Senior Finance Business Partner – Research

Job Purpose

Under the general supervision of the Finance Business Partnering Head, the Senior Business Partner – Research is responsible for providing financial information to donors, budget holders, IRRI Management, and all other stakeholders by providing financial information in a timely and accurate manner and in compliance with the Institute’s, CGIAR’s and donors’ guidelines. As the primary individual responsible for the supervision of the financial analysis of Research units’ funds, the Senior Business Partner – Research will provide strategic support to IRRI Management, Platform Leaders, Cost Centre Leads, and budget holders, in general, by proactively monitoring financial activities and financial reporting specific to Research units and clearly communicating results of the analyses including financial and business advisories that are critical to the responsible leads’ decision-making purposes.

This position will be based at the IRRI Headquarters, Los Baños, Philippines and may only be filled by permanent citizens of the Philippines.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Supervise the analysis transactions, preparation of variance analysis, and prepare timely financial reports on the Research units’ funding status on a timely basis and in accordance with CGIAR guidelines and Donor memorandum of agreement.
• Provide exceptional business advisory and support for the financial activities of Research units by 1) monitoring spending and coordinating all movements of budget and providing financial expertise in budget profiling, budget revisions and preparation of best estimates, 2) anticipating the Research units’ needs and identifying improvements and new resources to support the platform, and 3) developing materials and training activities to provide stakeholders with an enhanced understanding of finance policies, guidelines, procedures and programs.
• Collaborate with resource partners such as other Financial Teams, Legal Services, Portfolio Management Office, Human Resources, IRRI Education, Communication, and Operations to provide optimal customer service and ensure grants adhere to institutional financial compliance and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate and collaborate with Research budget owners regarding the overall financial management of the grants/projects/ budgets under their leadership and/or responsibility, and proactively identify issues pertaining to their funds and recommend timely solutions.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other Finance Teams, Legal Services, Portfolio Management Office and other offices in reviewing contracts to ensure that all provisions are compliant with the Institute policies and procedures, and feasible within the context of the Institute’s operations.
• Coordinate with external and internal auditors during project audits and ensure prompt response to queries for smooth and timely audit fieldwork.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the MIS team, through the Finance Transformation Team, for system improvement and functionality testing.
• Work collaboratively with other Finance Teams during month-end and year-end closing of books to ensure that all legitimate transactions are properly recorded and that all financial reports are accurately prepared and submitted to stakeholders and donors on time.
• Develop and deliver training programs to stakeholders for enhanced understanding of grant requirements and Institute policies and procedures from a financial perspective.
• Review and analyze transactions for the timely preparation and submission of quality financial reports to Research units, as applicable.
• Conduct regular discussions with Research units to provide support in the financial management aspect of the projects/tasks under their leadership/responsibility.
• Closely monitor and analyze Research budget spending and recovery (as applicable) patterns and communicate the same to budget owners for a more reliable budget profiling.
• Ensure full understanding and compliance of the terms and conditions of the projects as predetermined in the signed contracts for efficient implementation of grants.
• Maintain and update budget loading in the financial system for budget owner’s use and ensure accuracy in the Statement of Budget and Expenditure reports.
• Proactively and closely monitor, reconcile, validate and analyze financial transactions and reports.
• Conduct periodic training for stakeholders
• Perform any other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor from time to time

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, CPA preferred, with at least 5 years working experience in accounting, auditing, financial management, budgeting, or related field

Skills Required

Mandatory

• Has extensive knowledge of accounting systems, bookkeeping, and financial reporting.
• Must be highly analytical and stakeholder service-focused with exceptional problem-solving and organizational skills
• Ability to communicate professionally, positively, and effectively with a variety of individuals integral to the position
• Ability to quickly learn and grasp the implications of the financial terms and conditions for each managed project
• Can work with minimal supervision
• Proficient in using MS Office and has relevant experience in computerized financial systems and flexibility to adapt new software applications

Source: https://www.irri.org/talentlink/details.html?id=Q7LFK026203F3VBQB79QWQWAS&nPostingID=1948&nPostingTargetID=3530&mask=irriext&lg=EN