JOB DESCRIPTION
CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES
This position provides support to the management projects, to ensure that the project teams operate effectively on time and on budget. The Project Support Officer will work closely with the Project Managers, Administrators and Finance. The Project Support Officer is a key contact point for implementation and reporting issues with focus on finance processes and financial monitoring. The role will be responsible for working closely with the Finance and Project Support teams to provide ongoing support with focus on financial monitoring and coordinate project audit processes as required.
SPECIFIC DUTIES
Project finance:
•Review and explain project balances on a monthly basis with Project Support Officers
•Prepare project deficit/surplus forms and present to Chief Operating Officer quarterly
•Produce a monthly report of Project Budget expenditure variance analysis
•Review project balances annually for foreign exchange write offs
•Oversee the collation of monthly project cashflow projections in appropriate currencies
•Contribute to and review the analysis of the project portfolio risk profile (ABC list) in budgeting and forecasting
•Training of Project Support Officers on finance processes
•Quarterly review and variance analysis of global project management fees
Cost recovery:
•Review of Budgeted cost recovery rates from overseas offices and ensure rates are appropriate.
•Review actual cost recovery rates from overseas offices
•Maintain monthly salary and social rates for the global office
Project audits:
•Support the Project Support Team in all donor audits ensuring all financial information is collated, checked and evidenced and be the point of contact for finance queries.
•Responsible for organising the annual US Government single audit
•Prepare a reconciliation between actual charge out rates and budgeted charge out rates and advise finance of adjustment to be made.
•Work with Project Support Officers and Finance staff on compiling proofs of expenditure for audit
Project support:
•Update and maintain the Project Registry, Time Allocation sheets and other project information management data sources
•Directly support the administration of a portfolio of low-risk projects and be responsible for contracting, invoicing and reporting requirements to donors.
•Assist in the support of other projects as instructed REQUIREMENTS • Ideally educated to a university degree level, although not required
•Accredited finance training (e.g. AAT)
•Proven track record in project accounting, reporting and financial management
•Strong MS Office skills with focus on intermediate to advance Excel skills
•Fluency in written and oral English required
•Strong organizational and communication abilities, including attention to detail
•Ability to work independently with remote oversight and under pressure and to set own work priorities as appropriate and a capacity to meet deadlines.
•A willingness and ability to travel globally, occasionally to less developed countries and remote locations.
•Ability to work as part of a global team – occasional communications outside of regular office hours may be required due to coordination across time zones
•Be eligible to live and work in the UK without a work sponsored visa.
•Relevant experience in project support for Government Aid Agency projects and in particular USAID, DFID, GIZ, European Commission, DEFRA would be very welcome