Programme Finance Accountant - ADB Project (3 yrs fixed term contract)
Aga Khan Foundation
The position
To lead the financial management & oversight of the ADB project, ensuring timely, accurate & compliant financial accounting, reporting, and oversight. The role will support the delivery of all financial aspects of the ADB project, including donor reporting, reconciliations, cost recovery, budgeting, and compliance, in close collaboration with programme colleagues & the wider AKF(UK) finance team. To contribute to the financial management of AKF(UK)'s wider programme portfolio and supporting the Programme Finance Manager in running efficient & effective financial processes across all AKF(UK)'s programmes & grants.
Financial oversight, planning, and reporting
* Review all financial transactions related to the ADB project on a monthly basis & ensure that they are correct including cost recovery, co-financing, bank balances, & coding
* Ensure the ADB project is up to date in the Grant Management Tracker, Co-financing Tracker & Cost Recovery forecast
* Prepare financial information for internal reporting, including contributions to quarterly CEO reports, monthly dashboards, & co-finance updates
* Prepare all ADB project donor financial reports and ensure consistency with internal data.
* Monitor project & portfolio spending, flagging significant under & overspends in a timely manner to the Programme Finance Manager and Programmes & Partnerships team
Financial controls, compliance, and audit
* Lead financial planning & monitoring for the ADB project, ensuring alignment with ADB compliance requirements and AKF(UK) internal controls
* Support the design & implementation of quality controls, manuals, checklists, & tools to ensure compliance with donor requirements (ADB & others)
* Oversee compliance with donor & AKF(UK) rules on procurement, accounting, & project expenditure,
* supported by reporting, engagement with the field, & spot checks
* Maintain internal tools (including AIMS) to track active ADB grants as well as other grants, ensuring data on secured funding, cost recovery, & cash balances remains up to date
* Act as a resource person for ADB donor compliance within AKF(UK), while sharing knowledge & lessons learned more widely across the grants portfolio
Grant financial management
In close consultation with the programmes & partnerships team:
* Maintain accurate financial records and grant codes for the ADB project, while supporting the set-up & management of other grants as needed
* Ensure timely submission of cash requests & sub-grant agreements, in compliance with both ADB & AKF(UK) standards, & support the same across the wider portfolio
* Review budgets for ADB and other donor concepts/proposals, ensuring inclusion of AKF(UK) costs, compliance with donor requirements, and consistency with narratives
* Support the in-country project management unit (PMU) to ensure that the project is robustly managed & proactively support the resolution of challenges as they arise
* Provide training and reference materials for implementing partners & field staff on ADB-specific donor regulations, procurement, & reporting, while contributing to broader finance training across the organisation.
* Provide technical support & guidance to implementing partners & country units, with particular focus on ADB compliance but also assisting with other donor requirements as needed
* Conduct monitoring visits and spot checks on the ADB project and participate in risk monitoring across the wider portfolio
The role will involve travel to countries in which we operate grants, particularly Afghanistan (security situation
dependent). Normally this could be 1-2 trips per year
The requirements
Must have right to work in the UK.
Must include CV and a supporting statement that outlines why they want the role, why they want to work for AKF(UK) and how their experiences and skills to date will make them the most suitable applicant for the role.
Qualifications
* CCAB qualified accountant (desirable).
Experience
* 3 years relevant experience in financial accounting and financial reporting
* Experience of designing and managing effective administrative systems and procedures
* Experience of managing finances for large-scale, complex donor-funded projects. Experience of working with multilateral development banks (ADB, World Bank, AfDB, etc.) is highly desirable.
* Experience of budgeting, forecasting and cash-flow management
* Experience working in international organisations or donor agencies, including field-level implementation, is highly desirable.
Skills
* Good interpersonal, customer care and liaison skills with a wide range of stakeholders
* First rate oral and written communication skills
* Ability to work under pressure and to manage competing priorities and deliver to tight deadlines.
* Ability to problem solve, working with both internal and external stakeholders to deliver results.
* Ability to work in a multi-institution network within a multi-cultural environment.
* Fluent in oral and written English
* Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel
* Excellent numeracy, financial analysis, and financial presentation skills
* Ability to synthesise complex operational and financial details for reporting and presentation.
Knowledge
* Knowledge of ADB donor requirements and compliance frameworks.
* Broad understanding and experience of development issues and organisations
* Understanding of and appreciation for ADKN's goals, values and ethics
* Knowledge of charity accounting
FURTHER DETAILS
* The role will be contracted on a fixed-term basis, for three years.
* As well as a rewarding role with a global international development organisation, you'll get access to a wide range of enhanced benefits including but not limited to flexible hybrid working, enhanced leave entitlement and access to several health and wellbeing programmes and benefits.
Must have right to work in the UK.
Must include CV and a supporting statement that outlines why they want the role, why they want to work for AKF(UK) and how their experiences and skills to date will make them the most suitable applicant for the role.
Sector
Social Development
About the Agency
The Aga Khan Foundation is a leading global development organisation working to tackle the root causes of poverty. For more than 50 years, we have helped create strong community institutions that support sustainable, locally driven initiatives to improve the lives of millions of people. By combining local knowledge with global best practices, we strive to bring about transformative and long-lasting improvements to quality of life.
* Working alongside the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network and through partnerships with local communities, civil society and business as well as governments and international aid agencies,
we are building a future where we all thrive together.