About the role
As Finance & Awards Advisor, you will be responsible for ensuring both financial and awards management compliance for Disasters Emergency Committee projects and funding, including supporting delivery of quality programme implementation in accordance with the agreed donor budget and maintenance of all documentation audit trails.
You will be working in a varied role, ensuring that Save the Children UK standards and processes are followed across the teams, acting as the focal point for the finance and awards management and compliance activities of the team.
Working within the Project Management Unit (PMU) within the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA), you’ll work closely with teams across the PMU, as well as with the HLA Finance Business Partner, and work externally with donors’ relevant focal points, partners’ award managers and their finance staff.
The key accountabilities will include:
- Leading on financial and award management for the Project Management Unit awards throughout the project cycle, ensuring at all stages that the control framework of the funding is consistent with the situation.
- Ensuring robust award management systems are in place for the PMU award funding (e.g. procurement, contract amendments, income processing, and reporting) and that all donor compliance and SCUK quality requirements are met fully.
- Providing advice on donor relations strategy with the donors, leveraging on funding opportunities, and aid in managing donor expectations.
- Consolidating financial data across multiple stakeholders, plus external partners to deliver timely and accurate reporting for the awards, seeking assistance from the Finance Business Partner where required.
- Overseeing monitoring of the awards’ budget vs. actuals data, including thoroughly explaining variances to the Finance Business Partner for the purposes of financial month-end commentary to the senior leadership team, and flagging all key issues in a timely fashion as they arise.
About you
You’ll demonstrate a strong understanding of financial principles, accounting standards, and budgeting processes and proven analytical skills with the ability to identify key points from a range of material or information.
Self-motivated with project coordination skills gained through working on cross-organisational projects, you’ll be comfortable stepping into a role working with multiple stakeholders and deadlines, and used to planning and prioritising your work effectively.
To be successful, you’ll bring:
- Experience of providing support on financial aspects of large donor awards and working with multiple stakeholders and departments (previous experience working with Disasters Emergency Committee projects and funding would be beneficial but not essential).
- Good understanding of award (grant/contract) management including but not limited to institutional donors.
- Demonstrated partnerships handling for Direct Spend awards, including working alongside partner agencies on budgeting and reporting against budgets, compiling and reviewing Sub-grant Agreements, monitoring partners’ activities and creating and updating donor financial reports.
- Demonstrated competency with financial plans, budgets and reporting including monitoring of budgets.
- Excellent understanding of audit readiness and experience of the audit process.
- Excellent organisation and administration skills with the ability to plan and prioritise work.
- Commitment to Save the Children’s vision, mission and values.
To learn more about the position, please review the Job Description in the attached documents.