Regional Programs Finance Coordinator

WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. Our mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the world’s poorest communities.

WaterAid works through supporting local organisations and government authorities to design and demonstrate appropriate and sustainable WASH programs. WaterAid also seeks to influence policy change through government and other key sector actors to secure and protect the right of poor people to safe, affordable water and sanitation services.

Everything we do is shaped by our six values:

- Integrity
- Respect
- Collaboration
- Courage
- Accountability
- Innovation

WaterAid is a child safe organisation. We recognise that we must meet community expectations and the trust placed in our personnel to maintain the highest standards of conduct with children. Therefore, all positions within WaterAid are required to comply with our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.

WaterAid is committed to protection from sexual exploitation and abuse in everything we do. The values and standards we uphold are highlighted in our Global Code of Conduct. All positions within WaterAid are required to comply with our Global Code of Conduct.

WaterAid passionately believes everyone in the organisation has a role to play in innovation, encourages curiosity about the world and empowering everyone to take action. We recognise that both big and small changes can have positive impacts on our roles, our team and our mission.

Job Purpose

The Regional Program Finance Coordinator will provide effective support for program finances, with a focus on the interface of grants with business functions. The role will be based in the Organisational Systems and Support team, and will liaise closely with team members in the Program Operations team, and also with Operations staff in Country Programs. The role will improve processes and capacity related to grant finances, with the aim of strengthening capacity of country program staff to effectively manage grants and implement Country Strategies.

The role will coordinate closely with Operations Managers in country to ensure the completion of business processes, including annual budget preparation, forecasting, and budget tracking. The role will seek to strengthen capacity, with the aim of finance processes being led in country.

The role acts as a key contact within the team for business development and budgeting guidance, ensuring we are seeking full cost recovery. The role will also engage on a new grant/program management system development, ensuring that financial requirements are translated into the system.

Key Performance Areas/Accountabilities

Coordinate financial processes:

- Support Operations Managers in country to review expenditure against budget, process adjustments and reforecast processes. Facilitate these processes for the Policy and Programs Team.
- Oversee the staff recovery process and salary mapping for the Policy and Programs Team, and support Operations Managers in country to lead process.
- Support Country Programs in preparations for grant audits and responding to audit recommendations.
- Support the preparation of annual country program budgets and quarterly reforecasts, including allocation of expenses to grants and projects

Support grant financial management, operations and compliance:

- Lead the review and updating of Operations Manual for Country Programs, including contextualisation of annexes as necessary with the Country Programs, and socialisation of the manual to ensure that WaterAid’s processes are relevant, understood and implemented
- Support Country Programs to ensure compliance with WaterAid policies, and identify and action system improvements
- Maintain WaterAid Australia’s pricing guidance for grants, and build capacity across Country Programs to utilise approach.
- Oversee match funding requirement of the grants and update the match fund tracking
- Support the development and socialisation of tools or processes to improve the interface of grant finances with business finance functions, including around:

- Annual budgeting and quarterly reforecasting; and
- Provide future year projections and cost recovery mapping information
- Improve accessibility of grant financial information, and integration of grant and WA financial requirements
- Support Country Programs to produce internal monthly financial report for in-country review and monthly adjustment
- Undertake Country Program visits and provide support as needed to strengthen capacity and practice in relation to program operations.
- Support Country Programs in financial components of partnership management

Program and grant management systems improvements
- Ensure that processes are fit for purpose
- Support capacity development initiatives and provide training and support for financial management
- Feed into systems improvement project, ensuring that financial and