Grant Finance Manager Full Time NEW

The Grants Finance Manager provides strategic leadership for World Vision Ethiopia’s grants finance portfolio across development and emergency programming. The role is pivotal in designing, leading, and continuously improving grants financial management systems, policies, and frameworks that ensure compliance, stewardship, and alignment with donor requirements and World Vision’s global standards.

This role plays a key leadership function in supporting grant acquisition, fostering strategic donor engagement, enabling policy development, and building the technical capacity of the grants finance team. It directly oversees a team of senior grants finance managers, guiding the integration of financial strategy into grant acquisition, implementation, and closeout processes, with a focus on innovation, risk management, and sustainability.

The Grants Finance Manager is a key liaison between World Vision Ethiopia, Support Offices, donors, the East Africa Regional Office (EARO), and implementing partners. Through proactive collaboration and strategic influence, the role ensures the financial credibility and success of the entire grant’s portfolio while championing World Vision’s Christian ethos and values.

Major Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership on grants Finance Management
• Design and institutionalize innovative and adaptive grants finance policies, procedures, and Contextualized internal controls aligned with global and donor standards.
• Ensure standard Grants financial systems are established and maintained in order to provide appropriate levels of security and controls over the organization’s resources and operations. Ensure compliance with the policies and standards in the WV Field Financial Manual.
• Serve as a key advisor to the Finance Director and other Leaderships on grants finance strategy, compliance trends, and financial feasibility of acquisition decisions.
• Drive the strategic alignment of grant budgeting and financial reporting systems with World Vision’s core operational priorities and financial sustainability goals.
• Provide leadership in submission of timely, accurate and complete relevant reporting to the Partnership, Donors and SLT.
• Define, Develop and implement efficient and effective internal control systems for grants Finance management.

2. Grants Portfolio Oversight and Donor Engagement

• Lead financial engagement and negotiation with donors and Support Offices, ensuring adequate support cost recovery and long-term resource growth.
• Provide senior-level oversight of the entire grants finance portfolio (development & emergency grants which include multilateral, 5UN, government, and PNS).
• Foster strategic partnerships and networks to influence donor financial policy and secure funding for high-priority programs.

3. Policy Development and Risk Management

• Lead the revision of financial risk management frameworks for grants, including fraud prevention, regulatory compliance, and internal Controls readiness.
• Institutionalize best practices for grants financial closeout, compliance audits, and asset management.
• Champion a culture of accountability, transparency, and learning in financial governance.
• Develop field monitoring systems and Ensure field and partners monitoring systems are operating as required.
• Manage appropriate financial systems and controls and ensure they are in place to avoid significant finance audit risk ratings, both at the NO and project levels.

4. Strategic Support for Acquisition and Budget Design

• Provide leadership and final review for major grant proposal budgets and financial narratives, ensuring competitiveness and compliance.
• Guide the integration of strategic financial planning into acquisition pipelines, go/no-go decisions, and donor mapping.
• Drive innovation in budgeting tools and methodologies to improve cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
• Advise the GAM Division on strategic resource acquisition and allocation in line with Leadership Direction.
• Lead the planning and budgeting process and provide technical support, to ensure global and regional guidelines are met

5. Leadership of Grants Finance Managers and Technical Capacity Development

• Provide strategic leadership and mentorship to Grants Finance Managers (development, emergency), fostering a high-performing and cohesive team.
• Lead talent management and succession planning for the grants finance function.
• Facilitate ongoing learning, technical training, and capacity building across finance, program, and partner teams.

6. Regional and Global Coordination, Representation, and Networking

• Represent World Vision Ethiopia in regional and global finance forums, particularly with EARO, GC, and donor partners.
• Contribute to regional and global grants finance strategies, ensuring national alignment and mutual learning.
• Advocate for systemic improvements in donor financial frameworks and operational policies that impact Ethiopia’s grant programming.
• Maintain effective communications and pro-active relationships with Support Office partners and donors.

Perform any other duties as assigned by the Line Manager.

• MSC / BA in Finance/Accounting/Auditing is preferred
• ACCA, CIMA or CPA preferred
• Experience of treasury activities, establishment and monitoring of budgets and an understanding of data processing concepts and systems is preferred
• Experience with humanitarian aid in-country is a plus
• Solid knowledge of accounting principles, financial systems, budget/cash flow monitoring and internal accounting controls.
• Ability to solve complex problems and to exercise independent judgment.
• Ability to lead and manage a team.
• Good working knowledge of computerized accounting systems, must be computer literate in Microsoft Office programs.
• Knowledge of government grant regulations and financial reporting requirements preferred
• Good oral/written and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work on a cross-cultural environment with a multi-national staff
• A full commitment to World Vision’s core values and mission statement
• Full adherence to World Vision South Caucasus Child Protection, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policies
• Full Adherence to security protocols

Required

• Minimum of 6 years’ experience in finance management position (Managerial Position)
• Experience in managing donors fund like BHA, UN Agencies Grants WFP, ECHO, et. Managing other emergency grants