Project Finance Officer - 10 hours per week - contract

GIST Research Limited; United States; Remote; USD 34,000 - 55,000; Part time

Job summary

GIST Research Limited is seeking a Project Finance Officer on a contract, part-time basis to support budgeting and financial tracking for implementation projects across multiple regions. The role ensures rigorous financial oversight, timely reporting, and coordination with delivery teams and internal operations.

The position is fully remote, part-time (10 hours per week) for up to 12 months, with responsibilities spanning donor compliance, invoicing, and financial tool improvements.

Qualifications

• Strong financial analysis skills with understanding of cost structures and budgeting.

Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain detailed activity-based project budgets aligned with workplans and milestones.
• Track project expenditure monthly and flag variances, risks, and forecast adjustments.
• Coordinate with Project Managers, Program Director, and Financial Manager to consolidate financial inputs.
• Liaise with client grant and commercial officers on financial submissions, invoicing schedules, and contract compliance.
• Prepare regular financial reports, burn rate updates, and dashboards for internal decision-making.
• Ensure adherence to donor financial regulations (US government, DOS, DOJ, etc.) and audit readiness.

Skills

financial analysis

Excel

project coordination

USG programming experience

Job description

Role Purpose

Gist is seeking a Project Finance Officer, on a contract and part time basis, to support budgeting andfinancialtracking for implementation projects and to provide general grants and program finance and administrative support across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The role ensures rigorousfinancial oversight, timely reporting, and effective coordination across delivery teams, commercialofficers, and internal operations. It enables grants and program teams to deliver efficiently while maintaining compliance with donor and internal requirements.

Please note: this is a fully remote, part-time opportunity (10 hours per week), offered on a contract of up to 12 months, subject to business needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain detailed activity-based project budgets, ensuring alignment with workplans and delivery milestones.

• Track project expenditure against budgets monthly and flag variances, risks, and forecast adjustments.
• Coordinate closely with Project Managers, Program Director, and theFinancialManager to consolidatefinancialinputs.
• Liaise with client grant and commercialofficers(includingUS government counterparts etc.) onfinancialsubmissions, invoicing schedules, and contract compliance.
• Prepare regular financialreports, burn rate updates, and dashboards for internal decision-making.
• Ensure adherence to donor financial regulations (US government, DOS, DOJ, etc.)
• Support operational planning, procurement coordination, and compliance with internal Business Ops processes.
• Ensure documentation, invoices, receipts, andfinancialrecords are properly maintained and audit‑ready.
• Contribute to improvingfinancial tools, budget templates, and delivery workflows.
• Provide surge support to other implementation projects as needed across Eastern Africa and the Middle East.

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong financialanalysisskills, including understanding of cost structures and budgeting.

• High proficiency in Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, andfinancial modelling basics.
• Experience in project coordinationwithin multi‑stakeholder or remote teams.
• Prior experience working with USG programming(financial management, reporting, delivery processes).
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across delivery, finance, and operations functions.
• Ability to work independently, manage deadlines, and handle multiple concurrent tasks.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience with US Government-funded grants and programs.

• Experience working on implementation projects in East Africa or the Middle East.
• Familiarity with donor compliance frameworks andfinancialaudit requirements.

Core Competencies

• Analytical Thinking & Problem Solving
• FinancialAcumen
• Planning & Organisation
• Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
• Delivery Excellence & Accountability