Senior Specialist Grants Compliance and Donor Reporting - 24015

Overview

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Senior Specialist Grants Compliance and Donor Reporting

Responsible for all financial reporting requirements and receivables management for assigned portfolio of grants to ensure financial compliance and demonstrate WWF’s capability to manage complex donor funding. Maintains expert knowledge of financial reporting policies and procedures for assigned portfolio and provides support to the program administrative staff at HQ and in the Country Offices related to financial reporting compliance. Ensures that accounts receivable balances for their assigned portfolio are monitored and reconciled. Leads preparation of supporting documentation for donor required project audit requests as they arise.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for timely financial reporting compliance for all assigned donor agreements.  This requires analyzing complex financial data to prepare donor required financial reports, reviewing allowable costs, and maximizing cost recovery.  Focus on bilateral, multilateral, WWF Network, and other publicly funded agreements, with the potential for other funding sources as assigned.
• Manages invoicing and funding requests for assigned portfolio.  Ensures proper and timely crediting of incoming funds to grant codes. On behalf of the Donor Reporting Team, leads the preparation of the monthly entry to record incoming funds from WWF global network offices. Communicates effectively and courteously with WWF US’s funders to resolve discrepancies in invoicing or receipts.
• Manages revenue and accounts receivable (AR) for assigned portfolio.  Monitors and analyzes the recording of revenue, AR balances, and fund balances.  Prepares and presents the reconciliation of AR accounts on at least a quarterly basis.  Prepares journal entries to book reconciling items or correct balances. Coordinates with the Accounting department to resolve complex AR and revenue issues for their portfolio.
• Serves as expert on financial reporting and AR management for foreign currency denominated awards.  Ensures that gains and losses on receivables are booked correctly and that AR accounts are reconciled timely.  Provides support as needed to Program Administrators to ensure correct budgeting of these complex agreements.
• Collaborates with financial and technical leads on large projects in their portfolio to provide ongoing financial reporting guidance for successful project implementation and project audits.
• Proactively monitors and updates WWF US’s grant management software, Smart Simple, for the financial deliverables in their assigned portfolio.  Ensures approvals and proper filing of financial deliverables in accordance with WWF policy.  Masters the usage of external grant management and reporting platforms required by funders in their portfolio.  Ensures proper filing and acceptance of reports in accordance with funder policies.
• Reviews financial reporting components of incoming agreements in their assigned portfolio for reasonableness.  Ensures compliance with financial reporting terms and conditions.
• In collaboration with the department director, leads required donor funded project audits in collaboration with WWF Country Offices, Network Development and Compliance, WWF’s Controller, and WWF’s external auditors.  Ensures that follow up actions are taken to comply with donor requirements, including submitting audits to funders, notifying program administrators of write-offs of unallowable costs, returning unspent funds, and ensuring proper archiving of all audit supporting documentation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• An advanced degree in Accounting or Business Administration or equivalent experience. Will require a minimum of 6 years of experience in the financial management of publicly funded grant agreements. USG, United Nations, and European funder experience is preferred.
• Excellent financial and accounting skills. Demonstrated experience in grant accounting, with particular emphasis on balance sheet management.  Must have a strong understanding of the management of conditional and unconditional funding as well as foreign currency denominated grant agreements.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, tact, and diplomacy.
• Initiative, strong organizational skills, flexibility, writing abilities, and absolute attention to detail.
• Ability to coordinate efforts of a team, work independently, and maintain flexibility.
• Advanced Excel capabilities.  Experience with Office Connect, Adaptive, Oracle, or Workday preferred.
• High aptitude for learning new systems.  Experience in using external donor reporting platforms is preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with the core values of the WWF organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration
  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page**,  Requisition #24015**
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.