Finance and Budget Graduate Trainee – Grow a Tree Foundation (GTF)

GTF is a global Environmental and Climate Change advocacy organization that seeks to promote climate resilience of cities, rural communities and schools, through sustainable climate smart interventions.

Core Values: Innovation, Environmental Integrity, Responsiveness, Empathy.

S/he reports within delegated authority. The Finance and Budget Officer will be responsible for the following duties: Provides advice and guidance, including training, to staff members on budgetary and financial policies and procedures, including results-based budgeting; Participates in inter-departmental meetings and/or technical survey missions on matters related to resource requirements, programming and budgetary issues; Keeps up to date on documents/reports/guidelines that have a bearing on matters related to climate adaptation and mitigation funds and programs, ensuring compliance with donor policies and procedures; Drafts reports for all donor /partners and management on budgetary issues, and correspondence; Acts as Certifying Officer to ensure that proposed obligations and expenditures are in accordance with approved budgets and established regulations and rules; Ensures the integrity of financial and management systems and the controls that underpin them; Represents GTF in inter- and intra-departmental meetings; Plans, organizes, manages and supervises the work of the Finance and Budget Unit.

Reviews, analyses and finalizes cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements from departments/offices at headquarters and in the field, including programmatic aspects; Provides detailed input with respect to resource requirements for budget submissions; Reviews, analyzes and finalizes program budget/financial implications in light of additional mandates; Issues allotments, authorizes sub-allotments, including redeployment of funds when necessary, ensuring appropriate expenditures; Manages and monitors budget implementation and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary; Monitors expenditures to ensure that they remain within authorized levels; Administers and monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures; Authorizes payment to vendors and services providers; Prepares budget performance submissions; Reviews and finalizes budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.

Professionalism: Knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources; Ability to develop budgetary policies, procedures and new programs; Ability to formulate new strategies and technical approaches to budgetary matters; Shows pride in work and in achievements, demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter, is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results, is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns, shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges, remains calm in stressful situations; Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments; Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or Accounting; Two years of experience in an accounting, budgetary, or management position is required.

A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in finance, administration, budget, business administration or related areas is required; Experience leading budget and finance teams is desirable; Experience in results-based approaches to budgeting is desirable; Experience preparing and submitting budget proposals using the Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC) or similar enterprise resource planning application is desirable; Experience in cost recovery planning and monitoring is desirable; Experience with the operations of grates/donors is desirable.

Skills: Strong computer skills, including the development of spreadsheets and reports using graphs and charts, are required; Good interpersonal, communication, organizational, and administrative skills required; The ability to initiate and follow through with work responsibilities and to meet deadlines with a minimum of supervision is required; The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.