Overview
The Finance & Awards Manager ensures financial policies, procedures, and controls are implemented in accordance with organizational and donor regulations. The role supports financial asset safeguarding and sub-grant management, including donor compliance and capacity building for staff and partners.
Key Responsibilities
- Verify project advance/payment expenses and process partner/consultant payments.
- Adhere to the SCI financial calendar for expense posting and reconciliation.
- Notify relevant staff of award ending dates to ensure timely submission of payments/expenses.
- Update cash book and perform bank reconciliations.
- Clear advances, receivables, and payables for GCF in due time.
- Conduct periodical finance visits to partners and verify their financial reports.
- Maintain a comprehensive filing system for finance records.
- Map donor compliances to mitigate disallowance risks.
- Load budgets to Agresso and ensure GCF Award is mapped with CAM DEA.
- Phase SOF loader budgets for monitoring and forecasting.
- Provide inputs for Master Budget and Country Annual Plan.
- Send BvA to BHs and donor financial reports to the Award team.
- Lead BvA review meetings and prepare donor budgets.
- Ensure partner budgets and expenditures align with PAA and reports are submitted on time.
- Track and submit government co-financing reports.
- Reconcile expenses account-based on SOF and Activity code with budget holders.
- Support Finance Director and COP in maintaining and updating the financial portfolio management database.
- Analyze financial portfolio for decision-making.
- Prepare and submit cash requests monthly.
- Conduct regular surprise cash counts for field offices.
- Review and reconcile petty cash books for Area offices.
- Develop audit ToRs and coordinate with auditors for external audits.
- Facilitate audits at SCI and partner offices.
- Draft responses to auditors’ findings and implement recommendations.
- Engage with RCD for internal compliances.
- Ensure award kick-off meetings are conducted and follow up on project implementation progress.
- Identify and mitigate award risks.
- Support the Awards manager in partner visits.
- Ensure partner capacity-building plans are implemented.
- Ensure staff understand donor requirements and expectations.
- Ensure reports, M&E, and quality assurance systems comply with donor requirements.
- Flag potential issues and amendment requests promptly.
- Design, review, and deliver annual training plans for finance team members and field staff.
- Manage finance team, providing leadership and technical support.
- Develop and implement financial skills training for non-accounting staff, government officials, and stakeholders.
- Provide finance induction training to new staff and stakeholders.
- Visit provincial offices to provide training.
- Coordinate and develop Finance training plans for partners.
- Approve timesheets for supervisees.
- Assist in preparing and reviewing Monthly Fund Request for GCF.
- Ensure donor financial reports are accurate and in line with donor templates.
- Monitor reporting schedules and submit reports on time.
- Ensure partners understand report templates and submit reports on time.
- Assist Finance Director in developing CO level finance manual, budgeting, reporting, policies, and procedures.
- Assist Finance Director to manage the financial planning and analysis section.
- Inform COP of any irregularities in financial operations.
- Coordinate and ensure partner assessments are conducted before signing sub-grants.
- Take part in updating partner guidelines.
- Work closely with Manager –Awards on Award management and donor compliance.
- Ensure child safeguarding is integrated into management processes.
Required Experience
- At least 5-7 years’ experience in financial management, preferably in international organizations, INGOs and/or bilateral organization.
- Solid understanding of Laos government system and international development area.
- Excellent understanding of business and financial planning including strategic modelling.
- Excellent analytical skills.
- Excellent understanding of financial systems and procedures.
- Excellent experience of computerized accounts packages, Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
- Proven knowledge and skills in staff management.
- Demonstrated experience of line management, with good facilitation and capacity building skills.
- Willingness to travel, at times in difficult conditions.
- Ability to work independently.
Qualifications
• M. COM, B. COM, MBA, BBA, CPA, CIMA, ACCA
