Portfolio Finance Manager

Contract Type: Permanent - Fulltime Overview of job The Portfolio Finance Manager (PFM), a role fully embedded in the Project Management Unit, will provide financial expertise across a portfolio of programmes and donor-funded projects. The role is responsible for ensuring strong financial governance, budgeting, reporting, donor compliance and audit coordination. The successful candidate will work closely with project management colleagues, Research Groups, donors, and finance stakeholders to support effective financial management from proposal stage through to project closure. This role requires strong analytical capability, excellent organisational skills, and experience managing complex project finances in a fast-paced environment. Overall responsibilities include: Budget development as part of business development processes Building multi-year project budgets and forecasts, and monitoring expenditure against them through variance analysis Reviewing and approving financial elements of donor contracts Assessing the eligibility of costs and ensuring compliance with donor financial rules Accurate and timely set up of new projects in Business Central (BC) / Progressus Management of billing schedules and raising of donor invoices Set up and management of donor records in BC / Progressus Uploading project budgets to BC / Progressus Ownership of ODI Global’s project budgeting template Enabling and supporting project managers with efficient budget management tools Managing the finances of sub-grants and downstream delivery partners, including budget review and review of partner financial reports Preparing project and portfolio cashflow forecasts and donor funding requests Developing donor financial reports and coordinating supporting financial information Providing project-level financial data for statutory and transparency reporting Auditing project ledgers to identify errors Coordinate project financial audits and lead the financial response to them Monitor FX gains and losses Coordinate project closure processes Main Duties and Responsibilities Business development and project set-up Work alongside project managers during project design and proposal development Build multi-year, multi-currency project budgets, applying the correct allocation of direct and indirect costs and the appropriate overhead and indirect cost recovery rates Determine staff day rates and funded day allocations when building project budgets, ensuring staff time and recoverable costs are correctly priced into proposals Assess the level of unfunded full economic cost (FEC) at proposal stage, and flag it as part of the financial viability assessment for the bid Lead the financial input to go or no-go and bid decisions, including pricing and cost recovery at proposal stage, to support the financial viability of new work Ensure accurate completion and approval of all finance elements of the Award Review Form (ARF) at the relevant moment Lead grant opening or kick-off financial briefings with Research Groups, so that projects start with a shared understanding of the budget and the donor’s financial compliance requirements Set up new projects within BC / Progressus, ensuring all essential elements of project records are updated accurately Project management and donor compliance Review donor contracts to, among other things, identify and resolve finance-specific risks, requirements, or compliance queries and assess contractual terms to ensure their profitability and viability, providing points for donor negotiation as required Maintain a working knowledge of major donor financial rules and regulations, for example FCDO, the European Commission, UN agencies, US government funders and foundations, and act as the first point of advice for the Research Group on donor financial compliance Translate each donor contract into a financial compliance checklist, covering the eligibility of costs, reporting requirements and key financial conditions, and brief Research Groups accordingly Assess the eligibility of expenditure against donor rules, and the correct allocation and apportionment of direct and indirect costs Coordinate finance approvals for donor contracts as per the thresholds set out in the Statement of Delegated Authorisation Carry out financial due diligence and pre-award capacity assessments of sub-grantees and downstream delivery partners, and monitor their compliance with donor financial requirements throughout the life of the award Manage the financial aspects of grant revisions, including budget realignments, cost extensions and no-cost extensions, in line with donor approval requirements Set up records in BC / Progressus for new donors, ensuring a high level of accuracy Financial management and reporting Set up and manage billing schedules in project records on BC / Progressus including raising invoices and supporting on accompanying required documentation such as funding requests Upload project budgets to BC / Progressus, ensuring a high level of timeliness and accuracy Lead budgeting, reforecasting and budget-versus-actual variance analysis across the portfolio of projects, working with project managers and budget holders to agree corrective action Monitor burn rates and spend-down across the portfolio, prepare forecasts to completion, and flag potential under- or over-spends early Monitor staff days charged against funded day allocations across the portfolio, identifying over- or under-recovery and agreeing corrective action with project managers Track unfunded FEC across the portfolio, monitoring the gap between the full cost of delivery and the income recovered, and report on the cost absorbed by ODI Global Prepare project and portfolio cashflow forecasts, and align donor instalment and funding requests to them Manage and maintain ODI Global’s project budget tool, troubleshooting issues and bringing in additional beneficial features as required Strengthen financial controls, coding and the audit trail for grant transactions within BC / Progressus Maintain oversight and ensure compliance with donor financial reporting deadlines and requirements Develop and maintain financial reporting templates, tools and a reporting calendar