Vacancies at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

The Awards and Compliance Manager works under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Awards and Compliance Manager, working closely alongside the Chief of Party, Finance and Grants Manager, Consortium members and the Mercy Corps Finance team in Kenya. S/he will be based in Nairobi with significant travel to the field.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Program Management

• Work with the Partnership and Capacity Building Manager in identification, due diligence, and assessment of Local Implementing Partners in Mercy Corps operational counties, including preparation of partner agreements as per donor guidelines and requirements. 
• Support in the development and implementation of organizational capacity assessment tools geared towards the determination of LIP functional and programmatic capacities.
• Support the development and delivery of a joint capacity strengthening plan for sub awarded LIPs on financial, administrative, grants management and donor requirements for effective compliance and accountability.
• Lead accountability and compliance support for LIPs including development and implementation of regularized monitoring to ensure compliance with donor expectations and requirements.
• Ensure all LIP documentation, including financial reports is uploaded into donor/project/programme specific shared folders for documentation and action.

Award Management

• Conduct pre-monitoring of grant applicants to evaluate financial and administrative systems, as needed.
• Monitor all approved grants and ensure timely financial reporting is completed.
• Consult program coordinators as needed for enhanced monitoring and evaluation exercises according to Mercy Corps’ best practices and compliance requirements.
• Support in the development of Mercy Corps’ resource tools for building capacity of local NGOs and CBOs.
• Identify linkages between projects from different sectors and different geographic areas.
• Ensure close communication with sub-grantees implementing projects.
• Identify potential problems during implementation of projects by the sub-grantees and make recommendations.
• Prepare progress reports on sub-grantees.
• Conduct financial and administrative training for sub-grantees.
• Conduct periodic audits of sub-grantees.
• Following audits and subsequent discussions with the Implementation Manager and Finance and Compliance Director recommend financial and administrative training activities for sub-grantees.
• Ensure that grant activities comply with Mercy Corps and partner internal policies and procedures, as well as Donor rules and regulations.
• Participate in the development and implementation of the program’s annual work plans.
• Ensure that field staff are familiar with grants management procedures.
• Ensure that sub grantee details are updated in Navigator.
• Any other duties as may be assigned.

Compliance:

• Ensure that the program is executed in alignment with the prime award agreement and the applicable the donor regulations, staying abreast of changes in regulatory environment related to MercyCorps/donor/grant compliance; update Program procedures as necessary.
• Identify and communicate compliance risks associated with program implementation. Work with program teams ensure that program activities are designed to be compliant, while facilitating the achievement of the program objectives.
• Review the Program procurement and program transactions, contracts and other documents for compliance requirements and ensure these requirements are met.
• Prepare prior approval, waiver and other compliance requests to the donor. Assist subrecipients, as needed with subrecipient compliance requests to Mercy Corps.
• Prepare and maintain internal and donor compliance-related reports.
• Provide leadership and direction with regard to any grant or contract functions needed for the program’s success and to provide input on program functions.
• Ensure the compliance tracker is up to date and reviewed with the relevant departments on a monthly basis.

Safeguarding

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

Security

• Ensure compliance with MCs security procedures and policies, financial reporting and management systems that ensure the safety and security of MC financial resources including cash assets and records.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.

 Organizational Learning 

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
• to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

Finance and Grants Officers as may be assigned.

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Senior Awards and Compliance Manager
• Works Directly With: Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, Finance and Sub grants team members, MC Kenya Finance team, other program teams and technical support from Mercy Corps office in Portland, Oregon and Edinburgh, Scotland

Knowledge and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in business administration, Finance, Economics or relevant field with at least 4 years work experience in Finance and Grants Management.
• Professional Accounting Qualification CPA(K).
• Must be able to work independently and show initiative.
• Previous work experience with an NGO in the area of community development is a plus.
• Report writing with the ability to make recommendations for improvement.
• Computer (MS Office), filing, and organizational skills.
• Good spoken and written English.
• Willingness to travel throughout the project areas.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation.
• Previous experience developing and implementing projects internationally.
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

Grants Administration

• Knowledge and application of best practices in grant management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of donor financial and management systems, regulations and reporting requirements. Evidence of ability to be creative and flexile within those requirements.
• Analytical capabilities with accounting procedures and processes for structuring projects.
• Knowledge of grants management software and information technology skills.

Management and Communications

• Ability to communicate technical, budgetary and program details to staff, grantees and applicants.
• Ability to design and implement effective workflow processes and procedures.
• Capability to foster an atmosphere which recognizes and respects cultural and individual differences.

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General Position Summary

Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Finance Coordinator, the Finance Assistant will assist in the processing and recording of payment transactions in timely and accurate manner. 

Essential Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities

Financial management

• Prepare bank payment vouchers and ensure that all bank transactions are fully and properly captured in the Finance System.
• Support Finance Officer to check-signers or bank authorizers for review and signature.
• Responsible for recording payment vouchers daily in the bank sub journals assigned.
• Responsible for preparing cheques or wire transfer requests based on fully approved documents and present to approved.
• Counter check expense reports (travel expense reports and operational expense reports) for accuracy and completeness and ensure that expense reports have been fully approved before payment.
• Responsible for gathering transaction documents required for donor reporting.
• Assist with audit related requirements (timely documents retrieval, filing after audit completion, proving additional assistance as necessary)
• Assist with scanning, copying, printing, and uploading of financial documents on relevant folders.
• Support Finance Officer and Finance Coordinator with monthly/Quarterly balance sheet reconciliations
• Support Finance Officer in preparation of Month Amortizations as may be assigned.
• Support Finance Officer with Monthly bank reconciliations for the field offices.
• Any other duty as may be assigned.

Safeguarding

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options

Filing & Archiving

• Responsible for filing all bank vouchers and maintain voucher filing system such that files are updated, complete and safeguarded. Ensure all finance documents are properly labelled, filed and stored in a clear and easily accessible manner following Field Finance Manual
• Responsible for review of vatable invoices for VAT claim to sent to Nairobi from the field offices on weekly basis
• Ensure quality control of financial documents for completeness and proper referencing before archiving.

Tax

• Support Finance Officer with processing of withholding VAT and withholding tax as per KRA regulations on weekly basis.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning 

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
• to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility

• None.

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Finance Coordinator-Nairobi
• Works Directly With: Country Finance Team, Program teams and Regional Teams

Knowledge and Experience

• A degree in accounting or a relevant business field.
• Minimum CPA II or other relevant accounting qualification.
• At least one year experience in accounting, bookkeeping or cashiering, including experience with double-entry accounting preferably in an international NGO.
• Familiarity with major international donor rules and non-profit accounting.
• Familiarity with computerized, double-entry accounting software.
• Strong computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel
• Accuracy in the processing of cash transactions, mathematical aptitude and attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.