Grant Specialist (GS) at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) - 3 Positions

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 100 countries. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity, or nationality. As CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs, strengthening and building the capacity of partner organizations is fundamental to the work of CRS. CRS re-established presence in Nigeria in 2000 and currently focuses on health, vulnerable children, agriculture, extractives and governance, and peace building programming.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: Grant Specialist (GS)

Location: Abuja
Department: Global Fund (GF)
Position Band
Reports to: D-1
Grants Manager
Slot: 3

Primary Responsibility
The Grants Specialist (GS) will ensure that CRS/Nigeria complies with GF regulations and CRS Agency’s Finance Policies and Procedure and Principle of stewardship.

Specific Responsibilities
Financial Management:

• Assist program managers (PMs) in budget review and quarterly cash forecasting.
• Report sub-agreement commitments to be recorded in CRS accounting system.
• Review and process the issuance of project advances in accordance with CRS and GF policies and procedures.
• Ensure Project Holder advances are liquidated on timely manner and they are within allotted liquidation timeframe as per CRS policy.
• Assist in the preparation of detailed project budget vs. actual comparison report, including Sub-Recipients expenditures for program and management review on monthly basis.
• Assist in the preparations of donor financial reports timely, accurately and in accordance with terms and conditions outlined in the grant agreement.

Compliance Management:

• Verify sub-recipients’ financial reports and associated support documentations and recommend for liquidation and/or reimbursement in accordance with Donor, CRS policies and procedures and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Report any fraudulent activities, observed as part of the review to the Unit Head immediately.
• Ensure sub-recipients advances are liquidated on timely manner and they are within allotted liquidation timeframe as per CRS policy.
• Prepare sub-recipients aging report for program and management review on monthly basis.
• Provide onsite training to sub-recipient’s finance staff when required.
• Travel to the field, to visit sub-recipient when required.
• Ensure project’s files both in hard and electronic copies are up to date and properly archived.
• Collaborate with program managers to document in project files, a justification for delays in; Issuing project advances; and liquidating the advances; so as to improve partner monitoring and follow up processes.
• Sub-recipients Financial Assessment, monitoring and financial support
• Lead the assessments of all sub-recipients using HQ Finance’s checklists to have a stratification of the sub-recipients for Country Program. An A-133 sub-recipient can be rated as high risk by CRS MPI, based upon its A-133 audit results, even if it fares well during the assessment.
• Assist the sub-recipients in preparing a Corrective Action Plan within sixty calendar days of the assessment or monitoring visit that addresses each of the identified weaknesses in any of the ten assessed areas scored below 75%.
• Assist program managers in making sure that the sub recipients address all issues listed in the Corrective Acton Plan in a timely manner.
• Ensure sub-recipients have in place and adheres to a schedule of planned monitoring visits of sub-recipients during each year. The basis for the selection, timing and frequency of its monitoring visits should be properly documented.
• Ensure financial and programming staffs participate in the financial monitoring, including site visits, of sub-recipient activities. The trip reports must indicate the monitoring steps performed, the processes reviewed, and the result of the testing and reviews.
• Ensure all monitors prepare and submit a written trip report for each visit to a sub-recipient.
• Review and analyze monitoring reports on a timely manner and sign off for further follow-up and record for at least three years after the related grant or project has expired.

Financial Reporting:

• In collaboration with the Grants Manager, play active part during monthly/annual financial reporting closure.
• Liaise with the program unit on deliverables required to meet month/year end closure timelines.
• Liaise with the administration department on deliverables require to meet   month end closure timelines, such as review of VMS and SUN reconciliation, monthly personal vehicle usage computation and preparing the facility allocation table.
• Ensure monthly preparation of partners ageing report for presentation to senior management.

Statutory Reporting:

• Ensure monthly preparation of the financial component of National Planning Commission report.

Audit:

• Ensure project documents for both programming and financial records, are readily available for internal/external reviewers.
• Attend and facilitate donor representative visits, especially for financial reviewers when required.
• Assist Unit Head in the follow up and closure of the CP internal and external audit findings associated with local partners.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

Key Working Relationships

• Internal: GF Program Manager(s), Grants Manager, Operations Manager, GF Program Director, GF program and finance staff.
• External: Auditor(s), donor representative(s)

Qualifications and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or its equivalent
• Associate member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
• MBA in Finance or Business Administration.
• Minimum of four years of relevant experience, preferably with an international organization.
• Must be a mature, motivated, problem solving individual with high levels of initiative.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong internal relationship management and analytical skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. 
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrate high level of initiative, diplomacy and tact.
• Excellent knowledge of computer software – MS Office (PowerPoint and Excel especially);
• Must be flexible and be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Application Closing Date
12th December, 2016.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should download the "Application Form Below" and send with a detailed 3-page resume in a single file word document to: [email protected]

Click here to download Application Form (MS Word)

Note

• Title of the position and desired location must be stated as the subject of the email e.g. Grant Specialist - Abuja.
• Applications sent in the required format will be considered and only short listed candidates will be contacted.