Financial Compliance and Sub-Award Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean

Financial Compliance and Sub-Award Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean

The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an independent not-for profit organization that works with media and civil society to promote positive change in conflict zones, closed societies and countries in transition around the world.

We are seeking a Financial Compliance and Sub-Award Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean with experience overseeing finance functions, checking accounting and documentation, ensuring budget control and compliance with all IWPR policies and procedures as well as donor regulations and local Mexican laws. They will ensure that the LAC office delivers subawards and other forms of grants to beneficiaries with appropriate oversight and accountability.

The role, which will be located in Mexico City, will enable IWPR’s LAC Office to ensure that all policies, guidelines, financial and administrative processes are implemented and documented in consistent ways across all programming in the LAC region.

Responsibilities will include overseeing finance and accounting staff, including checking monthly financial reports and backup documentation, working with IWPR’s headquarters to ensure global policies are adhered to, but also that they are adapted to the needs and laws of the regional office, supporting the LAC Regional Director to integrate and innovate systems and procedures that ensure consistent compliance and organizing monthly budgets versus actual reviews with Project Managers to ensure spending plans are on track.

They will also play a leading role in the monitoring and oversight of sub-recipients, including conducting finance and compliance risk assessments, supporting the development of subaward agreements (ensuring milestones and deliverables are both realistic and in time with project objectives); providing sub awardees with grants management training to ensure compliance with contractual and donor requirements to enable them to move to diversify their funding.

The Manager will work with Project Managers in support of the procurement process, to help draft solicitations for bids, review applications, and organize panels for final decision-making regarding procurement, in line with IWPR policy. They will ensure all these processes are correctly documented and monitor the work of contractors to ensure that they meet their contractual requirements to comply with donor or IWPR rules related to their work. They will ensure full observance with USG (State Department/DRL) donor rules and regulations, particularly on subaward management.

The Manager will also support the registry of IWPR’s Representative office in Mexico and subsequently ensure compliance with local taxation, employment and social security laws amongst others.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support, monitoring and oversight of sub-recipients

• Conduct financial and administrative risk assessments and vetting of potential sub awardees
• Work with project staff to support the development of subaward agreements ensuring milestones and deliverables are both realistic and in line with project objectives;
• Provide sub-awardees with grants management training to ensure compliance with contractual and USG requirements and where relevant, build their capacity to move from fixed amount to traditional grants.
• Coordinate finance reviews with sub-awardees and provide them with training and intensive ongoing mentorship to support their compliance with contractual requirements and other regulations
• Review current processes and suggest improvements and oversee implementation
• The Manager will organize and deliver kick off and close out orientation meetings with the sub-recipients.
• Conduct audits when necessary

Finance and Accounting

• Oversee the field finance function, supervising the local finance officer, checking monthly and overall accounting and documentation, ensuring budget control and compliance with all IWPR policies and procedures as well as DRL’s regulations and local Mexican laws.
• Check monthly financial reports and backup documentation;
• Organize monthly budget vs. actual reviews with the project team to ensure spending plans are on track.
• Support, oversight and approvals of procurement and payment processes
• Conduct internal audits of projects when necessary
• Support the financial aspects of the development process, including budgeting for new projects
• Open and maintain local bank accounts, including supporting finance staff consolidate accounts.
• Set up and approve payments as per authority matrix
• Fulfill accounting duties when necessary

Policies and Compliance

• Review current processes and ensure all IWPR and donor policies and guidelines are implemented in consistent ways across all programming in the LAC region. Support the LAC Regional Program Director to integrate and innovate systems and procedures that ensure consistent compliance; Make suggestions for changes where necessary.
• Provide support, oversight and training to LAC staff to ensure all procurements, payments, accounting, project and bank reconciliations and other financial functions are being fulfilled according to IWPR policies, local laws in Mexico and donor regulations.
• Support the procurement process by drafting solicitations for bids with the help of program/project manager, review applications, and organize panels for final decision-making in line with IWPR policy.
• Support the writing of locally-appropriate policies or exception memos when needed;
• Ensure all projects and the finance area maintain complete and well structured files within IWPR’s system that contain complete support documentation for procurements, consultancies, subawards and accounting etc,, in compliance with policies and appropriate regulations.
• Coordinate with lawyers and government offices to ensure the registration process of IWPR in Mexico is completed correctly and to subsequently ensure the compliance with local laws and regulations.

Education

• BA in Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Financial Management, Administration, Law or related field.
• A Certified Accountant (CPA) or MA in Administration desired.
• Training in USG (USAID or other) compliance and financial management.

Required Experience

• Advanced English and high-level Spanish are essential; Portuguese is beneficial.
• At least two years professional experience in subaward and program compliance management is required.
• In-depth knowledge of USG donor rules, regulations, current standards and guidelines, and relevant updates to 2 CFR 200 is essential.
• Experience in donor and program compliance of multiple, large, complex, multi-country and multi-year programs.
• Experience training others on compliance and financial management is desired.
• Experience in media development, freedom of the press, freedom of expression or human rights programming is desired.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent knowledge of USG rules and regulations as well as local tax and accounting laws in Mexico, preferably with experience in international non-profit organizations.
• In-depth knowledge and skills in pre-award / due diligence assessment, subaward management, monitoring and closeout; and subaward and program compliance management.
• Solutions-focused problem solver and adept decision maker, with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to adapt and work with initiative and independence whilst working within a team.
• Willingness and ability to teach and train colleagues.
• Fully committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate effective discussions and maintain productive relationships with a broad and diverse group of colleagues, donors and partners.
• Ability to effectively influence at all levels, within the LAC office, IWPR’s global staff and outside the organization.
• Creativity, flexibility and persistence to ensure project objectives are met, even when confronted with setbacks.
• Ability to present/arrange and file information clearly and logically.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally as required (and as possible due to COVID precautions and restrictions).
• Willingness to work with colleagues remotely across time zones.
• Knowledge of EU and other non-US funder rules and regulations, standards and guidelines desirable.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience. Salary Range $3,200-$4,500.

Job Location: Mexico City.

IWPR is an equal opportunity employer, committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. We encourage applications from suitably qualified candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds who can help continue to evolve our culture and contribute to an inclusive environment.

Principals only. No calls please. Only those who have been selected for interviews will be contacted. IWPR will never ask for payment for recruitment.