key Responsibilities

Budgeting, Forecasting and Financial Analysis

• Lead the preparation, review and monitoring of response project budgets in collaboration with the Response Team, relevant budget holders and Head of business support.
• Provide timely financial analysis of actual expenditure against approved budgets, commitments and forecasts.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date project forecasts and identify potential under/overspending, funding gaps and budget risks.
• Support budget revisions, reallocations and other financial adjustments in accordance with Oxfam and donor requirements.
• Provide regular financial analysis and management information to the Response Team to support programme decision-making.
• Ensure OPAL budgets and CRIMSON are accurate and aligned with approved budgets and grant agreements.
• Work closely with Programme and Grants colleagues to ensure financial implications of programme changes are identified and addressed promptly.
• Provide financial advice on resource utilization, value for money and the financial feasibility of response plans and proposals

Donor Financial Reporting and Grant Compliance

• Prepare, review and coordinate timely and accurate donor financial reports in accordance with donor requirements and agreed reporting schedules.
• Ensure donor financial reports reconcile with GL, approved project budgets and relevant supporting documentation.
• Review expenditure eligibility against donor agreements, approved budgets and applicable Oxfam policies and procedures.
• Provide financial information and analysis required for donor reports, proposals, budget revisions and grant amendments.
• Maintain an effective financial reporting calendar and proactively follow up on upcoming donor financial reporting requirements.
• Support donor audits, financial reviews and queries and ensure timely responses and follow-up of agreed actions.
• Identify and communicate donor compliance risks to relevant Programme, Grants, Partnership and Finance teams.
• Coordinate with DCM team and ensures Donor Contract Management Systems are updated, with up-to-date information (grant amount, duration of grant, allocation to projects, contract realignments, reporting dates).
• Ensures monthly project budget monitoring reports are produced and provides financial information and analysis to Budget Holders to contribute on decision-making.

Programme support and Partner Financial Management

• Assist the programme team for partners’ appraisal and review of finance report from partners to ensure that they are compliant with Oxfam and back donor’s standards and guidelines.
• Provide financial management support throughout the partner grant/PGA lifecycle, from budget development and due diligence through implementation, monitoring, reporting and closure.
• Review partner budgets and provide financial input to ensure proposed costs are reasonable, eligible, appropriately budgeted and aligned with donor requirements.
• Review partner financial reports, supporting documentation and expenditure against approved PGA budgets.
• Monitor partner expenditure, advances, liquidations and financial performance and follow up on outstanding financial issues.
• Support Programme and Partnership colleagues in the preparation and revision of PGAs and partner budgets.
• Communicate with programme team to ensure the OPAL Budget, update finance related information’s, do follow up and ensure the KPI issue resolution like matching figures with CRIMSON.
• Review and process partner disbursement requests in accordance with approved agreements, financial procedures and programme requirements.
• Ensure partner financial reports are reconciled with Oxfam records and relevant donor reporting requirements.
• Identify financial, compliance and grant-management risks and escalate issues requiring management attention.
• Support partner capacity strengthening in financial management, budgeting, reporting and internal controls.
• Coordinate with Programme, Partnership, Grants and Compliance teams on partner financial management and grant-related issues.
• Ensures all the finance transaction documents at Oxfam and partners are maintained in accordance with the Nepal audit standards and are safe till 8 years after completion of projects. Support financial monitoring visits and reviews of partner organisations where required

• Financial Transaction Management and Controls Ensure timely, accurate and compliant processing and review of financial transactions relating to the response project.
• Review expenditure transactions to ensure they are properly authorised, adequately supported, correctly coded and charged to the appropriate project, grant and budget line.
• Ensure project expenditure complies with Oxfam policies, donor requirements, approved budgets and applicable financial procedures.
• Review payment requests, staff advances, partner advances, liquidations, procurement-related financial transactions and other response project expenditure.
• Monitor outstanding advances, prepayments, accruals and other financial balances and ensure timely clearance.
• Review and approve financial transactions within delegated authority levels.
• Conduct regular review of project ledger transactions and identify unusual, incorrect or potentially ineligible expenditure.
• Ensure timely reconciliation of project financial records with relevant supporting documentation and financial systems.
• Coordinate with Finance Officers and transaction-processing teams to resolve transaction errors and outstanding issues.
• Maintain appropriate financial documentation and audit trails for response project transactions.
• Support month-end and project financial closure activities.
• Ensure financial records are maintained in accordance with Oxfam, donor and applicable statutory requirements.
• Review cash-flow requirements and support effective cash and bank management for the response project, including timely top-up and cash-flow forecasting where applicable.

• Financial Coordination, Capacity Building and Team Support (integrated across the above responsibilities Provide guidance and coaching to Finance colleagues, response budget holders and relevant programme staff on financial policies, budgeting, donor requirements, transactions and grant financial management.
• Contribute to training needs analysis and deliver practical finance training where required.
• Promote strong financial controls while providing timely, solutions-oriented support to programme delivery.
• Where the role has direct reports, manage performance, development and workload in line with Oxfam policies and values.
• Undertake other duties reasonably assigned by the Line Manager that support effective and efficient response delivery.

skills, experience and knowledge

Essential

• Recognized professional qualification in accounting and finance such as CA, ACCA, CIMA or MBA.
• Comprehensive knowledge and a minimum of 5 years of proven senior level experience in financial management activities, such as: budgeting, forecasting, and reporting as well as evidence of effective decision making skills and a critical focus on the delivery of agreed results within time and budget constraints and to expected standards.
• Strong knowledge of accounting standards, GAAP, and statutory requirements, strong numeracy skills and attention to details
• Sound knowledge and experience of Restricted funds management and ability to work with/manage finances of multi-donor grants.
• Strong computer literacy, and proven experience of computerized accounting packages, preferably PeopleSoft.
• Strong analytical and conceptual thinking skills with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving problems and suggesting improvements; able to understand complex issues and translate them into simple workable actions and plans.
• Excellent people management abilities, with motivational, talent development and change management skills. Able to manage and develop other people’s performance
• Excellent communication skills, in written and verbal English, with strong persuasive skills.
• Ability to build strong and credible relationships internally within Oxfam and externally with other organizations, as appropriate.
• Ability to work in demanding situations under pressure in a team or independently with minimum supervision and delver against team objectives.
• Proven experience as a team worker and demonstrably cooperative with members of own team, other team and partners.
• Commitment to the aims, objectives and organizational culture of Oxfam.

Desirable

• Knowledge or appreciation of Nepal in terms of its political, economic and social trends plus a good understanding of the key development and humanitarian issues in the Country.
• Fluency in spoken and written local languages.
• Willingness and ability to travel at short notice and/or to work extra hours as necessary, often in difficult circumstances

Key Attributes

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible

Organisational Values

• Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions
• Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen
• Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences

OXFAM LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK

Key Behavioural Competencies