Finance and Grants Manager (Deputy Finance Manager)

Finance and Grants Manager (Deputy Finance Manager)

Philippines (Hybrid)

Job Description

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) is leading the implementation of the RESEEDPh Project with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as the Executing Agency Support Partner (EASP) and Conservation International as the Global Environment Facility Implementing Agency (CI-GEF). RESEEDPh is a 60 month GEF 8 initiative designed to reverse land degradation, strengthen ecosystem resilience, and improve sustainable land management in Catanduanes, Bohol and North Cotabato. The project integrates scientific innovation, community based restoration, and policy alignment to address biodiversity loss, soil degradation, climate risks and unstable land use.

Scope of Work / Job Summary

The Finance and Grants Manager (Deputy Finance Manager) plays a key technical role in ensuring strong financial management and high quality grant implementation across the RESEEDPh project. This position is central for maintaining the financial integrity of all project components and for supporting partners and grantees in meeting GEF, CRS, and CI GEF requirements. The role goes beyond routine finance tasks: it provides specialized technical guidance on grant execution, ensures compliance with donor rules, strengthens financial capacity of grantees, and safeguards the proper use of project funds.

The Finance and Grants Manager will lead financial tracking and reporting, oversee subgrant and contract financial performance, and verify that partners follow internal controls, procurement rules, co financing commitments, and documentation standards. This includes close, ongoing work with grantees to review financial reports, identify risks early, provide hands on support, and guide corrective actions. The position ensures that all grant agreements are implemented as planned and that technical results are supported by accurate, timely, and compliant financial processes.

This role is a key technical advisor to the Project Lead and grantees, helping them understand GEF financial structures, budget limitations, procurement rules, and reporting requirements. By providing coaching, monitoring, and capacity building, the Finance and Grants Manager helps partners improve their systems, strengthens grant performance, and ensures the project delivers strong, compliant results aligned with donor expectations.

Responsibilities

Technical Support on Grant Design and Implementation

Provide technical guidance to grantees on how to design budgets, financial plans, procurement plans, and cost justification in line with GEF and CI GEF rules, project results framework and MEAL indicators.

Review draft grant agreements, budgets, and workplans to ensure technical alignment with project objectives and donor requirements before approval.

Support Component Leads to ensure technical outputs proposed by grantees are realistic, cost effective, and linked to budget lines.

Technical Oversight of Grantee Financial Systems

Assess the adequacy of grantee financial systems, internal controls, and accounting procedures, and recommend improvements when needed.

Conduct technical review of grantee supporting documents to verify eligibility, allocability, and reasonableness of costs in accordance with audit and internal control standards.

Technical Capacity Building for Grantees

Deliver training and one on one technical support to grantees on GEF financial rules, procurement compliance, co financing tracking, and reporting requirements.

Develop step by step technical guidance materials, reporting templates, and checklists to strengthen grantee financial capacity.

Technical Risk Management and Compliance

Lead technical assessments of financial and operational risks related to grantees and propose mitigation measures for inclusion in risk registers and grant agreements.

Monitor compliance with procurement thresholds, competitive procedures, and documentation requirements for each subgrant.

Provide technical advice to resolve complex issues such as cost re allocations, procurement exceptions, VAT treatment, or FM questions.

Technical Validation of Program Results

Review whether financial execution matches technical progress reported by grantees (e.g., outputs, activities, deliverables) in line with MEAL systems and reporting timelines.

Validate that expenditures are consistent with technical implementation plans and procurement schedules through appropriate methodology.

Provide recommendations to adjust budgets or technical plans when implementation gaps or risks are identified.

Technical Coordination and Knowledge Sharing

Work closely with Component Leads to ensure financial and technical data are aligned when preparing GEF reports.

Participate in technical meetings with grantees to review progress, implementation bottlenecks, and financial implications.

Document and share best practices on financial and grant implementation across components.

Project Components and Outputs

Component 1: Knowledge and decision support system

Lead the financial and grant compliance review of ICRAF’s subgrant, ensuring that technical outputs are supported by eligible and well documented expenditures.

Validate ICRAF’s financial reports and assess alignment between reported costs, technical deliverables, and procurement plans.

Provide technical guidance to strengthen ICRAF’s financial systems and internal controls related to the execution of this component.

Component 2: Ecological Restoration Site Development

Coordinate the technical and financial review process for all Component 2 subgrants and consultant contracts, ensuring budgets and deliverables reflect realistic and cost effective technical plans.

Train grantees on GEF financial rules, procurement thresholds, co financing tracking, and approved reporting templates.

Component 3: Adoption of restoration best practices

Provide technical capacity building to grantees, including one on one guidance on budget execution, classification of costs, and documentation of technical deliverables.

Component 4: Policy coherence

N/A

Component 5: Effective monitoring, and evaluation (M&E)

N/A

Component 6: Project Management Costs (PMC)

Prepare procurement plans and manage procurement processes following CRS and CI GEF requirements.

Develop terms of reference and procurement packages.

Manage consultant activities and output deliverables.

Maintain records of all project related documentation.

Prepare financial reports for the project.

Support financial auditing process for the project.

Ensure tracking of co financing materialized.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

B.A. degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration with courses in accounting, or a qualification in accounting (CPA/ACCA or equivalent).

Minimum of five years’ experiencein a position with similar responsibilities, preferably with an international or local NGO, or a financial/banking institution.

Knowledge of the relevant public donors’ regulations preferred.

Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications. Knowledge of financial reporting software preferred.

Knowledge of Budgeting and Financial Management, Financial Analysis and Reporting, Transaction Processing and Controls, and Grants Management and Compliance.

Knowledge of Relationship Management, Partner Capacity Building, and Cultural Sensitivity.

Required Languages –Good written and spoken Filipino and English languages.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 20%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of the relevant public donors’ regulations preferred.

Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications. Knowledge of financial reporting software preferred.

Knowledge of Budgeting and Financial Management, Financial Analysis and Reporting, Transaction Processing and Controls, and Grants Management and Compliance.

Knowledge of Relationship Management, Partner Capacity Building, and Cultural Sensitivity.

Preferred Qualifications

Excellent analytical skills with ability to detect and report inconsistencies.

Accuracy and completeness with great attention to detail.

Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics.

Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results oriented.

Ability to work collaboratively.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

Integrity

Builds Relationships

Develops Talent

Strategic Mindset

Accountability & Stewardship

Supervisory Responsibilities – None

Key Working Relationships – Internal: Finance Manager, Accounts Payable Specialist persona, Co Grant/Project Accountant persona, Program/Budget Managers (budget proposal review/Project expenditure reports), Compliance team (Internal Audit), and Supply Chain Management (SCM) Team.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr