Background

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) is a non-profit, scientific institution that conducts research on the most pressing challenges of forest and landscape management around the world. Using a global, multidisciplinary approach, we aim to improve human well-being, protect the environment, and increase equity. To do so, we conduct innovative research, develop partners’ capacity, and actively engage in dialogue with all stakeholders to inform policies and practices that affect forests and people. CIFOR is a CGIAR Research Center, and leads the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA). Our headquarters are in Bogor, Indonesia, with offices in Nairobi, Kenya; Yaounde, Cameroo

Responsibilities

Provide financial oversight for restricted grants through budget review, expenditure verification, partner financial monitoring, reconciliation, and timely internal and donor reporting, ensuring accurate budgets, strong compliance, audit-ready records, effective use of donor funds, and sound project cash-flow management.

Budget Monitoring and Control

Maintain complete and accurate records of all project financial documentation to ensure alignment with grant agreements.

Collaborate with Principal Investigators (PIs), project teams, implementing partners, and donors to ensure financial implementation aligns with project requirements. Clarify financial issues, answer queries, and provide updates on the budget status of the project.

Review and verify project expenditures to ensure compliance with approved budgets and donor requirements.

Liaise with the Program Management Unit (PMU) on Letters of Agreement (LoAs), project start-up, budget updates, and project tracking in MyTree.

Budget Planning and Updates

Support annual and rolling budget preparation in coordination with Principal Investigators (PIs).

Review planned staff-time allocations and ensure proper updates in the planning system (OCS Planner).

Collaborate with project teams to plan project costs based on available funding.

Review overall annual budgets of assigned grants to ensure accuracy and alignment with funding.

Donor Financial Reporting

Prepare financial reports in compliance with grant agreements, donor requirements, and CIFOR-ICRAF standards.

Prepare and submit accurate financial reports, invoices, and payment requests in accordance with the terms, schedules, and requirements of grant agreements.

Submit the financial reports through MyTree.

Review financial reports from Country Offices before submission for approval.

Follow up on donor queries and feedback related to submitted financial reports.

Grant Budget Development and Amendments

Support the preparation of budgets for new projects and grant amendments.

Review and discuss revised budgets with PIs, budget holders, and Country Offices.

Ensure full cost recovery, including proper allocation of overheads.

Provide guidance to ensure budgets are accurate and compliant with donor requirements.

Grant Agreement Review

Review the financial provisions of new grant agreements and amendments, including budgets, reporting schedules, payment terms, audit requirements, eligible costs, and foreign-exchange provisions, to ensure clarity, accuracy, operational feasibility, and compliance with CIFOR-ICRAF and donor requirements.

Internal Financial Reporting

Prepare monthly summaries of restricted projects, including multi-year budgets and cumulative expenditures.

Report staff-cost forecasts and allocation.

Audit Management

Coordinate with supervisor on the selection and engagement of external auditors for donor-required project audits.

Provide supporting documentation and respond to audit queries during the audit process.

Review draft audit reports and partner audit reports to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Financial Operations and Monitoring

Monitor donor receivables and payables, ensuring timely collection and follow-up.

Review significant donor receivable and payable balances (more than USD 50,000) and provide explanations based on treasury reports.

Inform PIs of monthly spending rates and follow up on low spending.

Identify incoming donor funds and provide coding details to Treasury.

Monitor actual timesheet recording and variances.

Ensure completeness and accuracy of supporting documents, including mandatory timesheets.

Provide financial insights and recommendations to support decision-making by project teams and management.

Implementing Partner Financial Management

Review partner Letters of Agreement (LoAs) and budgets in coordination with Grants Management Unit.

Monitor partner compliance with donor and CIFOR-ICRAF financial requirements.

Analyze partner expenditures and provide insights on spending trends and variances.

Review partner financial reports, monitor balances, and ensure collection of unused funds.

Other Responsibilities

Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Finance Officer – Grants, Finance Manager – Grants, and Chief Finance Officer.

Ensure compliance with donor regulations and internal policies and proactively identify and mitigate financial risks.

Comply with CIFOR-ICRAF occupational health and safety requirements and take reasonable care for personal safety and that of others.

Review work prepared by the Finance Assistant and provide technical guidance and support as needed.

Coordinate with supervisor on staff development plans.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Experience with an ERP system and familiarity with Unit4 Agresso and VisionXL are advantageous.

At least 5 years of relevant experience.

Experience in financial and accounting services.

Experience in project or cost accounting.

Strong computer skills, including proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets, database management, and other relevant office applications.

Fluency in written and spoken English.

• Provide financial oversight for restricted grants through budget review, expenditure verification, partner financial monitoring, reconciliation, and timely internal and donor reporting, ensuring accurate budgets, strong compliance, audit-ready records, effective use of donor funds, and sound project cash-flow management.
• Maintain complete and accurate records of all project financial documentation to ensure alignment with grant agreements.
• Collaborate with Principal Investigators (PIs), project teams, implementing partners, and donors to ensure financial implementation aligns with project requirements. Clarify financial issues, answer queries, and provide updates on the budget status of the project.
• Review and verify project expenditures to ensure compliance with approved budgets and donor requirements.
• Liaise with the Program Management Unit (PMU) on Letters of Agreement (LoAs), project start-up, budget updates, and project tracking in MyTree.
• Support annual and rolling budget preparation in coordination with Principal Investigators (PIs).
• Review planned staff-time allocations and ensure proper updates in the planning system (OCS Planner).
• Collaborate with project teams to plan project costs based on available funding.
• Review overall annual budgets of assigned grants to ensure accuracy and alignment with funding.
• Prepare financial reports in compliance with grant agreements, donor requirements, and CIFOR-ICRAF standards.
• Prepare and submit accurate financial reports, invoices, and payment requests in accordance with the terms, schedules, and requirements of grant agreements.
• Submit the financial reports through MyTree.
• Review financial reports from Country Offices before submission for approval.
• Follow up on donor queries and feedback related to submitted financial reports.
• Support the preparation of budgets for new projects and grant amendments.
• Review and discuss revised budgets with PIs, budget holders, and Country Offices.
• Ensure full cost recovery, including proper allocation of overheads.
• Provide guidance to ensure budgets are accurate and compliant with donor requirements.
• Review the financial provisions of new grant agreements and amendments, including budgets, reporting schedules, payment terms, audit requirements, eligible costs, and foreign-exchange provisions, to ensure clarity, accuracy, operational feasibility, and compliance with CIFOR-ICRAF and donor requirements.
• Prepare monthly summaries of restricted projects, including multi-year budgets and cumulative expenditures.
• Report staff-cost forecasts and allocation.
• Coordinate with supervisor on the selection and engagement of external auditors for donor-required project audits.
• Provide supporting documentation and respond to audit queries during the audit process.
• Review draft audit reports and partner audit reports to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Monitor donor receivables and payables, ensuring timely collection and follow-up.
• Review significant donor receivable and payable balances (more than USD 50,000) and provide explanations based on treasury reports.
• Inform PIs of monthly spending rates and follow up on low spending.
• Identify incoming donor funds and provide coding details to Treasury.
• Monitor actual timesheet recording and variances.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of supporting documents, including mandatory timesheets.
• Provide financial insights and recommendations to support decision-making by project teams and management.
• Review partner Letters of Agreement (LoAs) and budgets in coordination with Grants Management Unit.
• Monitor partner compliance with donor and CIFOR-ICRAF financial requirements.
• Analyze partner expenditures and provide insights on spending trends and variances.
• Review partner financial reports, monitor balances, and ensure collection of unused funds.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Finance Officer – Grants, Finance Manager – Grants, and Chief Finance Officer.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations and internal policies and proactively identify and mitigate financial risks.
• Comply with CIFOR-ICRAF occupational health and safety requirements and take reasonable care for personal safety and that of others.
• Review work prepared by the Finance Assistant and provide technical guidance and support as needed.
• Coordinate with supervisor on staff development plans.

• Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets, database management, and other relevant office applications.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting.
• Experience with an ERP system and familiarity with Unit4 Agresso and VisionXL are advantageous.
• Experience in financial and accounting services.
• Experience in project or cost accounting.