Senior Project Accountant - Grants and Sub-Grantee Financial Management

Role Overview

You will take ownership of the full financial lifecycle for a portfolio of externally funded projects, from initial budget design through to final donor reporting and close-out. Day to day, you will turn raw transaction data into clear, decision-ready reports for project leaders and funders, while also coaching sub-grantees on sound financial practices. Your work ensures that every pound or dollar spent is traceable, compliant, and aligned with both the donor’s intent and the organisation’s internal standards, which keeps the entire project pipeline healthy and credible.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and manage project budgets, including revisions, re-forecasts, and no-cost extension requests, then track actual spend against those plans to flag variances early.
• Prepare donor-facing financial statements on a monthly, quarterly, or annual cycle, matching each report to the specific format and schedule required by the funder.
• Review the budgets, cash requests, financial reports, and amendment requests submitted by sub-grantees, checking that every claimed cost is eligible, documented, and charged correctly.
• Conduct financial monitoring visits, spot checks, and desk reviews of implementing partners, then work with them to build and execute corrective action plans when weaknesses appear.
• Deliver hands-on training and ongoing support to sub-grantee finance staff, helping them strengthen internal controls and understand donor-specific reporting rules.
• Process and reconcile fund disbursements to partners, ensuring cash advances are liquidated on time and tied to approved workplans rather than activity after the fact.
• Maintain complete, audit-ready grant files that contain contracts, budget revisions, financial reports, and supporting documentation for all transactions.
• Support internal and external audits by preparing schedules, responding to queries, and tracking the resolution of any findings or recommendations.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related discipline; a professional certification (CA(SA), ACCA, CIMA, CPA, or equivalent) or active progress toward one is strongly preferred.
• At least five to eight years of progressive experience in accounting or financial management, with a significant portion dedicated to grant-funded projects for international development donors or foundations.
• Demonstrated track record of overseeing sub-grantee financial management, including budgeting, reporting, cash advances, and close-out procedures.
• Solid working knowledge of donor compliance requirements, cost principles (allowable, allocable, reasonable), and multi-currency reporting.
• Hands-on experience supporting financial audits and responding to audit findings in a timely, organised manner.
• Advanced proficiency in accounting software and Excel or Google Sheets, including pivot tables, lookups, and complex reconciliations.
• Strong analytical mindset with impeccable attention to detail, plus the ability to explain financial concepts to non-financial project staff without jargon.
• Proven capacity to juggle multiple deadlines, prioritise competing demands, and maintain high accuracy under pressure.