance Manager in preparation of performance reports and analysis including
  funding status and CIFOR-ICRAF burn rate consequently indicating indirect cost
  recovery.
  
• Monitor
  the burn rate status under unit / region that are assigned, provide the
  analysis, and report to the Senior Finance Officer
  
• Collaborate
  with the Grants Accounting Team in providing necessary reports and in analyzing
  of grants burn rates and indirect cost recovery status.
  
• Contribute
  to the discussions with relevant stakeholders on planning and monitoring of
  interventions to keep the various teams and projects on budget
  
• Support
  Finance Manager in the preparation of all reports (including ad hoc reports),
  information and data required or requested by ILMG and the Board of Trustees.
  
• Initiate and participate in the development and implementation of reporting platforms and templates within OCS and other platforms for the different stakeholders. 
  

4. Internal
Controls

• Implement internal control
  systems that ensure CIFOR_ICRAF attains its objectives, produce accurate and
  reliable data for decision making.
  
  

Education, knowledge and experience

Requirements
Minimum Academic and Professional Qualifications
University education in accounting with more than 5 years of relevant experience
Experience in financial and accounting services
Experience in budgeting and project management
Fluent in written and spoken English
Familiar with donor reporting
Strong computer skills in word processing, databases and other relevant office applications.

Terms and conditions

Terms and conditions
This is a Locally Recruited Position (LRS). CIFOR-ICRAF offers competitive remuneration in local currency commensurate with skills and experience.
The initial appointment will be for two (2) years, with a six-month probationary period, with the possibility of extension contingent upon performance, continued relevance of the position and available resources.
The duty station will be in Nairobi, Kenya CIFOR-ICRAF Offices.