Grants Finance Officer

Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad

Hours
34.5 hours per week

About the Organisation

SPANA (The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) is the global charity for the working animals of the world. Since our foundation in 1923, we have worked where they work to support the welfare of working animals, including horses, donkeys, mules, oxen, dogs, and camels.

About the role

SPANA is investing in its Grants and Compliance function to strengthen financial oversight and accountability across its global partnerships. The Grants and Compliance team plays a critical role in safeguarding resources, supporting partners and ensuring compliance with donor requirements and SPANA’s internal policies. The team works closely with colleagues across departments and with partner organisations to deliver impactful programmes for the welfare of working animals worldwide. Reporting to the Grants Compliance Manager, the Grants Finance Officer is a key role within this function.

The position ensures robust financial management of grants and partner funding by reviewing financial reports, conducting compliance checks and supporting partners with capacity building. The role also maintains accurate grant records, assists with due diligence and contributes to risk assessments and audit processes. By providing clear financial support and guidance, the Grants Finance Officer helps SPANA and its partners meet donor expectations and strengthen accountability, ultimately enabling better programme delivery and impact. 

Responsibilities

Grant Partner Financial Oversight:

• Review partner financial reports and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness and compliance with donor and organisational requirements.
• Conduct cost eligibility checks on partner budgets and expenditures.
• Follow up on financial discrepancies or missing documentation with partners.
• Ensure timely review and processing of partner drawdowns, maintaining accurate records of fund transfers and acknowledgements.
• Conduct partner asset verifications in line with grant agreement provisions.
• Review partner inventory records to ensure alignment with procurement and usage.

Capacity Building and Support:

• Provide training and ongoing support to partners on financial management, donor compliance and reporting requirements.
• Support partners in developing budgets and financial plans aligned with project objectives and SPANA guidelines.

Grant Management and Reporting:

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date grant records in the accounting and grants department
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
• Assist in conducting partner due diligence assessments and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Support the preparation and review of grant agreements and amendments.
• Prepare partner risk assessments and monitoring plans based on due diligence outcomes.
• Conduct and document sanction checks on partner organisations.
• Conduct due diligence exercises for project partners.
• Support internal audits and donor reporting processes by providing timely and accurate financial data.

Compliance and Controls:

• Ensure all financial activities comply with internal controls and donor regulations.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of financial procedures, tools and templates for grant management.
• Monitor partner compliance with local statutory laws, particularly in relation to remuneration and employment practices.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Knowledge and Education:

• Strong understanding of donor compliance requirements and eligible cost criteria.
• A good understanding of due diligence processes and risk assessments.

Experience and Skills:

• Experience reviewing financial reports within the non-profit or international development sectors.
• Experience reviewing partner budgets as part of a compliance process.
• Experience working with international donors (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, European Union, United States Agency for International Development, United Nations agencies).
• Proficiency in enterprise resource planning systems and Microsoft Office, with strong familiarity with Excel.
• Experience managing different priorities and a varied workload.

Personal Attributes:

• Excellent attention to detail and strong organisational and analytical skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with partners from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• A commitment to SPANA’s mission to transform the welfare of working animals

Desirable Criteria:

• French language skills
• Experience in capacity building or delivering financial training to partners.

Required Qualifications

• A recognised undergraduate qualification in accounting, finance, or a related field.

Compensation & Benefits

• 26 days annual leave, plus bank holidays; further leave accrues after two years of service to a maximum of 30 days.
• Generous company pension scheme, 10% employer contribution if employee contributes a minimum of 5%.
• Healthcare cash plan with Medicash, including access to virtual
• GP appointments.
• Enhanced employee assistance programme.
• Group income protection and life insurance scheme.
• Volunteer day programme.

Conditions of employment

• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely

How to apply

• To apply: Send a CV and cover letter/email (totalling no more than two pages) to [email protected]. Please state where you saw the role advertised in the body of your email. If you have any questions about the role, please feel free to [email protected] email us.
• Applications without a cover letter/email explaining how you meet the requirements for the role will not be considered.
• We recognise that candidates may choose to use AI in their application documents. We recommend that candidates ensure that their use of AI is considered and that their application documents accurately reflect their skills and experience. Applicants are advised that we do not utilise AI in our application review process, and a minimum of two team members independently review all applications. Some interview processes will involve skills assessments, which we expect candidates to complete without the use of AI.

Interviews

• Some interview processes will involve skills assessments, which we expect candidates to complete without the use of AI. 
• All applications will be acknowledged. Unfortunately, once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Return to listing