FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER

FINANCE AND BUDGET OFFICER

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Possible is a collaboration that develops and tests innovations to improve health in Nepal by directly responding to local concerns, while drawing from and contributing to the broader disciplines of global health research, practice, and policy. Our partnership is between an independent Nepal-based non-governmental organization and a US-based nonprofit. Possible envisions a world where everyone, everywhere has access to high-quality healthcare rooted in evidence, inclusion, and equity. As such, we engage in rigorous and collaborative research and innovation to address evidence, implementation, and policy gaps in the equity, quality, and accessibility of healthcare. Our research endeavors and partnerships aim to address challenges in context and from stated or established needs. Our first commitment is to develop and deploy interventions that improve health (rather than prioritize academic outputs that may be novel and methodologically sound but do not directly improve healthcare). We partner with community-based organizations, public and private sector academic institutions and research organizations to leverage research and evidence to inform and implement innovative solutions to healthcare challenges in Nepal.

For the last 16 years, we have been a leader in healthcare innovation in Nepal, conducting implementation research with partnerships spanning several international institutions such as Harvard Medical School, University of California San Francisco, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and University of Washington.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Possible, a non-governmental organization registered in Nepal, is seeking a Finance and Budget Officer who will play a pivotal role in enhancing the organization's financial management, financial reporting, budget, and sub-contracts processes. The ideal candidate for the position should view themselves as a firm supporter of Possible's mission, vision, and values. They should possess a strong drive, proactive attitude, and the ability to work independently while actively contributing as a valuable member of the management team to further develop the organization.

Reports to: Finance and Operations Lead

Direct Reports: Finance and Admin Assistant

Works closely with: Possible staff, advisors and partners

Location: Kathmandu with travel to Possible’s project sites as required

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Finance and Budget Officer will work closely with our Finance and Operations Lead and be chiefly responsible for the following work:

1. Build, implement, and support finance and budget management process in preparing and submitting research and innovation grant applications, administering subawards and reporting to the donors and relevant stakeholders in accordance with their compliance requirements. 

• Assist Finance and Operations Lead in overseeing the operations of the Budget functions;
• Assist in the preparation of the annual budget and budget modifications as required;
• Assist in managing and monitoring budget implementation and recommend reallocation of funds as necessary;
• Prepare supporting documents (narrative and financials) with respect to donor, Social Welfare Council and other statutory compliance;
• Extract information and generate expenditure reports from the financial software; assist in preliminary analysis of the extracted information, variance analysis and highlight areas of concern;
• Consolidate data and provide support with respect to budget reviews of relevant Cost Centers;
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations and rules and all accounting standards;
• Support in setting up and operationalizing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) and project agreements for partners, including verifying their financial reports and processing advances and reimbursements;

2. Support the team on assisting with financial tasks such as financial statements, petty cash management, bank reconciliation, tax-related work, and procurements, while also supporting the review and improvement of financial procedures.

• Assist in the preparation, review, and analysis of financial statements to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable accounting standards and internal financial policies.
• Assist in monitoring the petty cash of the organization including research site offices; and assist in reconciling the cash position on the statements on a monthly basis;
• Assist in the bank and accounts reconciliation and closure of accounts as required;
• Collaborate with the Finance and Operations Executive to research and analyze financial and grant administration policies and recommend process improvements;
• Review the general journal voucher to ensure that expenditures align with policy and are recorded accurately with proper documentation;
• File paperwork and liaises with the Tax Authorities of Sambhav, the Tax Office, the District Administration Office, municipalities, and other stakeholders as required;
• Prepare monthly management accounts and conduct variance analysis to evaluate financial trends, spending patterns, and cost efficiency, provide insights that support programmatic decision-making.
• Assist in the procurement of goods and services under grant-funded projects, ensuring compliance with donor guidelines, organizational procurement policies, and local regulations.
• Coordinate with program teams to prepare purchase requests, obtain competitive quotations, evaluate vendors, and maintain proper documentation for audit and reporting purposes.
• Maintain accurate documentation and facilitate the timely process of grants;

3. Facilitate in processing payments, managing payroll, vendor management, and ensuring compliance with financial policies.

• Assist in the timely processing of payments, including the monthly payroll, in the financial database and ensure no double payments and ensure accurate tax calculation after having verified the accuracy of the completed claims and supporting documents;
• Support in answering queries from vendors as well as internal queries related to payments;
• Approve the establishment of vendors/suppliers in the relevant systems following the principles laid out in the Policy on Recording of Suppliers;
• In close coordination with the Finance and Operations lead and relevant team members, ensure obligations are recorded and expenditures are charged against appropriate budget codes;
• Match payments against established obligations in accordance with the Policy on Obligations; and
• Process Travel Claims and other payments in absence of Finance and Admin Assistant in accordance with Sambhav Travel Policy; verify the accuracy of completed claims and supporting documents; ensure that the balance of travel advances in excess of the amount of the travel claim is recovered;

The above list of responsibilities is not comprehensive, and the Finance and Budget Officer may be required to take on additional responsibilities, as determined by the Finance and Operations Lead.

Must Haves:

1. Commitment to Possible’s Values, Mission & Vision;
2. System-building skills for designing, sourcing, executing, and coaching research and shared function teams on smart finance, budgeting, and grants systems, as well as being incredibly savvy in building smart systems;
3. Ability to build constructive working relationships and partnerships at all levels, in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity; flexible work attitude and ability to work well under pressure and meet unexpected demands;
4. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Package and financial accounting management software;
5. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree or equivalent with minimum of three years of finance, operations and grant management experience in Nepal, handling donor funds, preferably federal grants. Excellent command of written and spoken Nepali and English. Nepali Citizen based in Nepal;

APPLICATION PROCESS

Email CV and cover letter to recruitment@possiblehealth.org When applying please include name and position in the subject line. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until filled. If we believe that you and Possible are a good potential fit, we will contact you to advance the application process. Please note that due to a large volume of applications, we may not individually respond to your application.