Grants and Finance Specialist, Water Program

World Resources Institute

Program Overview:

WRIs Water Program works with businesses, governments, and civil society to ensure a water-secure future - addressing both water quantity and quality challenges. We do this through several projects and initiatives around the world. We conduct economic and other analyses to identify water-related challenges globally and, we identify solutionssuch as restoring ecosystem servicesto alleviate stresses on the worlds water supplies.

This position is currently remote due to Covid-19 but will be a hybrid model of remote and in-office once restrictions are lifted.

Job Summary:

The Grants and Finance Specialist will be responsible overseeing budgets, grants and contracts for several projects within the Water Program, totaling over $3 million annually. This will include developing budgets for new proposals, tracking and updating current project budgets, monitoring expenditures, preparing financial reports and invoices for prime awards, sub-contracts, and subgrants, and other ad-hoc administrative and operational tasks as needed. The position will work closely with WRIs Grants and Contracts team, members of the Water Program and will be part of a growing team of Grants and Finance Specialists within WRIs Food, Forests, Water and Ocean Programs.

Job Responsibilities:

Contract and Subagreement Management (40%)

• Draft and execute contracts and subgrants with partners and contractors.
• Process invoices and payments for projects in compliance with WRIs policies (subgrants, consultancies, work orders, etc.).
• Monitor partners to ensure the timely and accurate submission of progress and financial reports.
• Support project managers in ensuring compliance with all grants and contracts, particularly detailed government grant requirements.

Financial Planning and Administration (40%)

• Prepare annual budgets as well as budgets for new proposals and grants.
• Monitor and manage a growing portfolio of individual project budgets across multiple international offices.
• Review and track monthly expenses and staff labor hours, utilizing WRIs budgeting and forecasting software.
• Prepare detailed financial reports to funders as needed and ensure that progress reports are submitted in a timely manner.

Project Management (20%)

• Support monitoring and tracking of project deliverables to ensure that they are submitted within the period of performance.
• Liaise with Operations staff, International Office staff, Core Communications and stakeholders in other program/centers to problem solve and generate solutions to systemic issues and effective ways to complete tasks as needed.
• Work directly with funder to request and submit Prime award amendments, payment requests, and other funder related needs.
• Track program funding opportunities and record information in on-line tracking systems.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree Required (Business Administration, Financial Management, or other related discipline).
• The position requires a detail-oriented, highly organized individual with experience and interest in program operations, grant compliance, financial management, and budgeting.
• 2+ years of relevant work experience, particularly in financial and budget management.
• Must be adaptable to rapidly changing priorities and have the ability to manage multiple projects with varying deadlines.
• Attention to deadlines, particularly with regards to grant compliance and monitoring subgrantees and contractors.
• Patience and perseverance in understanding and explaining issues to partners and contractors.
• Strong process orientation with sensitivity to quality.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and demonstrated strong work ethic
• Strong writing and proofreading skills.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to work well in a team.
• Requirements: Existing US work authorization is required for this position. WRI is unable to sponsor visa work authorization for this position.

Potential Salary:
$53,000 - $68,000 Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter and apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• A competitive salary
• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US.
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work.
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI.
• Long-term commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours.
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure.

About Us: Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, aswell as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the worlds greatest environment and international development challenges and improve peoples lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:WRIs mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earths environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture: WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.

Please see job description

PI190805147