Senior Officer-Finance and Procurement

ICRISAT seeks applications from Indian nationals for the post of Senior Officer-Finance and Procurement. This is a national position for the World Vegetable Center, Hyderabad, India.

ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi- arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems.

ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandate crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi-arid tropics. The Institute focuses its work on the drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource-poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid. Please visit www.icrisat.org

Key responsibilities

Finance:

• Plan and prepare regional financial statements, assist the India Country Director in developing and negotiating contracts with stakeholders, assist scientists in developing budgets, and manage the regional office budget.
• Prepare, implement, monitor, and evaluate financial work plans, assist project managers in preparing consolidated work plans, and oversee project budget execution and reporting.
• Prepare, execute, monitor, and report on project and unit-specific budgets.
• Under the overall oversight of the India Country Director, manage the regional office budget, including monitoring and submitting reports on fund allocation, expenses, implementation progress, and project work plans in Maconomy.
• Liaise with ICRISAT and WorldVeg finance departments to prepare quarterly and half-yearly donor reports, utilization certificates, and submit timely reports for national and international projects.
• Oversee external and internal audits, ensuring timely resolution of audit issues, compliance with regulations, and accurate preparation of annual financial statements in accordance with HQ and donor requirements.
• Maintain contract files for collaborators and partners, process payments, submit vendor invoices, and submit reports in Maconomy.
• Manage and assist accounts assistants, conduct financial training, and conduct internal audits at regional centers and country offices.
• Implement and ensure adherence to WorldVeg financial policies and procedures.
• Provide monthly/ quarterly reports on operational expenses.Prepare and check receipts for travel, consultancy, and other expenses.
• Handle GST-related transactions, prepare and submit reports, and assist with project accounting.
• Prepare MIS reports, manage receivables and payables, and review grant and sub-grant agreements.
• Visit regional centers and country project offices to provide financial training and conduct internal audits.

Procurement:

• Prepare and process purchase request approvals through ERP, liaise with the ICRISAT purchase department for regional procurement, and adhere to the procurement policies of the host organization.

• Manage, coordinate, and facilitate all procurement activities, including periodic maintenance services and supplies, in compliance with procurement policies and procedures.
• Estimate, control, and monitor expenses against approved budgets, create purchase orders, and ensure adherence to relevant procurement procedures. Project-related procurement will be aligned with donor guidelines.
• Procurement through WorldVeg HQ will be conducted through Maconomy, following WorldVeg guidelines.
• Develop and maintain internal control systems to safeguard the Center’s financial assets. Monitor and maintain appropriate systems, policies, and procedures for the management of regional office and project assets, and maintain custodian data records.
• Assist internal auditors of host organizations with yearly asset verification.

Required qualification and experience

• Master’s degree in Commerce, Accounting, Finance, or a related field or CA (Inter).
• Have a minimum of 3 years’ experience as Budgeting / Finance / Accounting officer.
• Experience with international NGO preferred.
• Strong knowledge of preparing financial statements and reports in accordance with the selected Accounting Framework.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.
• Strong computer skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Willingness to travel as and when required.

 General:

This is a full-time position based in Hyderabad, India, and available for Indian nationals. The successful candidate should be available to commence as soon as possible for an initial three (3) year fixed-term contract.

How to apply:

Applicants should apply on or before 15 December 2024, with their latest Resume, and the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

ICRISAT is an equal-opportunity employer

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements