Program Finance Specialist (Hybrid) - IIE
Chicago IL, IL
About the Job
Houston TX - Houston, TX 77027 US
New York NY - New York, NY 10007 US
San Francisco CA - San Francisco, CA 94108 US
Washington DC - Washington, DC 20005 US (Primary)
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is hiring a Program Finance Specialist for our Program Financial Management (PFA) Programs. We invite you to join a team united by a single goal: to transform our interconnected world into a network of more peaceful and equitable societies. IIE’s team members share a belief that when education transcends borders, it opens minds, enabling people to go beyond building connections to solving problems together.
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Job Summary
The Program Finance Specialist is a member of the Program Financial Management team. PFA drives strategic decision making at IIE by providing thoughtful financial insight and data-driven recommendations to program management teams. PFA also liaises with the Grants & Contracts, Financial Planning & Analysis, Revenue Management, and Accounts Receivable teams to recommend finance and grant management process improvements and to review and develop IIE policies.
The Program Finance Specialist will be responsible for developing, tracking, and analyzing budgets and proposals, organizing and presenting financial data to support decision-making, and identifying potential financial risks for the ¬¬¬USAID-funded SPARK (Strategic Partnerships for Advancing Research and Knowledge) program. The Specialist will also work with the Revenue Management and Accounts Receivable teams to resolve revenue and cash application issues, prepare and/or review financial reports for submission to USAID, and meet with IIE’s senior financial leadership to discuss the portfolio’s quarterly financial results. The Program Finance Specialist collaborates frequently with program team colleagues to review financial reports and discuss how ongoing program activities may impact the program’s financial results. As a senior member of the team, this role may periodically lead working groups to review and improve processes, train new team members, and work on high visibility programs or special initiatives.
Essential Functions:
• Develops and maintains financial reports to monitor program expenses against budget line items for a complex program.
• Leads monthly presentations to the program management team to review and discuss major program spending variances, budget projections, and potential financial risks and to engage in scenario planning.
• Partners with program managers, the Grants & Contracts team, and senior financial leadership to recommend risk mitigation strategies and to resolve compliance issues.
• Collaborates with program managers during the semi-annual process to prepare and update the organization’s operating budget by reviewing expense and revenue projections and determining whether projections are consistent with anticipated results.
• Works with program leaders to review variances to the operating budget in preparation for quarterly review meetings with the CFO and Deputy CFO.
• Prepares and reviews financial deliverables for submission to USAID.
• Reviews revenue and cash application each month and works with the Revenue Management and Accounts Receivable teams to resolve issues.
• Reviews budgets from grant recipients under Spark.
• Facilitates the setup of new contracts and charge codes in accordance with the contract’s terms in the PeopleSoft contract management system. Acts as a contract administrator throughout the life cycle of the contract, including tracking financial deliverables, developing and distributing the payment coding structure, and interpreting financial aspects of the contract for program teams.
• Supports the annual audit process as it relates to assigned contracts.
• In addition to the USAID-funded SPARK program, supports the Cairo and Addis Ababa offices in the financial management of their programs.
• Provides financial support to other programs as needed.
• Responsible for ad-hoc departmental and IIE-wide projects, leveraging experience, and knowledge of IIE's financial systems, cost allocations, and internal policies & procedures.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education and Work Experience:
• Requires a Bachelor's degree in order to apply in-depth knowledge of the theories and principles of a specialized work function, field or discipline.
• Requires at least five years of related work experience.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Proven track record in a financial analysis role with a demonstrated ability to analyze financial reports and proactively identify financial and compliance risks.
• Experience working on USAID-funded programs.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365, specifically with advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, SUMIF, etc.).
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with a curious and independent approach to problem solving. Ability to recognize and analyze difficult situations and to take appropriate action.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including the ability to effectively convey financial information to non-financial program team members.
• Ability to create and sustain effective working relationships with colleagues across the organization in a hybrid working environment.
• Ability to exercise discretion on confidential matters.
• Highly organized, detail oriented, ability to take initiative, work independently, and meet deadlines.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Preferred experience in grants management with USG, private foundations, corporations, and/or foreign governments.
• Familiarity with 2 CFR 200 a plus.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary Range: $67,097 - $85,801. A candidate’s salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, internal organizational equity, and geographic region.
IIE offers a robust suite of benefits to team members including medical, dental, and vision plans, paid time off and holidays, student loan and tuition reimbursement programs, professional development reimbursement program, retirement plans and a family medical leave benefits. Please visit our careers page for further details.
The Institute of International Education (“IIE”) has a hybrid work environment that allows team members a combination of in-office work and telework at any of the locations listed above.
Work Conditions & Physical Demands:
Essential functions are performed in a general office setting with low noise. Job demands may require long periods of sitting; telephone work and/or computer work, as well as interactions with other team members and external stakeholders. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
IIE is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.