Project Finance Officer

Job Summary

• Provide dedicated finance and accounting support for the project “Accelerating Adaptation Action Through Faith-Led Advocacy in Africa”, ensuring accurate project accounting, close monitoring of expenditure against the budget, compliance with donor and ACT Alliance requirements, timely financial reporting and complete supporting documentation. The position will work closely with project and finance colleagues to monitor expenditure and compliance and to support effective financial management throughout the project cycle.

Key Responsibilities

Common Accountabilities

• Contribute to one integrated ACT Alliance, operating under shared strategic direction, annual workplans and ways of working.
• Promote accountability, dignity, inclusion, non-discrimination, gender equity and locally led approaches in line with ACT values and policies.
• Work collaboratively with project, programme and finance colleagues to strengthen quality, accountability, compliance and learning.
• Ensure compliance with ACT Alliance policies, including the Code of Conduct, safeguarding, conflict of interest, complaints, safety and security, travel, environmental and finance-related policies
• Contribute to planning, monitoring, reporting, learning and risk management processes of the Secretariat and relevant project teams.

Role-Specific Responsibilities

• Project accounting: Maintain accurate project financial records, accounting codes and supporting documentation in accordance with donor requirements and ACT Alliance financial procedures.
• Budget monitoring: Closely monitor project expenditure against the approved donor budget, identify variances and emerging underspend/overspend risks, and provide timely analysis to project management.
• Donor compliance: Review project expenditure to ensure costs are eligible, reasonable, appropriately authorised and supported in accordance with donor rules and approved project arrangements.
• Financial reporting: Prepare timely and accurate financial information and donor financial reports, ensuring consistency between accounting records, project budgets and reported expenditure.
• Expenditure review: Review invoices, contracts, payment documentation and other supporting records, ensuring expenditure is properly documented, correctly coded and appropriately allocated to the project.
• Project management support: Work closely with the project team to provide budget monitoring information, explain variances and support informed financial decision-making.
• Sub-grants, partners and reconciliations: Monitor the financial aspects of sub-grants and implementing partner expenditure, including financial reports, supporting documentation and compliance. Reconcile project financial records, investigate discrepancies and ensure identified issues are followed up and resolved.
• Audits and budget revisions: Prepare financial documentation for donor audits and reviews, support responses to audit queries and contribute financial inputs to donor budget revisions and amendments as required.

Supervision & Accountability

• Finance Officer reports to the Project Manager as line manager & Finance Manager as technical manager and works closely with the project team and relevant finance colleagues. Key working relationships include: Project Manager; Finance Manager; project and programme colleagues; implementing partners; and donor representatives/auditors as required.

Skills and experiences

• Education: University degree or professional qualification in finance, accounting, business administration, grants management or a related field.
• Experience: At least 3–5 years of relevant finance and project accounting experience, preferably within an international NGO, donor-funded project or similar environment.
• Demonstrated experience in project accounting, budget monitoring, donor financial reporting and compliance.
• Good knowledge of donor financial requirements and experience checking expenditure eligibility against donor rules and approved budgets.
• Experience monitoring project expenditure, reviewing supporting documentation, reconciling accounts and investigating variances.
• Experience working with sub-grants or implementing partners and reviewing partner financial reports is desirable.
• Strong Excel skills and experience with accounting or financial management systems.
• Languages: Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of relevant local languages is an asset.

Core Competences and behaviours

• Commitment to ACT Alliance’s faith-based, rights-based and locally led humanitarian and development mission.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate, timely and well-documented financial management.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work constructively with finance, programme and project colleagues.
• Sound judgement, integrity and ability to identify and raise financial, compliance and documentation issues appropriately.
• Ability to work independently, manage deadlines and maintain effective financial controls within a part-time project role.