Vacancy Alert: Grants and Finance Officer

Overview and background

EWMI in partnership with the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) and Legal Resources Foundation (LRF), are implementing the Partnerships for Justice (P4J) Programme in Zimbabwe. This is a five-year programme aimed at improving delivery of Justice to the public through increasing the transparency, accountability, and efficiency of Justice Sector Institutions (JSIs). The programme seeks to achieve three set objectives (1) promote systematic and sustained monitoring of targeted justice sector institutions (2) Increase citizen participation in the justice system and enhance open and accessible justice and (3) Enhanced access to justice.

Overall Responsibilities
The Grants and Finance Officer provides support to the Finance and Administration Director and M and E Specialist administering the grant program. The Grants and Finance Officer will also support, as needed, the Finance and Administration department in providing effective and efficient administration support of the project.

Reporting and supervision
The Grants and Finance Officer will report to the Finance and Administration Director and will work directly with Project Management Units (PMU) of local implementing partners.

Main Tasks
The Grants and Finance Officer is responsible for supporting the efficient management of the project grant activities including grant activities through partners and grantees. The Grants and Finance Officer uses his/her technical skills, education, experience, and country knowledge to accomplish the following tasks:

Grants Management
Together with Finance and Administration Director and respective PMUs of local partners to:
• Assist in organizing Grant Review Committees (GRC), reviewing and selection of the received proposals, and negotiation of grant agreements with grantees.
• Assist in conducting risk assessments of pre-selected grantees.
• Assist in the preparation of grant agreements and vetting packages for grantees.
• Provide technical assistance to grantees and organize Quarterly Grantees meetings.
• Constantly monitor progress of the grant-making activities towards achieving project’s goals, meeting work plan requirements and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) targets, as well as spot potential and actual challenges, and propose measures to address them.
• Conduct site visits, review grantees narrative reports, grant revisions and amendment requests, and consult grantees as necessary on project’s implementation.
• In cooperation with Finance and Administration Director PMUs of three local partners, work with GRC-selected Civil Society Organizations to finalize technical proposal and budgets based on GRC’s suggestions.
• Support the efficient and seamless coordination between grant-making activities managed by local partners and the capacity development assistance provided to the grantees by the project.
• Provide mentoring to local partners’ PMUs and their grantees on financial and grants management rules and regulations, based on the project’s Grant Manual.
• Review and approve grantees’ financial reports and fund requests and submit fund requests to the Finance and Administration Director for payment.
• Ensure strict and timely compliance of the project’s grant-making activities and EWMI rules and regulations.
• Ensure appropriate and accurate documentation of the project’s grant making activities by local partners and in EWMI field office.
• Assist with the project’s capacity development assistance to local partners to make them capable and eligible to directly manage grants.
• Assist in completion of tasks from the Finance department as requested by the Finance and Administration Director.
• Travel to the regions, as needed, to conduct compliance monitoring of the project’s grantees.
Finance Activities
• Facilitating payments processing which includes raising requisitions for activities and bills and ensuring they are settled.
• Assist the Finance and Administration Director to conduct transactions with banks and clients and compile required information, documentation necessary for operations and in line with EWMI procedures.
• Assist the Finance and Administration Director to maintain a database of vouchers, bank payment instructions and purchase orders, transaction supporting documentation and the filing thereof.
• Make training payments ensuring adequate documentation such as attendance sheets.
• Assist in ensuring EWMI Zimbabwe procurement procedures are adhered to before disbursement.
• Assist with other required tasks from the Grants department as requested by the Finance and Administration Director under consultations with the Chief of Party (CoP).
• Perform other tasks assigned by the Finance and Administration Director and CoP on an ad hoc basis that are consistent with this Job Description and other general requirements.

Qualifications
The applicant should possess the following minimum qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, or related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in managing grants for CSOs, preferably as part of an international donor programs.
• Proven track record of being well organized and working as part of a team; and excellent interpersonal skills and capacity to transfer skills and knowledge to beneficiaries.

Desired Qualifications
• Familiarity with US government financial reporting and compliance requirements; and • Experience in managing grants for USAID-funded programs.

To apply: Please send (i) a curriculum vitae, (ii) cover letter, and (iii) contact information for three references to P4J_procurement@ewmi-zw.org: with ‘Grants and Finance Officer’ in the subject line. No phone calls please. EWMI will contact applicants for interviews or to request additional information.

Deadline for applications: 20th May 2023 at 17:00hrs is the last day and time to receive applications. Under no circumstances will a late application be accepted.