Senior Finance Specialist – Project Accounting
Job Purpose
The Senior Finance Specialist – Project Accounting is responsible for managing the day-to-day financial and accounting activities of donor-funded projects, including budgeting, expenditure monitoring, financial reporting, reconciliations, compliance, audit support, and financial documentation.
The role ensures that project financial transactions are accurately recorded, properly supported, compliant with donor and organizational requirements, and reported in a timely manner. The position works closely with finance, project, procurement, and operations teams to support effective project implementation and sound financial management.
Key Responsibilities
1. Project Budgeting and Financial Planning
- Prepare, update, and monitor project budgets in coordination with finance and project teams, ensuring alignment with approved activities, donor requirements, and workplans.
- Support budget revisions, reallocations, forecasts, and cash flow projections based on project needs, funding agreements, and implementation progress.
- Review planned expenditures and provide financial input during project planning, proposal budgeting, and budget modification processes.
2. Financial Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting
- Monitor project expenditures, commitments, advances, income, and cash flow to ensure proper budget utilization.
- Prepare budget versus actual reports, analyze variances, identify spending trends, and follow up on corrective actions as needed.
- Prepare accurate and timely financial reports for donors, management, and internal stakeholders in accordance with required formats and deadlines.
- Ensure financial reports are supported by accurate accounting records, reconciliations, and proper documentation.
3. Project Accounting, Reconciliations, and Documentation
- Ensure accurate recording, allocation, and coding of project financial transactions in the accounting/ERP system.
- Review project payments, advances, settlements, cost allocations, and supporting documents to ensure accuracy and compliance.
- Prepare and follow up on reconciliations related to project accounts, donor balances, advances, payables, receivables, and expenditures.
- Maintain complete and organized financial files, including contracts, invoices, approvals, payments, settlements, and donor correspondence.
4. Donor Compliance and Audit Support
- Review project financial transactions to ensure compliance with donor agreements, organizational policies, financial procedures, and applicable regulations.
- Ensure that project expenses are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and properly documented.
- Prepare financial documents, schedules, reports, and reconciliations required for donor audits, internal audits, external audits, and financial reviews.
- Follow up on audit observations and support the implementation of corrective actions.
5. Coordination and Process Improvement
- Act as the finance focal point for assigned projects and provide financial guidance to project teams on budgeting, expenditure tracking, reporting, documentation, and compliance.
- Coordinate with project, finance, procurement, and operations teams to ensure timely submission of supporting documents, invoices, settlements, and financial information.
- Support improvements to financial tools, templates, tracking systems, filing processes, and reporting mechanisms to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or any related field.
- Minimum of 5–7 years of relevant experience in project accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, reconciliations, and donor-funded project financial management.
- Previous experience with NGOs, international organizations, or donor-funded projects is highly preferred.
- Proven experience in preparing project budgets, budget versus actual analysis, donor financial reports, reconciliations, and financial documentation.
- Experience using accounting systems, ERP systems, and financial tracking tools.
- Experience supporting donor audits, internal audits, or external financial reviews is an advantage.
Language and Technical Skills
- Excellent command of Arabic and English, both written and spoken.
- Strong knowledge of project accounting, budgeting, donor reporting, financial monitoring, reconciliations, and documentation standards.
- Good understanding of donor compliance requirements and financial controls.
- Proficiency in accounting software, ERP systems, and financial management systems.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, financial analysis, and reporting tools.
- Ability to prepare clear, accurate, and timely financial reports and communicate financial information effectively.
Key Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- High attention to detail and accuracy.
- Strong planning, organization, and follow-up skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Commitment to compliance, transparency, and continuous improvement.
