Consortium Finance Administration Officer

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA); United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

ICARDA seeks a seasoned Consortium Finance Administration Officer to lead financial planning, budgeting, and reporting for a multi-partner Red Palm Weevil control initiative in the UAE and beyond. The role partners with ICARDA and external donors to ensure compliance and transparent resource use.

You will oversee budgeting, forecasting, and dashboarding, provide strategic financial insights, and build capacity across partner organizations through training and support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related field.
• Master's degree or CPA/ACCA is an asset.
• Minimum 7 years in project finance or grants management.

Responsibilities

• Lead consortium budgeting and financial planning activities.
• Develop and monitor multi-year and phase budgets and forecasts.
• Coordinate with partners to align budgets with workplans and milestones.
• Provide financial analysis and risk assessments for decision-making.
• Support donor reporting and compliance across ICARDA and partners.
• Mentor partners on budgeting and financial management processes.

Skills

Budgeting

Financial analysis

Donor reporting

IFRS

Audit procedures

ERP systems

Excel

Power BI

Unit4

English & Arabic

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance/accounting/business

Master's degree or CPA/ACCA (asset)

Tools

ERP

Excel

Power BI

Unit4

Job description

Reports to Consortium Program Manager

Main purpose of the position

The CGIAR Consortium for Red Palm Weevil Control C4RPWC is a multi-partner initiative funded by the International Affairs Office IAO of the UAE Presidential Court and the Gates Foundation Led by ICARDA the Consortium brings together international research organizations and strategic partners to develop and scale sustainable science-based solutions for the management of the Red Palm Weevil in low- and middle-income countries The Consortium Finance Administration Officer CFAO is a key member of the Consortium Management Team and reports directly to the Consortium Program Manager at UAE while indirectly reporting i e dotted line to ICARDA s Egypt finance and administrative office The CFAO is responsible for consortium-wide financial planning budget management expenditure visibility monitoring forecasting compliance oversight and financial coordination across ICARDA and partner institutions The position mentor coach and train spending units including partners and ensures the effective stewardship of donor resources supports strategic decision-making through financial analysis and forecasting and ensures compliance with donor agreements consortium governance requirements and ICARDA policies and procedures

Main responsibilities

Consortium Financial Planning

• Lead the development consolidation and maintenance of annual multi-year and phase-specific consortium budgets and financial plans
• Develop and maintain consortium-wide expenditure forecasts spending pipelines and cash flow projections for ICARDA and partner institutions
• Monitor budget execution and conduct regular budget-versus-actual expenditure analyses identifying variances implementation bottlenecks and opportunities for corrective action
• Coordinate with technical teams and consortium partners to align budgets with approved workplans milestones procurement plans and implementation schedules
• Support the development and financial review of annual workplans budget revisions and funding allocation decisions
• Provide financial scenario analysis and projections to support strategic planning and decision-making by ICARDA leadership
• Mentor coach and train spending units in proper budget planning and utilization of funds

Financial Oversight and Performance Monitoring

• Serve as the focal point for consortium-wide financial performance monitoring and expenditure tracking
• Maintain oversight of project expenditures fund utilization burn rates commitments and financial obligations across ICARDA and partner institutions
• Review financial transactions commitments and expenditures to ensure alignment with approved budgets donor requirements and ICARDA s Policies and Procedures
• Develop and maintain financial management dashboards and key performance indicators to support program oversight and management decision-making
• Prepare periodic financial performance summaries risk analyses and expenditure forecasts for consortium leadership governance bodies and donors
• Advise the Consortium Program Manager and ICARDA s Management on budget utilization financial risks and resource allocation decisions

Partner Financial Management and Coordination

• Coordinate financial planning budgeting forecasting reporting and expenditure monitoring across all consortium partners
• Review partner budgets financial reports invoices forecasts and expenditure submissions for completeness accuracy and compliance
• In collaboration with the Finance Partnerships and Legal teams lead the financial review and processing of partner agreements amendments budget modifications and funding reallocations
• Support the integration of new activities workstreams and project phases into partner budgets agreements and implementation plans
• Maintain consolidated records of partner budgets expenditures commitments invoices disbursements and available balances
• Liaise regularly with the implementation partners finance and project management teams to strengthen financial planning internal control and implementation performance

Donor Compliance and Financial Reporting

• Ensure financial management practices comply with the requirements of the International Affairs Office IAO of the UAE Presidential Court the Gates Foundation and ICARDA Policies and Procedures
• Coordinate the preparation and submission of donor financial reports and supporting documentation
• In close collaboration and consultation with the Finance Department maintain and disseminate donor financial management and compliance guidance across consortium partners
• Monitor compliance with donor agreements approved budgets funding conditions and financial reporting requirements
• Support the preparation of financial information required for donor reviews meetings and governance processes

Internal Controls, Risk Management and Audit Support

• Maintain effective financial control and risk management systems across consortium operations
• Support the implementation of internal control procedures related to budgeting expenditures procurement sub-awards and financial reporting
• Conduct periodic financial reviews and compliance assessments of partner institutions
• Support internal and external project audits and ensure timely follow-up and resolution of audit findings and management recommendations
• Identify emerging financial compliance and operational risks and elevate them accordingly to obtain guidance and recommend mitigation measures

Systems, Process Improvement and Capacity Development

• Work closely with ICARDA s Finance Grants Management and Project Management functions to optimize financial systems workflows and reporting processes
• Recommend and support the implementation of process improvements and digital solutions that may enhance financial transparency forecasting efficiency and accountability
• Provide training and guidance to ICARDA staff and consortium partners on budgeting financial management donor compliance forecasting and reporting requirements
• Serve as the primary focal point for consortium-related financial management and compliance queries
• Promote consistent financial management practices and strengthen partner capacity in financial planning reporting and compliance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field. A master's degree and/or professional certification (CPA, ACCA) is a strong asset
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in project finance or grants management, preferably with international development or research organizations
• Experience with major donors (especially Gates Foundation or Gulf-based funders) is an advantage
• Solid knowledge of budgeting, financial analysis, and donor financial reporting
• Familiarity with IFRS and audit procedures
• Proficiency in financial systems (e.g., ERP) and Excel; Power BI and Unit4 are a plus
• Strong communication skills in English and Arabic
• Good judgment, attention to detail, and a problem-solving mindset
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and external partners

Availability and willingness to travel occasionally to partner sites, Cairo administrative HQ, and field locations (30%).