Vacancies

Grants Financial Management Coordinator

Department: Finance Department

Location: Bishkek

Reports to: The Head of Financial Grants Management Unit

Job purpose: The Grants Financial Management Coordinator plays a significant role in managing and overseeing the financial aspects of assigned internal and external grants.

Common information

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) brings together human, financial and technical resources to address some of the challenges faced by the poorest communities in the world. With an emphasis on women and girls, AKF invests in human potential, expanding opportunities and improving quality of life. AKF was established in the Kyrgyz Republic to support sustainable socio-economic development in mountain communities by building partnerships. AKF aspires to improve the quality of life and self-reliance of young people and women in the Kyrgyz Republic through inclusive and innovative community driven solutions, constant learning, and integrity. 

Qualification requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Math or related field (MBA, ACCA, CFA preferred).
• 3-5 years experience in grant finance management, especially with EU/EC grants.
• Strong knowledge of EC financial regulations.

Experience

• Working with budgeting and reporting.
• Experience in NGO sector is an asset.
• Dynamics 365 Business Central accounting system experience is an asset.

Skills/Competencies

• Proactive results-focused, strategic thinker and planner.
• Strong finance-based analytical skills.
• Desire and ability to learn quickly and constantly increase effectiveness.
• Self-management and -motivation.
• Excellent time-manager.
• Knowledge of grant processes, donor agencies requirements, IFRS and audit procedures is desirable.
• Advanced computer skills, including proficiency in Excel.
• Strong communication skills.

Languages: Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, Kyrgyz and Russian.

Main responsibilities:

Budgeting and financial planning:

• Collaborate with program leads/managers and partnership teams in development/modification of budgets. This includes estimating the financial needs of the proposed projects, including personnel and administrative costs, and ensuring the accurate calculation and estimated costs are adequate;
• Prepare budgets and develop annual one for BC purpose to ensure all costs can cover operational needs of assigned grants;
• Provide full support to program/project management team in budget revision, reallocation of costs for the no-cost extension and/or funding uplifts, etc.
• Carefully review financial terms and conditions of the assigned grant agreements/contracts and understand them to ensure that the organisation will be able to comply with financial requirements, including those related to accounting, financial reporting and documentation;

Budget monitoring:

• Monitor budget spending of internal and external grants to ensure that all expenses are within the approved limits and in compliance with the budget categories/components;
• Regularly review the spending rates and timely provide information on budget versus actuals/burn rates, variances, potential risks;
• Timely notify the program leads/managers and partnership team to address budget variances;
• Support to program/project management in preparation of justification analyses in assigned grants for variances and movements between the categories when requested; 

Reporting/Financial control:

• Ensure preparation and timely submission of high-quality financial reports to the donors/management/internal stakeholders to provide an overview of how both external and internal funds were spent and ensure that the organization follows the grant agreement/contract and other terms;
• Maintain accurate grants/internal funds - related documentation and ensure that all specific requests/expenditures/approvals are properly documented and filed;
• Prepare VAT logs to donors based on donors’ requests;
• Ensure accurate coding and recording of all expenses in BC accounting system;
• Review of financial reports and supporting documentation of subaward agencies;
• Subaward reconciliation of payables and receivables; overall donor balance reconciliation;
• Ensure timely submission of cash requests as required by donor contracts and internal sub-grant agreements;
• Carry out control and monitoring procedures of subawards;
• Compilation/preparation/modification and consolidation of supporting documentation according to Donor requirements.
• Calculate expenses in local currency to other donors' currency equivalents for closing quarter in both accounting systems;
• Ensure/check monthly that all AKF/MSDSP KG transactions are reflected accurately;
• Preparation of required information for Donor missions/meetings/calls – offline/online.
• Provide required information for narrative reports for program/project management

Cost allocation 

• Preparation of monthly cost allocations, including general administrative costs, mobile units, vehicle operations;
• Verification of monthly staff allocations, drivers allocations (based on logbooks), life insurance, medical insurance and other benefits, if any;
• Review and allocation of other shared project related costs. 

Recording in accounting/Donor system(s):

• Recording of Sales invoices in BC accounting system;
• Preparation of Purchase invoices in BC for subawards funds transfers;
• Recording of transactions/requests in Donor systems, if any (Ex: Client connection, GFDRS, etc.) 

Audit:

• Lead in the overall process of donor audits. Timely provide finance - related data to donors’ audit and ensure full support for the audit review;
• Review and verification of Donor audited financial statements;
• Follow-up donors’ audit findings and inform The Head of Financial Grants Management Unit and CFO on any delays with implementation of the recommendations;
• Provide support to the accounting management unit during the organizational external independent audit review;
• Preparation of Confirmation letters to donors and reconciliation of the balances with accounting system.

Collaboration with Financial Accounting Unit:

• Ensure timely provision of required information for proper allocation of costs and recording in the system;
• Collaborate with the Unit to ensure transparency and compliance of all finance-related matters;

Internal control and risk management:

• Monitor and track finance-related matters over the whole project cycle to ensure that grant funds are effectively and efficiently used and meet all applicable donors’ regulations and laws;
• Maintain internal control mechanisms to prevent fraud and/or errors;
• Identify, assess potential risks that could affect the finance department;
• Communicate with the Head of Financial Grants Management Unit and CFO if any risk’s potential impact is assessed as major and/or severe to ensure that the steps being taken to manage them;

Others: Undertake other tasks as assigned by the Head of Financial Grants Management Unit. 

Conditions

Interested and qualified candidates could express their interest in writing by submitting their applications by June 2, 2025, 00:00 (Bishkek time) to the following email address akf.hr.kg@akdn.org indicating the job title and their name in the subject line.

For example: "Grants Coordinator_Name" and attach the following documents:

1. Cover letter, no more than 200 words;
2. CV;
3. Contact information for four referees;
4. Copies of educational documents verifying qualifications. 

Applications that do not meet the above requirements will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interviews.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks which include criminal record checks. AKF Kyrgyzstan also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. You can find out more on this scheme on this link: https://misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org/

“The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is committed to safeguarding, which means it promotes respectful relations with and between all staff, associates, beneficiaries and wider communities with whom it works, and takes all reasonable measures to prevent harm, including all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment (PSEAH), bullying, discrimination, harassment and abuse of power that may arise from contact with its staff, programmes or operations.

AKF also adheres to child safeguarding principles, as set out by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s), employment history and any potential history of misconduct. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a full background check.

All employees of AKF are required to adhere to the organizational safeguarding standards and principles and at all times to act with dignity, respect and to contribute to a safe environment free from any type of harassment, abuse or discrimination.