Finance and Grants Manager

About the role

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is seeking a Finance and Grants Manager to lead the financial and grants management of the REAP Program, a five-year multi-country initiative aimed at giving 1 million young people access to work in sustainable feed and livestock value chains. The role ensures resources are planned, safeguarded, used and reported in line with the Mastercard Foundation grant agreement, approved budgets, ILRI policies and statutory requirements. It reports to the Head of Finance, with a dotted line to the REAP Program Director, and is based in Nairobi.

Key responsibilities

• Prepare, consolidate and revise the program budget, turn workplans into annual budgets and forecasts, and monitor spending against budgets and plans
• Produce monthly and quarterly financial analyses and advise program leadership on the financial implications of decisions and scope changes
• Interpret the grant agreement and financial conditions, apply the financial governance framework and ensure expenditure is allowable and allocable
• Lead quarterly donor financial reporting, track reporting deadlines and audit requirements, and respond to donor queries and compliance reviews
• Manage partner financial oversight: due diligence, budget and agreement review, cash request checks, partner advances and sanctions screening
• Set up and oversee financial controls for participant support mechanisms such as grants, revolving funds and guarantees
• Maintain the asset register and financial risk register, and coordinate donor, external and internal audits
• Manage cash flow, foreign-exchange exposure and program payables and receivables
• Keep financial systems and data clean, run month-end and year-end reconciliations, build dashboards and plan grant close-out
• Lead and develop the Program Accountants and train budget holders and partners

Required profile

• Master's degree in finance, accounting or a related field
• Full professional accounting qualification (CPA (K) or ACCA) and active membership in ICPAK or an equivalent body
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible finance and grants management experience, including 3 years in a supervisory or management role
• Experience with donor-funded programs across several countries and managing subawards; Mastercard Foundation experience is an added advantage
• Open to Kenyan nationals only; the position is at job level HG17 and is a 3-year contract, renewable

Required skills

• ERP and financial reporting systems
• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• Dashboards or business intelligence tools (desirable)

Applicants submit a cover letter and CV with three referees through the ILRI recruitment portal by 20 November 2026. The salary and benefits package includes pension, medical and other insurances.