Grants and Finance Specialist

Who are Plan International?

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice.

We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years and are now active in more than 70 countries.

How have Plan International responded to the Ukraine Crisis?

Since March 2022, Plan International has been responding to the crisis in partnership with civil society organisations in Poland, Romania, and Moldova to meet the needs of those affected by the crisis as well as host communities, and now we are ready to extend our operations in Ukraine itself.

We are supporting an integrated education and child protection response, incorporating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), with cash and voucher assistance (CVA) as a modality.

What can you bring?

We know that this crisis will have devastating long-term effects on women and children in the region and Plan International will play a vital role in responding to these needs as we continue to establish operations in each of the four countries. We plan to transition from the current support provided globally by Plan International’s teams to locally based, longer term staffing.

The post holder reports to the Ukraine Finance Manager and is responsible for grants management – including: Income and budget management, grants reporting and analysis, field visits and partner capacity building, and audit of grants as per donor requirements. The post holder also provides technical support and advice on effective grants management in line with the stringent donor compliance requirements.

Accountabilities

· Provide crosscutting technical support and advice on effective grants management at country level.

· Support project and finance focal points during monthly monitoring of budget versus expenditure for the ECHO project. Synthetize issues at the leadership level.

· Consolidate and Submit to Ukraine country Finance manager the Monthly Grants reconciliation lists

· Ensure project data is correctly incorporated in both SAP and Power BI and in link with Ukraine Master budget.

· Monitor and coordinate Partners` grants financial reporting of grant funded project.

· Collect, validate, and archive financial report supporting documentations.

· Develop consolidated financial reports ensuring quality before submitting to the Ukraine Finance Manager and onwards to Plan International Germany.

· Ensure compliance to donor requirements for a grant.

· Support grant budget management to ensure accuracy and completeness, actively monitoring spending and underspending rates.

· Support Program staff in any grant and contractual revisions, modifications and clearly communicate these issues through to relevant colleagues.

· Consolidate bi-monthly cash request based on program and support teams needs

· Ensure timely remittance of grants income as per agreements.

· Supports Grant start-up, midterm and close-out processes in line with Plan International and Donor requirements.

· Co-ordinate and facilitate the audit of the grant funded project as per contractual agreement.

· Assist Partnership Coordinator in conducting grant and finance training programs for partners.

· Maintaining good inter-team communications, engender good team dynamics and ensure effective channels of internal and external communications relating to grants are established and respected.

· Conduct capacity building in grant management and financial spending, including on finance compliance rules and procedures.

· Support the development and maintenance of a comprehensive information management and filing system that ensures all donor financial documents are appropriately filed in an up-to-date manner.

· Work together with the project manager, programs and finance manager to ensure timely delivery of high-quality reports which meet donor and Plan International requirements.

· Jointly with the finance team, assist program technical leads and project partners with understanding the financial reporting requirements.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge 

Essential Knowledge

· Appropriate experience and tertiary education - from 0 to 5 years- in a finance field: accounting; reporting; grants finance; financial planning and analysis etc.

· Qualified or part qualified accountant.

· Knowledge of relevant Ukrainian legislation

· Knowledge of internal controls, audit and/or financial management.

· Strong financial systems expertise. Fluency with complex financial systems including multi-currency accounting packages / ERP.

· Knowledge and experience in using SAP and Microsoft D365

· MS Excel proficiency

· Experience with projects funded by international donors (experience with German institutional donors GFFO or BMZ will be an asset)

· Knowledge of the requirements of the major emergency donors and experience in budgeting and reporting to donors.

· Demonstrable understanding of the humanitarian sector and ways of working.

· Experience with working in an INGO or NGO at Field and/or Country Office level.

Essential Skills

· Strong written and oral interpersonal communication skills and ability to communicate with employees with different levels of financial understanding.

· Good working knowledge of written and spoken English and Ukrainian.

· Solution focused; able to co-ordinate and plan work efficiently to meet deadlines and prioritise effectively; deliver on time and scope with ambiguity.

· Strong numerical skills;

· Able to work well under pressure; thrives in dynamic fluid environments: adaptable and proactive.

· Able to build networks and partnerships under challenging conditions to promote high performance.

· Values working in a team and willing to take on more responsibilities and support team members;

· Experience of, staff management, supervision or capacity building.

· Sensitivity to a wide range of cultures and contexts

· Exceptional stakeholder management skills, including sufficient political credibility to work across all layers in the Global Hub Finance Teams;

· Work is accurate, thorough, methodical, and well organised;

Essential Behaviours

· Committed to Plan International’s strategy and values

· Team player, values interculturality and diversity

· Good relationship building skills;

· Communicates clearly and effectively;

· Able to work calmly under extreme pressure, volatile & insecure environment and at unpredictable (long) hours during emergency response

· Is tenacious and ensures that problems are resolved.

· Demonstrates honesty and transparency in holding self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and Plan’s standards of behaviour

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win' relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

• We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.