Grants and Contracts Manager (Open to Ugandan Nationals Only)

PROGRAMME/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Uganda, including 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 Finance Director and the Program Teams to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Director of Finance, the Grants and Contracts Manager is responsible for all grants budgeting, budget monitoring and reporting, monitor and make sure grants spending’s are as per the donor and Mercy Corps regulations, review and monitor sub grants and sub grantees to ensure spending’s are in compliance with the terms and conditions of the sub grant agreement. He/she is also responsible for tracking sub grants and sub grantee requirements and for maintaining all sub grants and contracts financial files. Tracks contracts and procurements for all grants and programs.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

§ Conduct sub grants pre-award assessments and recommends for substantial involvements and compliance requirements and modifications to the sub grant agreement and/or monitoring plan to lessen financial and compliance risks.

§ Follow up, collect and review sub grantees financial reports and fund requests, keep up-to-date records and report all sub grantees financial status. Review sub grantees financial reports for correctness, completeness, timeliness and compliance.

§ Perform site financial review or audit and report findings with recommendation to the supervisor, communicate agreed upon findings to the sub grantees and follow up its implementation.

§ Handle subgrants close-outs ensuring that all requirements of the subgrant agreement have been met and that subgrant funds have been properly settled.

§ Follow up all grant compliance issues and document all required information.

§ Provide on-going training and support to subgrantees and Mercy Corps program and finance staff on Mercy Corps and respective donor’s rules and regulations.

§ Responsible for Grant and budgets management and production of monthly budgets vs actual reports in a timely manner.

§ Closely monitor all grants to ensure that no grants are overspent or under spent. Prepare regular expenditure projections to ensure that the budgets at all times have sufficient funds to cover fixed costs of the office and program expenses for the duration of the grant. Verify correct coding of expenditure

§ Review and track all grants/budget purchases and contracts and other commitments. Update the contracts and communicate monthly.

§ Follow up VAT regulations for the VAT/DUTY taxes exemptions, reimbursements and reporting to USAID and other donors as per their specific requirements.

§ Identify any shortfalls in shared cost budget coverage and ensure new budgets cover the appropriate percentage of shared costs.

§ Participate in preparation of operating and grant budgets.

§ Train field managers on budget tracking, review burn rates and provide advise if spending is not happening according to plan.

§ Make frequent field visit and work with the program manager to ensure grant implementation is on course.

§ Ensuring donor regulations are adhered to for all aspects of the operations

§ Maintain all donor files and ensure they are well labeled, fully updated with all contracts, submitted reports, governing clauses and all other relevant documents.

§ Ensure all grants are closed in a timely manner and that all financial reports are submitted on time. Follow the finance manual to be in full compliance with Mercy Corps’s requirements.

§ Be adaptable and flexible to take board new tasks and new assignments as requested from time to time.

§ Ensure compliance with GAAPs, Ugandan and US law and standard accounting practice.

§ Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

§ Assist other finance functions when ever need arises.

§ Any other tasks to be assigned by the supervisor.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

§ A BA/S or equivalent in accounting or finance is required.

§ 8years experience in grants, financial and contracts management.

§ Adequate understanding of donor rules and regulations is required.

§ Three years international NGO/PVO experience is preferred.

§ Demonstrated experience and skill with budget preparation and analysis, financial reports preparation and presentation and proven ability to translate technical financial data into informative reports.

§ Strong accounting skills and experience, including management of the general ledger, journal entries, payroll, payables and balance sheet.

§ Advanced computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel

§ Prior management experience and strong organizational skills

§ Excellent oral and written English skills

§ Willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps and sub grantees field offices and project sites approximately 50%.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

§ Ability to support programmatic objectives with timely and meaningful financial information is essential.

§ A demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and process information in support of changing program activities is necessary.

§ An impeccable professional standard of finance and procurement ethics as well as the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures is essential.