United States of America: Finance and Grants Officer

Job Title: Finance and Grants Officer

Sector: Finance

Employment Category: Regular

Location: USA-New York, NY - HQ

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC's Emergency Unit The IRC's Emergency Unit leads or oversees IRCs global emergency preparedness and response activities. The mission of the Emergency Unit is to help meet the immediate survival needs and reduce suffering in conflict or disaster affected populations during the acute phase of an emergency. The Emergency Unit also works in protracted emergencies, where the risk to life may be reduced but the population is still subjected to rights abuses and a lack of basic services. The Emergency Unit also has the responsibility of managing and allocating internal emergency funds to IRC's country programs based on their emergency classification with the guidance of the International Programs Department.

The Emergency Unit is also charged with enhancing the IRCs global and country level emergency preparedness capacity. We do this by supporting the development and training of Country Emergency Teams, assisting in the development of emergency focused partnerships with local civil society organizations, maintaining regional and global capacity to rapidly identify and deploy qualified emergency response personnel and supporting country-level contingency planning.

Job Overview/Summary: The Emergency Unit Finance & Grants Officer will lead the creation, reforecast, and management of the Emergency Unit's operating budget and general finances. With direction from senior management, they will manage allocations to specific emergency responses from the Emergency Unit's various response funds and advise senior management on real-time balances across various funding sources. Through direct interaction with relevant Emergency Response Team (ERT) or Country Program grants staff, the Finance & Grants Officer will monitor spending on those allocations to ensure timely and appropriate use of funds as well as support periodic drafting and review of required narrative and financial reporting. Working closely with the Sr. Deployment Coordinator, they will be responsible for financial payroll allocations for the unit's 50+ staff. The Finance & Grants Officer will also play a critical field support role by providing timely support to ERT operations by deploying cash to the field in new responses, processing cash liquidations, and liaising with HQ Finance to quickly fulfill financial requests from field. They will be the Emergency Unit focal point for entering any new funding opportunities into OTIS, the IRC's online grant management system, as well as managing and reporting on any governmental or private foundation emergency grants the Emergency Unit obtains. From time to time they will also draft narrative and budget submissions for funding opportunities for the Emergency Unit, and, as needed provide back-up grants support to deployed field teams.

This position is ideal for a candidate with a background in budgeting and grant management, as well as a strong understanding of basic accounting, who wants to use their skills in a fast-paced environment supporting emergency responses to the world's worst crises around the world. The ideal candidate will enjoy juggling multiple responsibilities, often interrupted by urgent field demands, while maintaining strong collaborative relationships with HQ and field colleagues. As a part of the HQ field support team, a customer service mentality is essential to this role.

Major Responsibilities: Budgeting

• Assist in producing the Emergency Unit's operating budget and biannual reforecasts
• Produce monthly Budget vs. Actual report to track spending against Emergency Unit operating budget and track spending of emergency allocations to country programs
• Provide ad hoc budget analysis to senior management on various funding and budget coverage questions
• As needed, support budget development for specific Emergency Unit funding opportunities and provide back-up support to field grant and finance staff

Grant Management and Proposal Development

• Manage emergency funding allocations to IRC country programs and work with country teams to ensure completion of necessary emergency funding allocation requirements
• Organize and lead emergency grant management process for relevant country allocations to ensure timely and appropriate use of resources
• Support development of funding proposals for Emergency Unit response funds and core funding and ensure compliance with IRC's internal online opportunity tracking system (OTIS)
• Produce annual narrative and financial reporting for Emergency Unit's core funding from external donors
• Provide back-up support as needed to emergency field teams
• Maintain complete internal online grants records for all funding sources
• Work closely with fundraising counterparts on terms and conditions of award letters for emergency funding and related issues

Financial Support to the Field

• Manage deployment of cash to field teams and process liquidation of advances
• Liaise with Treasury on medium term strategies to ensure field teams have access to cash, including obtaining corporate credit cards for team lead
• Provide support for and review of consultant contracts and certificates of donation

Accounting and Time and Effort (T&E) Reporting

• Monitor all Emergency Unit grant codes on a bimonthly basis to determine necessary accounting recodes/revisions
• Manage accounting for pre-positioned emergency stock as it used by field teams
• On a monthly basis, prepare T&E reporting and payroll allocations for ERT staff in collaboration with relevant Country Program Finance Controllers and manage the associated "Daily Rate" process (the T&E allocation methodology for deployed ERT staff); manage T&E process and payroll allocation for non-deployable staff
• Submit timesheets with applicable charge codes for all External Emergency Roster staff to Payroll

Key Working Relationships Position Reports to: Deputy Director, Emergency Unit Position directly supervises: n/a Works closely with: Deployment Coordinator; Program Assistant; Deputy Director, Response Management; Director, Emergency Unit; Program Manager, Emergency Unit; Indirect Reporting: Deputy Director of Budget and Planning, International Programs Department

Minimum Qualifications

• University Degree, Master's Degree preferred with coursework in budgeting and accounting
• 2-3 years' previous work experience is a must; humanitarian sector experience preferred
• Attention to detail; Ability to manage multiple, competing deadlines and priorities
• Mastery of basic accounting, budgeting and grant management principles required
• Fluency in all standard PC office software such as Excel, Outlook and Word
• Experience managing United States and European Government grants preferred
• Demonstrated ability to successfully work in a fast-paced environment, within and across departments/functions and develop positive relationships with local and remote staff
• Customer service orientation with desire to find creative and timely solutions for field teams
• Excellent oral and written communications skills (English) required

Working Environment: Standard Office Work Environment. Minimal domestic travel.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l'Intégrité, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l'exploitation et les abus, la protection de l'enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l'intégrité financière, et les représailles.

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