Grants and Finance Specialist, Cities

About the Program:

WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities is WRI’s program dedicated to shaping a future where cities work better for everyone. Together with partners around the world, we help create resilient, inclusive, low-carbon places that are better for people and the planet. Through WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, we aim to transform the way cities are planned and designed to ensure that urban development benefits people, nature and the climate. Through creative and sustainable local partnerships, we help decision-makers navigate competing tensions so they can adapt and harness the benefits of systemic change. Our network of local and international experts work in more than 150 cities across 75 countries. We produce practical, data-driven research on how fast-growing urban areas can deliver core services like transport, housing, clean water and sanitation to all residents while simultaneously restoring nature and stabilizing the climate. We work hand-in-hand with local leaders to advance solutions ranging from electric mobility to resilient water systems to better public transit and urban land use. And we forge long-term partnerships and coalitions to ensure that cities not only create change but sustain it.

In Africa, WRI’s Cities Program covers several initiatives in various African cities. Mobility, Urban Water Resilience, Cities4Forests and Air Quality are among these initiatives. The Urban Mobility Program works in key solution areas including sustainable integrated public transport, road safety, walking and bicycling, new mobility, transport demand management, mobility planning and accessibility. The Urban Water Resilience Initiative works with city stakeholders to help address their water risks and vulnerabilities through research, spatial analysis, technical assistance, capacity building to undertake strategic planning and identify place-based interventions and securing funding and financing resources to implement solutions. The Cities4Forests Initiative is a global alliance of more than 90 cities acting to conserve, restore, and sustainably manage nature, especially the world’s forests, for human well-being. Our member cities catalyze major nature-friendly policy changes, facilitate the flow of finance for nature-based projects, and advocate for gender and social equity, tropical forest conservation, and restoration on the global stage.

Job Highlight:

As Grants and Finance Associate, you will provide administrative, finance and operational support for the Cities team, coordinating with program and support staff in WRI’s Africa & Global offices. In this role, you will be responsible for executing financial and administrative tasks. You will handle the financial activities of Cities program in WRI Africa. You will be responsible for supporting the Cities Program team with capacity in all necessary aspects of financial administration, procurement, accounting, event coordination and logistics, grants and contracts execution to ensure strict adherence to internal controls, donor guidelines, mandated laws, proper record keeping, and efficient administration. You will work closely with the WRI Africa Cities Program team, the WRI Africa Finance and Operations team, the Global Operations and Finance teams, including the Cost and Pricing team, Grants and Contracts team, and Accounting team.

What will you do:

Financial Management (50%):

• Develop annual program budgets with the Project leads, Program Coordinator, Cities Program Director and the WRI Africa Finance and Operations Manager
• Develop project budgets, notes and narratives for funding proposals on a need-by-need basis following different donor requirements while following WRI cost and pricing rules and regulations
• Regularly review, update, and monitor all transactions, commitments, and revenue flows for the Cities Program and projects to support healthy financial management
• Prepare quarterly projections and reviews to be discussed with the respective project managers while advising on any risks and providing risk mitigation strategies or course correction
• Update and maintain project budgets utilizing WRI’s budgeting and forecasting software (TM1)
• Lead grant finance aspects of the projects for grant close-outs
• Lead on financial reporting to donors
• Create and implement financial best practices for the projects, in line with WRI and donor policies for effective operational efficiency
• Lead audit processes for the project providing detailed feedback to audit queries on financial matters of the grants
• Monitor sub-grants including budgets and financial reports and provide relevant advice for effective operational and financial efficiency
• Perform periodic financial analysis on projects to detect and resolve problems
• Process documentation for project commitments (i.e., agreements, contracts, payment requests and invoices)
• Processes invoices and pay applications for projects in compliance with established governance
• Liaise with the Project Managers and Cities Operations Lead to advise the team on budget management and grants and contract related deadlines. Raise and address any financial issues in coordination Project Managers
• Ensure that invoices are properly supported before any payment consideration
• Support the submission of expense reports, timesheets, cash advances, and other transactions

Administration and Coordination (25%):

• Support the Cities program team across all relevant administrative support tasks
• Support WRI Africa Cities Program Director to accomplish priority “to-do” list
• Support the coordination of conference and event logistics for domestic and international meetings and workshops, including venue and catering, equipment or translators, travel and visa support for team, any per diem support, including the proper documentation and compliance with any grant terms
• Carry out procurement processes in line with the WRI laid down policies as well as donor regulations and the local laws
• Routinely sensitize the projects staff on procurement processes
• Responsible for developing, facilitating, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing the assigned project’s procurement plans
• Capture detailed notes and key-take-aways from internal and external meetings, and organize follow-up steps
• Record minutes of Cities program team meetings and ensure appropriate follow-up of all internal and external engagements
• Use simplified and automated approach office software to create drafts and summaries, including meeting pre-briefs and de-briefs
• Manage the process of collecting and distributing weekly internal team updates
• Develop and update a systematic and organized file-sharing system and keep project documents updated and centralized

Grants and Contracts Management (25%):

• Review draft contracts and provide advice on financial compliance
• Monitor program/project performance against grant and contract requirements and deliverables and ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of grants and contracts
• Ensure financial contract requirements are fully understood and met by all partners/sub grantees
• Provide training and support as needed to project partners on grant compliance and financial reporting
• Support in conducting due diligence exercises for potential sub grantees/project partners.

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, administration, management or related field
• Experience: You have a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in financial management, budgeting, administration, or nonprofit operations
• Experience in program management, financial management, grant management, budgeting, and writing.
• Experience working within an international team
• Demonstrable interest in the mission and work of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
• Demonstrable interest in sustainable cities including climate resilient and nature based solutions, mobility projects.
• Demonstrable writing, database management, and proofreading skills
• Languages: You are proficient in English and Amharic. Additional language skills are a plus
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.

Potential Salary:

Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by September 23, 2025. You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of applications from qualified candidates.

What we offer:

• A competitive salary
• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure.