Demonstrated ability to provide clear and concise written guidance on complex financial issues to grantees.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian
organisation, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage,
facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”
The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters,
health emergencies and other crises.
The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.
The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organised into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalisation; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.
The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.
The Global Road Safety Partnership (www.grsproadsafety.org) is a hosted programme of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and is a voluntary association of governments, businesses and civil society organisations. Both the IFRC and Global Road Safety Partnership are headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The aim of the Global Road Safety Partnership’s work is to reduce death and serious injuries as a result of road crashes in low- and middle- income countries. Globally, road crashes are estimated to cause over 1.4 million fatalities and 50 million serious injuries annually. One important way to address this humanitarian crisis is to ensure that strong, evidence-based laws are in place and effectively implemented in order to protect road users.
GRSP manages two separate competitive grants programmes: The Road Safety Grants Programme and the Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge. The Road Safety Grants Programme is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and its primary objective is to support civil society organisations and National Societies to advocate for the passage and implementation of evidence-based legislation to protect road users. This support includes the provision of funding, building the capacity of grantee organisations to effectively advocate, and broader capacity building of grantee organisations to effectively manage projects and funding. At present, the Road Safety Grants Programme is operational in 14 countries and 10 mega-cities around the world. The Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge (“The Challenge”), funded by Fondation Botnar, is a five-year programme designed to address locally relevant road safety problems that affect children in small- and mid-sized cities in seven priority countries (India, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, Tunisia, Vietnam and Tanzania) with practical, innovative and evidence-based interventions. Projects involve local consortiums who are provided technical support.
The Challenge provides funding to local government agencies and civil society partners. GRSP is providing technical support under the
provides funding to local government agencies and civil society partners. GRSP is providing technical support under the Challenge and managing the grants programme.
The consultant will provide support to both programmes.
The purpose of the consultancy is:
The Financial Compliance consultant is a highly technical consultancy position. It will support the Advocacy & Grants Programmes to ensure compliance with donor and IFRC requirements governing the Road Safety Grants Programme and Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge; conduct analysis of individual grants against relevant United States tax and legal codes with regard to the use of grants funds for direct lobbying activities (for the Road Safety Grants Programme); build the capacity of grantee organisations to become healthy and sustainable; and provide on-going reviews and analysis of grant application budgets, grantee financial reports, and other Road Safety Grants Programme and Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge finance-related documents.
Consultancy deliverables:
Complete financial due diligence, as per IFRC/GRSP requirements, on all new grantee organisations under the Road Safety Grants Programme and Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge.
Evaluate and identify lobbying and non-lobbying activities, as defined under United States tax and legal codes, for all new grants under the Road Safety Grants Programme.
Review and evaluate all budgets and associated financial documents submitted with new grant applications against grant programmatic objectives.
Review and evaluate all financial reports and associated financial documents submitted by grantees as part of the regular reporting and monitoring structure of the Road Safety Grants Programme and Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge.
Conduct or assist in on-the-ground grant negotiations and site visits, where requested in conjunction with relevant Advocacy & Grants Programme and Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge staff.
Provide training and support to Advocacy & Grants Programme and Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge staff on grants financial management, budgeting, and other finance-related issues, at the direction of the Programme Manager.
Education:
Required
- University degree in business, finance or related field
- Professional certification in accounting
Preferred
- Advanced degree in business, finance or related field
Experience:
- More than 5 year’s experience providing financial compliance support to an international grants programme, including reviewing grant application budgets and grantee financial reports
- More than 5 years of experience providing technical support, including capacity building, to civil society organisations in low- and middle-income countries.
- Experience working for the Red Cross/Red Crescent; or an NGO with a focus on policy change or another humanitarian organisation
Knowledge and skills:
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of financial regulatory environments in low- and middle-income country contexts
- Demonstrated ability to provide clear and concise written guidance on complex financial issues to grantees.
- Demonstrated ability to produce and deliver financial management related training
- Able to demonstrate interpersonal skills required to communicate with and work effectively with people from diverse cultures and ethnicities
- Demonstrated understanding of tax and legal codes related to limitations on funding of lobbying and non-lobbying activities as provided within United States Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Sections 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4). Preferred
How to apply:
The Consultant appointed to this role will primarily work from their home location and be called upon to conduct Financial Compliance related work on an as required basis for up to 70 working days each 12 months. At present, due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, travel will not occur as part of this role. However, once travel restrictions end, travel may be required, which could include visits to low- and middle-income countries.
How to apply?
Applications consisting of a cover letter (which includes the expected daily rate of remuneration in Swiss francs) and CV, should be sent to email grsp@ifrc.org with ‘Financial Compliance Consultant Application’ in the subject line by 17:00 Central European Time (UTC +1) on Friday, 5 March 2021.