Background: Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global firm that specializes in education, economic growth, democratic institutions and stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a global field presence with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Department of State and Department of Labor, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.
Project Summary: Through the Americas Partnership for Security and Financial Integrity (APSFI), Creative, in partnership with ABA ROLI and GovRisk, supports select foreign governments in Central and South America in strengthening their ability to identify, investigate, prosecute, and disrupt terrorist financing and related illicit financial activity, while promoting regional cooperation to address transnational threats.
APSFI provides targeted technical assistance, embedded advisory support, operational mentoring, interagency coordination mechanisms, prosecutor-led case collaboration, and public-private engagement. Through these activities, the program strengthens the abilities of beneficiary-governments to identify vulnerabilities, generate actionable financial intelligence, investigate and prosecute terrorist-financing cases, and disrupt the financial and logistical networks that enable foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and their facilitators to operate across the region. The program also supports beneficiary countries in strengthening Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-aligned legal and regulatory frameworks, improving the collection and use of financial intelligence, strengthening terrorist-financing investigations and prosecutions, and increasing private-sector understanding and mitigation of terrorist-financing risks.
To promote sustainable results, APSFI works with partner institutions to strengthen standard operating procedures (SOPs), interagency coordination training and mentoring capabilities, and public-private coordination partnerships. By embedding these capabilities within national institutions and regional networks, the program aims to provide sustainable solutions to support law enforcement cooperation, and operational capacity to detect, disrupt, investigate, prosecute, and financially isolate FTO-linked networks.
Position Summary: Creative Associates seeks a Finance Manager to provide overall financial management and oversight for CLFDP. The Finance Manager will ensure program liquidity; maintain sound financial systems, records, and internal controls; establish appropriate checks and balances to mitigate financial risks and conflicts of interest; ensure financial records are audit-ready; monitor program expenditures against approved budgets; and ensure compliance with Creative policies and procedures, applicable U.S. Department of State award requirements, and local laws and regulations. The Finance Manager will also provide financial guidance and training to program staff and partners and support timely and accurate financial reporting.
Reporting & Supervision: The Finance Manager will report directly to the Team Lead as a member of the project management team and will supervise the Finance Assistant. The Finance Manager will maintain close coordination with Creative’s Home Office Award Management Center (AMC), Finance, and other relevant support staff.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Ensure program liquidity and maintain appropriate cash-flow planning to meet operational requirements.
- Establish and maintain appropriate checks and balances and internal controls to mitigate financial risks and conflicts of interest.
- Ensure all program financial records and supporting documentation are complete, accurate, properly maintained, and audit-ready, and establish appropriate cost and fiscal controls consistent with applicable financial and auditing standards.
- Ensure that the program meets applicable U.S. Department of State award requirements and complies with applicable U.S. Government regulations, Creative policies and procedures, and local laws.
- Provide financial oversight, including maintenance and monitoring of the program budget, budget-to-actual analysis, expenditure tracking, and identification of potential budget variances.
- Manage and maintain program financial systems and files and ensure accurate and timely recording of financial transactions in Creative’s online accounting system.
- Serve as the primary financial liaison between the CLFDP field office and Creative’s Home Office regarding program financial matters, including financial reporting, budget monitoring, financial compliance, and internal and external audit requests.
- Process check requests, wire transfers, and other authorized payments to vendors in accordance with applicable award requirements and Creative financial policies and procedures.
- Review and process invoices and in-field fee payments in accordance with applicable award requirements and Creative financial policies and procedures.
- Oversee the financial administration and processing of payroll, in coordination with the HR/Admin Officer and applicable Creative Home Office staff, to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing.
- Conduct ongoing financial analysis and forecasting, monitor program expenditures against approved budgets, and identify and communicate potential budget variances, financial risks, and corrective actions to the Team Lead.
- Track and manage the transfer of funds between Creative’s Home Office and the field office; maintain accurate accounting and financial records for in-country and regional expenditures; and ensure program expense data is current, complete, and properly reconciled.
- Prepare timely quarterly, annual, final, and other required financial reports on program expenditures and budget status, and coordinate with Creative’s Home Office Finance and Award Management teams for review, approval, and submission, as applicable.
- Prepare accurate and timely monthly field expense reports, reconcile monthly expenditures, and submit required financial information to Creative’s Home Office in accordance with established reporting procedures and deadlines.
- Provide the Team Lead with regular financial updates, including budget-to-actual analysis, expenditures, forecasts, burn rates, outstanding commitments, cash requirements, and identification of potential financial risks or budget variances.
- Travel to other CLFDP program locations and regional offices, as necessary, to provide financial oversight, support, and training and to ensure consistent implementation of financial systems, controls, and procedures.
- Provide financial management, financial systems, internal controls, and compliance training and guidance to program staff, subrecipients, implementing partners, consultants, and other relevant stakeholders, as appropriate.
- Review and approve the financial closeout of program activities, ensuring all expenditures are properly reconciled and all required financial documentation and supporting records are complete, accurate, and compliant with applicable award requirements and Creative policies and procedures.
- Manage and coordinate applicable VAT exemption and reimbursement processes with the Government of El Salvador, including required documentation, submissions, tracking, and reconciliation.
- Ensure compliance with applicable tax filing, financial reporting, and other statutory financial requirements in El Salvador, including timely preparation and submission of required documentation.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Team Lead and consistent with the needs of the program.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Required BA degree in a relevant field (finance, accounting, business, etc.), MA degree preferred.
- Minimum of six years of professional work experience, including at least four years of relevant experience in finance, accounting, financial management, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience managing the finances and budgets of donor-funded programs of similar size and complexity. Experience managing U.S. Department of State-funded program finances and budgets preferred; comparable experience with other U.S. Government agencies or international donors will also be considered.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, supervisory, and leadership skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
- Must have existing work authorization for El Salvador.
- Fluency in English and professional proficiency in written and spoken Spanish are required.
Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (gender/race/disability/veteran) and provides equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.