Major Gift Officer, Sr. - Higher Ed. jobs in Hartford, CT

Position Overview

About Rare:

Rare inspires change so people and nature thrive. For 50 years, across 60 countries, we have inspired and empowered millions of people and their communities to shift their behaviors and practices to protect our shared planet. We are a global leader in driving social change for people and nature and believe that the cumulative power of individual and community action is a vital pathway to safeguarding and restoring our shared waters, lands, and climate.  Rare’s organizational culture is results-oriented, and entrepreneurial, and our global programs cover the thematic areas of climate change, fisheries and marine conservation, sustainable agriculture food security, and Green Recovery.

Position Overview:

The Sr. Finance & Grants Officer reports to the Director for Finance & Administration and provides hands-on accounting and financial support to Rare Philippines programs. The Officer will supervise and train junior accounting staff as well as work and collaborate with program and finance staff in the Philippines and the United States.

Essential Functions:

The Sr. Finance & Grants Officer will exercise independent judgment in the following areas:

Accounting

• Enter and review transactions recorded in the accounting system, bank account reconciliations, staff cash advances, and petty cash.
• Ensure financial and accounting records are in compliance with donor requirements, local and national government regulations, and Rare’s policies and procedures.
• Supervise the vendor payment process.
• Liaise with an external accounting firm for tax filings, annual tax returns, and other matters and review monthly tax and statutory payments to relevant government authorities.
• Primarily responsible for audits and financial reviews, both in-country and home office annual audits, and drafting management responses to audit observations.
• Ensure filing of the audited financial statement (AFS) and general information sheet (GIS) on or before the 31st day of January each year.

Financial Management

• Assist budget owners and the Director for Finance & Administration during the mid-year budget revision process and budgeting for the next fiscal year.
• Monitor and assess the country office’s budget versus actual spending and generate/distribute monthly reports with analyses that are understandable enough for budget owners. Draw up strategic courses of action to ensure spending within allowable parameters, and optimize use of available resources.
• Release finance bulletins and advisories to inform all staff about new and current finance guidelines and other important matters.
• Lead in the conduct of refresher courses on policies and procedures such as procurement, contracting, and financial management systems for current staff and onboarding sessions for new hires. 

Procurement and Contract Management 

• Provide technical assistance to staff in doing the procurement process, review vendor contract agreements and supporting documents, and endorse for further review any contractor/sub-award agreements.
• Manage the Contracts Monitoring Tracker and send out reminders to contract leads whose contracts have passed the expected end dates.

Grants and Donor Reporting 

• Prepare budgets for possible new funding opportunities.
• Review donor contracts/cooperative agreements and ensure compliance with requirements related to finance policies.
• Track donor and grant reporting deadlines to ensure timely compliance and submission of reports to the Home Office.
• Assist in reviewing and tracking cost share requirements to gather evidence of cost share and ensure that files are complete to substantiate cost share calculations in the event of an audit.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with donors and program staff. 

Sub-Recipients Grant Management Support

• Support program implementation managers to negotiate costs and cost-sharing agreements with sub-recipients based on donor limitations/requirements (such as allowable, disallowable and allocable expenses).
• Conduct site monitoring visits to ensure compliance and provide financial assistance support to implementing partners. 

Filing and Record Keeping 

• Create and maintain electronic and official hard copies of finance files (grants, budgets, contracts, etc.). Ensure all files kept confidentially and are in compliance with donor and Rare policies and practices and all regulatory requirements
• Prepare files for auditor's review.
• Archive closed grant files and prepare them for storage.

Other tasks may be assigned by the Director for Finance & Administration as required.

Experience and Education:

• A bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance is required for this position.
• At least five years of experience working with international nonprofit organizations, particularly in budget development, management, and monitoring; procurement and contracting; and the general financial management system.
• Advanced proficiency in using Microsoft Excel. Experience in using Intacct and Databasics is an advantage.
• Proven ability in project management and collaborating with different teams.
• Exceptional organizational skills to prioritize projects and initiate follow-through with meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written, including the ability to effectively engage with staff at all levels in a fast-paced work environment.
• Sound business judgment and ability to manage shifting priorities and competing deadlines to ensure accuracy and high-quality standards while applying a system’s view of outcomes and impact.
• Prior experience in an international, cross-cultural work environment is essential, and willingness to work on flexible hours (even beyond the regular working hours) as needed.
• Written and verbal fluency in English.

Rare is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic.