The Global Programmes Operations unit (GPOU) provides high quality and efficient financial and administrative services to support project and programme delivery. These services include, amongst others, support in financial planning, budget development, contracting (with donors, implementing partners and consultants), procurement, donor reporting and cost center management. The unit is also responsible for administration workflows and for leading system and process initiatives that lead to greater operational efficiency in the areas of project finance and administration across the Secretariat.

BESTLIFE2030 is a sub-granting facility targeting stakeholders of the EU’s Outermost Regions (ORs) and associated Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) that aims to fund projects that will ensure impact on the ground and will ultimately demonstrate the commitment of the EU Overseas towards the successful implementation of regional and global biodiversity strategies. The purpose of the position is to support on the provision of financial and administrative services to the facility and to develop the function in line with anticipated growth and to ensure optimal service delivery.

The Grants Finance Officer is expected to build a business partner relationship with the Partners and Teams involved in the implementation of BESTLIFE2030 and the relevant managers in order to gain a thorough understanding of the facility, as well as manage their challenges and expectations.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY

The Grants Finance Officer will support the Senior Manager, Grants Finance in developing and delivering effective and efficient finance and administration services to the implantation of BESTLIFE2030, while ensuring:

• Consistent application of relevant IUCN financial and administration procedures throughout grant making mechanisms in areas such as budgeting, cost recovery, procurement, time recording, contract management, thereby ensuring integrity of financial information and operational processes;
• Fiduciary and Quality assurance of IUCN financial processes across the programme and making sure that donor contractual conditions are met.



SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall supervision and direct management of the Senior Manager, Grants Finance, the Grants Finance Officer will have the following specific responsibilities:


BESTLIFE2030 Financial and Administrative responsibility

• Ensure that regular tasks are performed to meet IUCN’s internal procedures; such as time tracking, consistent cost recovery and overheads charging, financial and contractual data archiving, etc.
• Ensure the maintenance of up-to-date financial and administrative data in appropriate systems (Award Vision, Project Portal, etc.) including grant budgets, internal agreements, implementing partner agreements, etc.
• Review and assess the budgets of grant applicants in collaboration with programme technical staff.
• Review and accept financial reports in collaboration with programme technical staff.
• Ensure that all donor contractual requirements in respect of finance and reporting are respected through sound monitoring and oversight, and liaison with the donor, partners, and other related parties.
• Ensure and safeguard timely and efficient financial reporting to the donor. Track and follow up on reporting deadlines/submissions with project managers and partners.
• Manage and support the audits of the facility, both for IUCN and for grantees and partners where applicable.
• Supervise and ensure timely and efficient contract clearance processes (implementing partners, consultancy, internal agreements).
• Support procurement processes, including preparing requests for proposals, analysing submissions and awarding contracts in collaboration with the project team.
• Liaise and coordinate with colleagues to ensure a consistent approach to grant finance and administrational procedures across IUCN offices.



Institutional transversal support

• Provide training and support to staff and other stakeholders in the area of grant finance management and budget development, including support on the use of financial systems and procedures, and in items specific to the facility.
• Contribute to the development of global procedures and standards to support the effective management of grant making programmes (Grant-making operations manual, standard templates, guidelines, etc.).
• Contribute to the development of financial systems in areas such as contractual procedures, time tracking and reporting management, budget development and reporting.



Other responsibilities

• As required, the Grants Finance Officer shall assume responsibility for other activities and projects that the Senior Manager, Grants Finance and Head of Office in Brussels may assign from time to time.


The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in a small organisation such as IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that are reasonably allocated to them but which are not part of their regular job description. Where any task becomes a regular part of an employee's responsibilities, the job description will be changed in consultation with the employee and the Human Resources Management Group.