Summary
Date Posted: Monday, August 16, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Senior Finance and Sub Grants Officer( 6-months)
Job Category: Finance & Compliance
Requisition Number: SENIO001831

About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2008 and has built a robust and diverse portfolio working to enable Kenyans affected by poverty, resource scarcity and conflict to be healthy, productive and to drive peace and development of their communities. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen market and governance systems, innovate urban youth employment opportunities, address the root causes of conflict, and build the resilience of vulnerable populations - in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized communities.
The Program/Department
The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Nairobi, Lodwar, Marsabit, Wajir, Garissa, Mombasa, Maralal, and Isiolo for the following functions; accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. In its role as a support to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.
The Position
The Senior Finance and Sub Grants Officer works under the guidance and supervision of the Kenya Country Finance Director and with direct interaction with the Program leads, Managers, Finance and Sub grants staff specific to respective programs without substantive Finance & Grants team, Consortium Members and the Mercy Corps Finance Team. The Senior Finance and Sub Grants Officer is expected to be an integral part of the senior management team in-country and work closely with the management, technical and operations field and country teams in Kenya.

Essential Responsibilities
Grant Administration
• Conduct day to day management and implementation of the grants work plan under Mercy Corps.
• Propose revisions to grant processes and procedures based on experience and lessons learned and coordinate proposed changes with the Program Manager(s) and Finance and Compliance Director.
• Responsible for the preparation of monthly and quarterly reports for grant activities that feed into the overall program report.
• Draft the agreements less than the value drafted by HQ.
• Review the agreements drafted by HQ.
• Ensure that grant activities comply with Mercy Corps internal policies and procedures, as well as Donor rules and regulations.
• Participate in the development and implementation of the program’s annual work plans.
• Manage and Support Finance team with other grants or finance sector activities.
• Coordinate expenditure verification and project audits
• Ensure that field staff are familiar with grants management procedures.
• Lead and support the partners budget development during proposal development
PRE-AWARD
• Conduct a pre-award assessment for pre-approved sub-recipients.
• Work closely with the technical team to identify potential areas of support, eligibility and evaluation criteria.
• Work with selected grantees to ensure budgets are in line with program activities and that costs are reasonable, allowable and allocable.
• Conduct due diligence assessments on all grants including business feasibility, evaluate environmental requirements and document negotiation process for all prospective grantees.
• Work closely with the M&E Team in developing M&E plans to ensure that they are contributing to specific indicators and outcomes
POST-AWARD
• Conduct post-award trainings for the sub-recipients on grants administration, applicable donor regulations and reporting requirements.
• Identify sub-recipient/grantee capacity building needs and provide technical assistance where needed and trainings to assure compliance.
• Review sub-recipient/grant reports for accuracy and completeness and regularly monitor their budgets vis-a-vis financial reports and process payments/reimbursements as appropriate.
• Conduct grantee site visits as appropriate including financial monitoring of grants and cost share to ensure proper accounting of grant funds awarded.
• Maintain complete and accurate files for all sub-recipient/grant files as per the Field Finance Manual.
• Input the financial reports in Navigator and reconciling them regularly.
• Serve as primary point of contact for all correspondence and notifications to grant applicants and grantees.
CLOSE-OUT
• Coordinate the close-out of sub-recipients/grants. This will involve preparing relevant close-out documents for approval such as disposition documentation, modification agreements on close out, close out checklists, release of liability documentation etc.
• Any other duties as may be assigned.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Finance and Compliance Director
Works Directly With: Program Director/Team Lead, Deputy Team Lead Program Managers, Country Finance/Grants Teams, Program Teams, Implementing Partners and HR and Operations departments.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
• A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics or relevant field; advanced degree preferred.
• Professional accounting certification CPA(K).
• At least four (4) years of demonstrated professional experience managing grants, subcontracts, procurement and compliance with donor regulations, preferably Donor-funded projects.
• Strong accounting skills and experience in management of the general ledger, journal entries, payables and balance sheet.
• Demonstrated experience applying clauses and negotiating without heavy management oversight including developing amendments and modifications as a result of negotiations.
• Experience providing capacity-building training to staff and local organizations.
• Proven abilities in analytical, excel and reporting skills.
• Required competencies and skills:
o Grants Administration
• Knowledge and application of best practices in grant management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial and management systems, regulations and reporting requirements. Evidence of ability to be creative and flexile within those requirements.
• Analytical capabilities with accounting procedures and processes for structuring projects.
• Knowledge of grants management software and information technology skills.
o Management and Communications
• Ability to communicate technical, budgetary and program details to staff, grantees and applicants.
• Ability to design and implement effective workflow processes and procedures.
• Capability to foster an atmosphere which recognizes and respects cultural and individual differences.
Success Factors
The Senior Finance and Sub-Grants Officer will have proven abilities in analytical and reporting skills with sound judgement in regards to budget, financial analysis and manage of program issues. S/he will have the ability to communicate and interact effectively across diverse program teams and support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful information.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in either Nairobi with regular travel to the field offices.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Education Requirement: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 48

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Job application procedure
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Mercy Corps does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.
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