Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too.
We have a unique and vibrant culture at R4D. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our work environment and help advance our mission. Diversity—of ideas, identities, perspectives and backgrounds—is vital to who we are and what we do. We seek people who embrace these values and will help reinforce them. Our work culture is collaborative, creative and entrepreneurial. We operate based on trust and respect. Teams across the organization frequently collaborate on programmatic work and support each other in continuously building a better R4D.
About the EdTech programme
R4D is the prime contractor for the FCDO Directorate for Research and Innovation Hub on Technology for Education (EdTech Hub) programme. The aim of the EDTech Hub is to empower people by giving them the evidence they need to make decisions about technology in education as part of a global non-profit partnership focusing on research, innovation, and engagement.
EdTech Hub is a global research partnership that aims to empower people by giving them the evidence they need to make decisions about technology in education. EdTech Hub:
● Undertakes and funds robust and rigorous research in five key topic areas
● Delivers support in up to six core countries to develop and deliver Sandboxes to learn about technology in education in a specific environment
● Delivers Technical Advice and Helpdesk support to FCDO, UNICEF and World Bank advisors as well as government officials on technology in education
● Functions as a Hub and shares a range of Learning Products to make evidence available to a wide audience.
EdTech Hub is delivered through a consortium of R4D and five core sub-contractors as well as range of country and activity specific local and international sub-contractors. From a management perspective, it is a complex programme funded by multiple donors including various departments within the FCDO, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and UNICEF. Ed Tech Hub is in the 4th year of an anticipated 8-year funding period, with a secured budget of £24M and a projected total life budget of at least £30M.
The role
A core role within the Hub Central Services team has become available. The EdTech Hub Finance Coordinator will work closely with the Chief of Operations (COO) for the Hub and the Research Portfolio Manager to oversee and manage financial elements of the Hub’s research portfolio. Specifically, the Finance Coordinator will support the 9 hub led research teams to manage their finances on a day-to-day basis; this includes supporting budgeting and forecasting and leading on obtaining quotes, tracking accruals, invoicing and payments, and finance reporting to the Hub. The Finance Coordinator might also be required to provide similar support to other output leads outside the research portfolio i.e. manage other output budgets such as communications, based on need.
The right person will have experience of scoping (with input from technical teams) and tracking finances on donor programmes (preferably FCDO) across multiple workstreams. The candidate should be able to work independently and efficiently in a fast-paced environment and must be able to develop creative solutions as the Hub grows and changes. The right person will have strong financial management skills and must be highly skilled in Excel and/or google sheets. The successful candidate will have good interpersonal skills and must be able to work well within a large team.
This position is full time home based and will report to the EdTech Hub Finance Manager. Periodic travel to an office in London for meetings could be required. Candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.
The Hub Finance Coordinator is required to liaise with colleagues in Hub countries and in the US, which might on occasion require attending meeting before 9pm or after 5pm.
The salary will be circa £30k-£36k per annum with 25 days annual leave and pension contributions.
Responsibilities
1. Track, manage and report on finances
- Work closely with Research Portfolio Manager to support day to day financial management of research studies, that is to scope, review, challenge and update research budgets and other output budgets in partnership with technical staff
- Attend monthly review meetings with research leads alongside Research Portfolio Manager to track financial commitments and expenditure and update financial forecasts for each of the research studies and other budget outputs as required
- Update Hub Master Budget with forecast and actual data for allocated Outputs, that is transfer data from study and output budgets to the consolidated Hub multi-year muti-donor budget.
- Ensure actual monthly financial reports received from Consortium Partners align with data recorded in research budget sheets as well as Hub Master Budget, and resolve queries where information do not match.
- Act as focal point for all research finance related queries.
- Develop and use a dashboard for report research finance overview to identify variances and other insights, and provide analysis to the Research Directors and Core Delivery Team.
- Provide financial information to the Head of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for VFM reporting purposes.
- Support the COO and Research Portfolio Manager to ensure technical teams, consortium members and individual consultants are aware of budget allocations and operate within these budgets.
- Work with the Research Portfolio Manager to help research and output teams scope inputs and benchmark rates appropriately to ensure Value for Money.
- Feed in to supply chain management and FCDO IATI data quarterly or as required.
2. Other
- Serve as liaison between the Hub Central Services team and the research teams on finances.
- Support the development of research budgets for additional funding.
- Participates fully as a member of R4D by contributing, assisting and participating in projects, activities, and initiatives as requested by management
Qualifications
- Relevant professional qualification
- 3+ years of relevant experience; experience of FCDO programmes or research finance management is highly desired.
- Demonstratable experience of developing budgets and forecasts, tracking and managing resources, and developing financial reports
- Experience operating with an org-wide ERP system.
- Knowledge of accounting and financial transactions and related impact on project and overall organization’s annual operating plan.
- Advanced Excel/Google Sheets skills
- Able to work independently in a fast-changing environment, taking initiative and balancing competing demands
- Excellent oral and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present financial data to technical staff
- Able to work well with a wide range of team members from diverse professional and personal backgrounds
- High level of organization, attention to detail, professionalism, and reliability
How to apply
Please click here to apply.