Grants Officer

Job Title:                                            Grants Officer

Reports to:                                       Country Director

Location:                                           Ramallah, Palestine

Contract Duration                       9 months (with possible extension)

ABOUT THE ILF

The International Legal Foundation (ILF) is seeking a Grants Officer to join our local Palestinian team and work with a committed and diverse global organization. This position provides an opportunity to be a member of an enthusiastic and diverse team that is committed to continually advancing local leadership, ownership, and decision-making.

Established in 2001, ILF is a leading global advocate for the right to counsel. Our mission is to make justice a reality for poor people by fighting to guarantee high-quality legal representation for everyone arrested or detained. Around the world, we provide criminal defense services and build sustainable, effective legal aid institutions.

Headquartered in New York City, ILF has legal aid programs operating in Afghanistan, the Republic of Georgia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine, and Tunisia. To date, ILF lawyers have represented more than 80,000 people suspected or accused of criminal offenses and trained thousands of legal aid lawyers to provide quality legal aid services. ILF also performs high-level advocacy, pushing countries, international institutions, and donors to prioritize legal aid as a fundamental human right and a crucial global development issue. Our work prevents torture and mistreatment, promotes alternatives to detention, and builds fair and effective justice systems.

Since 2010, ILF has been providing quality legal aid across 11 governorates in the West Bank and advocating to strengthen legal aid for all Palestinians.

About this Role

ILF is seeking a Grants Officer based in Ramallah. As the Grants Officer at the Palestine International Legal Foundation Office, your pivotal role involves overseeing the financial intricacies of grants and awards. With a focus on compliance, you will diligently review proposals and grant award agreements, collaborating closely with the program and New York finance teams to execute pre- and post-award functions. Your responsibilities extend to crafting budget guidelines, preparing funding applications for diverse donors, and maintaining precise budget vs. actual reports. Your attention to detail will shine through in generating donor expense reports and ensuring timely submission of financial statements and donor reports.

In addition to your grant-related duties, you will be instrumental in various accounting and auditing tasks, including report entry preparation, account reconciliations, and supporting the Accounts Payable process. Your role contributes significantly to monthly and annual closing processes, ensuring adherence to accounting standards. With a commitment to transparency, accuracy, and seamless audit support, you play a vital part in upholding financial integrity within the organization. This position presents a unique opportunity to contribute to the success of our initiatives in advocating for justice and legal representation.

Budgeting Work:

• Read and comprehend all proposals and grant award agreements, conducting periodic reviews of grant award charges for compliance.
• Ensure compliance with donor budgets and award documentation, performing grant-related pre- and post-award functions in collaboration with the program team and the New York finance team.
• Establish guidelines for budget and forecast preparation, as well as ongoing maintenance and variance analysis.
• Prepare budgets for funding applications submitted to potential donors, including U.S. federal government, foreign government, private foundations, and multilateral donors.
• Maintain accurate budget vs. actual reports for all funding sources, providing monthly explanations for material variances for each project.
• Generate expense reports in Excel for donors, coordinating with implementation/project teams and the finance department.
• Prepare and submit timely financial statements and donor reports in accordance with agreements, ensuring alignment with the Fund E-Z general ledger and explaining variances.
• Maintain regular contact with program teams and finance teams in NY to forecast future spending based on new or changed funding sources for specific programs monthly.
• Enter and maintain approved budgets and budget modifications in the Fund EZ budget module.

Accounting and Auditing Work:

• Prepare report entries for cash receipts and disbursements using fund accounting software.
• Regularly reconcile accounts with the general ledger, including monthly bank reconciliations.
• Assist in Accounts Payable (A/P) processing, managing bills through electronic bank payment, wire transfers, Fund EZ generated checks, credit cards, and other applicable payment methods.
• Support monthly and annual closing processes.
• Analyze and interpret financial information to ensure system entries comply with applicable accounting standards.
• Assist in all internal, project, and external audits by providing requested information and documentation within the required timeframe.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The ILF Offers

• International and dynamic working experience.
• Opportunity to take initiative and realize your ideas.
• Full-time employment contract.

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A successful candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Requirement: A bachelor's or master's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field is preferred; however, relevant work experience will be considered.
• 3+ years relevant experience including grant budget development or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Pre-award and post-award budgeting experience
• Excellent Excel and MS Word skills
• Familiarity with accounting software, Fund EZ a plus and understanding of general ledger
• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English and Arabic languages
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to convey complex information in a clear manner
• Robust analytical skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Flexibility with independent and teamwork
• Ability to work within strict timelines and handle multiple tasks
• Experience working in an international setting is preferred
• Previous experience providing training and/or technical assistance is a plus

Kindly submit a resume and cover letter with salary expectations to [email protected] by Jan.16, 2024. No telephone inquiries please.  Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted