Senior Grants Officer

AI summary

MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices is hiring an experienced Senior Grants Officer to manage the full grant lifecycle for donor-funded projects, including budget development, expenditure monitoring, financial reporting, reconciliations, forecasting, and project close-out. The role requires close collaboration with Programmes, Finance, Procurement, and channel leads to ensure compliance with donor requirements and MSI policies.

• Oversees financial management across the full grant lifecycle from budgeting to close-out
• Prepares monthly budget variance analyses, donor financial reports, and management presentations
• Requires strong SUN system experience and donor compliance knowledge
• Collaborates with Programmes, Finance, Procurement, and channel leads

Original source description

MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices is seeking an experienced Senior Grants Officer to oversee the financial management of donor-funded projects throughout the full grant lifecycle, from budget development and implementation monitoring to donor reporting and project close-out. The successful candidate will prepare monthly budget variance analyses, monitor project expenditure, review financial transactions and SUN postings, prepare donor financial reports, support forecasting and provide timely information on the financial performance of all active projects. The Senior Grants Officer will work closely with the Programmes Department, Finance Operations, Procurement, channel leads and other stakeholders to ensure that project resources are properly budgeted, accurately recorded and used in accordance with donor requirements: and MSI policies. Key Responsibilities: Budget Development and Management: Prepare appropriately phased donor budgets for each project, channel and cost centre. Maintain an updated funding pipeline and cost matrix for all current and prospective projects. Transfer approved and phased budgets to the relevant MSI project-upload template for timely upload into SUN. Develop robust project budgets for new business opportunities in collaboration with the Programmes Unit, using approved MSI budget templates. Apply the Support Office cost-allocation policy to ensure that shared costs are allocated fairly across active projects. Expenditure Monitoring and Transaction Review: Maintain a tracker of approved procurement requests that have not yet been submitted to Finance for posting. Code and post intercompany transactions and ensure that all balances are fully reconciled. Provide clear explanations and follow-up actions for outstanding reconciliation items. Validate and assign the appropriate donor, project and account codes to procurement and payment requests before approval. Monitor project expenditure to ensure that spending remains within approved budgets. Review financial postings in SUN to confirm their accuracy and compliance with donor requirements: and organisational policies. Review and approve all recoding journals, ensuring that supporting documents are saved in the appropriate monthly folder before posting. Financial Reporting and Analysis: Ensure that all required sections of project financial reports are completed and supported by detailed, accurate and quantifiable variance commentary. Prepare monthly management presentations covering: Clear action plans, responsible owners and timelines. Implementation and financial-management challenges; The implications of identified challenges; and Reasons for overspending or underspending; Year-to-date and full-year project performance; Prepare and maintain an up-to-date monthly Budget Variance Analysis and Project Financial Report for each project assigned. Prepare accurate donor financial reports and submit them to the Finance Manager for review at least two days before the relevant internal deadline. Prepare a consolidated report showing the financial status of all active projects by project and channel. Reconciliations and Project Close-Out: Investigate and clear balances relating to projects that have been closed. Perform monthly reconciliations of deferred income by project. Maintain detailed supporting schedules for deferred-income balances, including UNFPA-donated stock. Ensure that supporting schedules reconcile with the relevant project balances in SUN. Support the timely and compliant financial close-out of completed donor-funded projects. Forecasting and Business Planning: Identify financial risks, funding gaps and potential overspending at an early stage and recommend appropriate corrective action. Work with relevant business and channel leads to prepare accurate rolling forecasts, quarterly forecasts and annual business plans within established internal timelines. Monitor financial performance against approved budgets and forecasts. Collaboration and Operational Support: Contribute to relevant Finance Operations objectives and performance plans. Work closely with the Programmes Department, Finance Operations, Procurement and other stakeholders to support the effective implementation of donor-funded projects. Provide timely financial information and advice to programme and channel leads to support effective decision-making. Provide project-finance support and guidance to operational finance colleagues. Follow up with responsible teams to ensure that agreed project-finance actions are completed on time. Qualifications and Experience: Essential Requirements: Four to five years of relevant experience: managing donor-funded budgets within an international non-governmental organisation. Excellent organisational and administrative skills. A Degree in Accounting with a minimum of a second-class upper division or its equivalent. Demonstrated experience: in project budgeting, expenditure monitoring, donor financial reporting, forecasting, reconciliations and project close-out. Proven ability to manage competing priorities and produce accurate, high-quality reports within short timelines. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills. Strong understanding of donor compliance requirements: and financial controls. A recognised professional accounting qualification, such as ACA or ACCA. Keen attention to detail and the ability to work effectively under pressure. Experience: using SUN Accounting or a comparable accounting system. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Excellent numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills. Skills and Competencies: A flexible, results-oriented approach to work. Strong strategic, creative and analytical thinking. Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills. Ability to communicate financial information clearly to both financial and non-financial stakeholders. Ability to identify financial risks and recommend practical solutions. High levels of professionalism, integrity, self-motivation and accountability. Ability to work collaboratively with finance, programme, procurement and operational teams. Sound professional judgement and the confidence to take initiative. Ability to support and motivate colleagues to deliver agreed results. How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online Note Please select the correct job location when completing the application form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled. Important Information: There is no relocation allowance available for this position. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be conducted while the advertisement remains open. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is appointed. Equal Opportunity and Safeguarding: MSI Nigeria is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and operates a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, exploitation and harassment of any kind. Children by choice, not chance. MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, colour, religion, age, marital status, disability or any other protected characteristic. Application Deadline: 27th August, 2026. View all Jobs in Nigeria Abuja Senior Grants Officer job vacancies in Nigeria