to support timely and accurate donor reporting Prepare donor financial reports and coordinate supporting financial documentation Supply project-level financial data for transparency and statutory returns, including the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) Manage disbursements to sub-grantees and downstream delivery partners, and review their financial reports for accuracy and eligibility before consolidation Coordinate project financial audits and including collating supporting documentation alongside S/PMs as required Monitor foreign exchange gains and losses across projects and take appropriate actions / escalate as necessary Knowledge management and team collaboration Attend and contribute to Research Group meetings Lead or contribute to regular grant and budget review meetings with Research Groups, tracking actions and financial follow-up Support continuous improvement of financial processes, systems, and reporting practices Share knowledge and guidance with Research Groups and operational teams on financial procedures and donor compliance requirements Provide training and guidance to project managers and budget holders on budget management, donor financial compliance and use of the project budget tool Maintain organised grant financial records and a working repository of donor financial rules and guidance for the Research Group Work with the other Portfolio Finance Managers and the wider Project Management Unit to share good practice and ensure consistent financial management across Research Groups Person specification Essential Knowledge and qualifications Ability to build budgets, allocate resources, and adjust forecasts during project lifecycle Ability to track actual expenditure against planned budgets to mitigate overspends or underspends Strong understanding of direct vs. indirect costs, and overhead allocation. Awareness of charity statutory reporting requirements, including Charities SORP and FRS 102 Understanding of full economic cost (FEC), day-rate setting and funded day allocations Understanding regulatory requirements, grant reporting standards, and auditing processes Understanding of donor financial rules and compliance requirements across a range of funders This knowledge may have been gained through a charity or nonprofit finance background; a formal accountancy qualification is not required Experience Experience of financial management in a donor-funded environment Experience of grant financial management across the project lifecycle, from proposal budgeting to closure Experience of budgeting, reforecasting and variance analysis across a portfolio of projects Experience of developing accurate donor financial reports Experience of managing the finances of sub-grants or downstream delivery partners Experience of managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills Experience of project audits, ideally including leading the financial response to them Skills / Abilities High proficiency of Microsoft excel Good proficiency of financial management systems (ideally Microsoft Business Central and Progressus) Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail Financial management and analysis skills Ability to prepare and interpret project and portfolio cashflow forecasts Ability to interpret donor contracts and translate financial conditions into compliance requirements Effective teamwork, inter-personal and collaboration skills Excellent written and oral communication skills Ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues Knowledge of foreign exchange management Experience of multi-currency project accounting Key relationships and contacts ODI Global Chief Executive SLT Research Group Directors Project Management Unit colleagues, including the other Portfolio Finance Managers Auditors and financial regulators Bilateral and multilateral donors and related organisations Sub-grantees and downstream delivery partners Key foundations and business partners All staff are expected to: Positively support equality of opportunity both within ODI Global and externally Help maintain a safe working environment and take responsibility for own and colleagues’ Health and Safety Undertake such other duties within the scope of their post as may be requested by their Manager Please note that we are recruiting for multiple Portfolio Finance Manager positions. Why should you work for us? ODI Global is committed to developing and supporting diverse and inclusive teams of people who share our passion, where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We welcome applicants from a range of diverse backgrounds including those who experience intersectional marginalisation on the basis of their class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious identity or belief, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We also welcome applications from those living with disabilities. Benefits We prioritise the well-being of our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your personal and professional growth. Enjoy a generous annual leave allowance, including public holidays and additional time off during Christmas and New Year. We also recognise the importance of work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements, remote work options, and study leave to support your professional development. Our commitment to employee well-being extends beyond annual leave. We provide comprehensive benefits such as maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, competitive pension schemes and interest-free travel loans. We offer sick pay, an Employee Assistance Program, and staff events and social activities to ensure your physical and mental health. For those relocating to the UK, we provide relocation assistance to help you settle in. We also promote sustainable commuting with our Cycle to Work scheme and offer union membership to protect your rights and advocate for your interests. At ODI Global, we believe that a supportive and rewarding work environment is essential for success. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects our commitment to your well-being and professional growth. For a full listing of benefits, please visit our Careers page .