Alexander Muoki
Finance and Grants Management Specialist
Machakos,1
Summary
A highly accomplished and results-driven Finance and Grants management specialist with over 15 years of experience in overseeing Financial Planning, Reporting & Analysis, Grants & Sub Award Grant Management, and Administration operations for large-scale, multi-million-dollar projects funded by institutional donors such as USAID, UKAID, EU, FCDO, DFID, Global Fund and with multiple implementing partners. I possess advanced knowledge in setting up and managing financial systems, project management, and overseeing multi-donor portfolios exceeding USD 40 million with 100% audit compliance, driving operational excellence and ensuring the highest standards of financial integrity and transparency within a complex, multi-partner environments. Throughout my career, I have led cross-functional teams, developed and implemented robust financial and grants management policies, procedures, and successfully managed ERP systems implementations ensuring organizations deliver impact with transparency and efficiency .My strengths lie in my ability to drive financial strategy, lead high-performing teams, and build capacity in grant management processes, ensuring projects meet their financial objectives while maintaining compliance with donor regulations. Passionate about the mission of international development, I remain committed to improving financial operations, enhancing program outcomes, and supporting organizational sustainability. I am highly adaptable to diverse, multi-cultural environments and possess strong problem-solving, interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Finance and Grants Manager
Mercy Corps
Nairobi, Nairobi Province
05.2023 - Current
- Provided overall leadership and oversight for the Finance and Grants management team under the NAWIRI program, an 8 year – $145M USAID funded programme implemented by Mercy Corps-led consortium of multiple development partners.
- Key contributions;
- Worked with the Country Senior Management, M&E and Finance team members to ensure that program deliverables were aligned with value-for-money objectives and that financial milestone were proportionate to program milestones.
- Stepped into the role of Finance Director during the Director’s absence, successfully overseeing all financial operations, and grants management, ensuring seamless continuity and no disruptions in program delivery.
- Managed the financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, expenditure tracking and reporting for the multi-year program, overseeing a complex portfolio of grants and financial transactions in a multi-partner environment, ensuring alignment with USAID and donor regulations.
- Lead the full grant lifecycle, from pre-award assessments to post-award management and close-outs for sub-grantees. This involved drafting and reviewing documentation and ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of sub-grant agreements.
- Developed and implemented robust financial and grants policies and procedures, streamlining operations, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, and enhancing overall program efficiency and accountability.
- Supported Procurement workflows on ProSource, reducing paperwork and resolving system exceptions through proactive system support.
- Provided monthly management reports to the Finance Director in Kenya, the Chief of Party, and relevant program leadership, including expenditures by fund and county, sub-grantee reporting, and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.
- Participated in developing annual fiscal year budgets for Mercy Corps Kenya and Proposal Budgets with the Finance Director and Country Director and implement grant budgeting and forecasting systems with Program Technical Leads.
- Oversaw the monthly review and reconciliations of balance sheet accounts (receivables, payables, advances, bank & cash reconciliations, etc.) and all donor-related expenditures.
- Reviewed payment documents for all country programs, national staff payroll, and other supporting documents to ensure compliance with local laws, donor regulations, and MC Kenya's internal policies.
- Responded to budgetary and financial inquiries from the donor, consortium members, and Mercy Corps senior management within East Africa and headquarters in Portland (USA) and Edinburgh, Scotland.
- Streamlined financial reporting processes, reducing report preparation time by 20% and improving accuracy and timeliness, resulting in enhanced decision-making for program leaders and faster program implementation.
- Built a high-performing team of 10+ Finance and Grants staff, implementing targeted capacity-building efforts that improved team performance, ensuring stronger compliance, better financial controls, and greater accountability in grant management.
- Worked with the Country Senior Management, M&E, and finance team members to ensure that Program deliverables were aligned with value-for-money objectives and that financial milestones were proportionate to program milestones.
Funds Management Associate
Chemonics International
Nairobi, Nairobi Province
12.2021 - 06.2022
- Played a pivotal role in the administration of £30M, Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund, a multi-country project funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) i.e. assisted in the grant design, competition, due diligence, award monitoring, and grant closeout. Key contributions;
- Initiated the process of planning and developing budgets for new grant proposals and ensured grantees’ budgets were aligned with Chemonics International policies as well as funder requirements.
- Worked with the RISA’s Fund Manager, Country Technical Leads (CTLs) and the Finance Manager in reviewing and approving budgets submitted by grantees and ensuring financial analysis and forecasting was done to aid in decision-making.
- Offered technical guidance to 17 + grantees and ensured they were equipped with how to develop budgets and budget narratives for grant applications.
- Mitigated financial risks and losses to Chemonics International by assessing the financial capacity of new grantees reviewing their internal controls, identifying areas of weakness, and advising accordingly during site visits.
- Developed and maintained a grant tracking database to monitor the flow of grants from the time full grant documentation was received to the time the first payment was made.
- Verified reported expenses to ensure they were allowable, allocable, and reasonable by maintaining a comprehensive timetable for grant financial reporting from Grantees to the Donors and follow-up to ensure adherence to reporting timelines.
- Analyzed financial transactions to ensure that they were correctly charged, and financial positions provided to funders were a true & fair representation of financial position.
- Supported the Finance Manager in reviewing and consolidating grantees' financial reports for grants within specified donor formats, ensuring accuracy and compliance with donors' requirements.
- Advised the Programme Managers and the Management on the current financial status by ensuring accuracy and correct coding of financial transactions and reconciliations of grants financial reports in the financial system.
- Implemented best practices on grant closure procedures and monitored how effectively high-risk grants and contracts follow comprehensive grant closure steps to ensure proper standards were upheld in the management of grants.
- Processed and disbursed funds to grantees by ensuring funds were available to facilitate the smooth implementation of projects.
- Prepared/reviewed monthly multi-currency bank reconciliations and maintained accurate and updated records of bank correspondences, bank Instructions and confirmations.
- Strengthened internal communications through regular team meetings, updates, reports which improved coordination among departments.
Senior Finance and Grants Officer
Mercy Corps
Nairobi, Nairobi Province
10.2019 - 11.2021
- Responsible for project financial management, monitoring, reporting, grants management and award compliance for the CVE CREATE project, a $15 Million multi-country Programme funded by UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Key contributions;
- Accountable for all financial operations budgeting, cash flow forecasting and management, and financial reporting of the for a high-profile, multi-million-dollar CREATE project, including accounting and reporting, cash management, and budget management.
- Spearheaded the full-cycle grants management process for 22 sub-grantees from proposal budgeting and development of financial narratives to submission of reports and ensuring full compliance with donor requirements, managing the effective execution of funding agreements.
- Provided monthly management reports to the CREATE Program Director and country Program Managers, including expenditures by fund and country, sub grantee reporting and other financial information, in a timely and accurate manner.
- Oversaw and coordinated management of sub-grant agreements and financial management of sub-grants.
- Processed sub-grants and issuance of payments, transfers and transactions between consortium members as well as locally to sub-grantees.
- Oversaw pre-award and post-award activities include asset control, timely reporting and contract fulfilment to check against payment.
- Evaluated fiduciary controls for FCDO fund management at the implementer level, guaranteeing that project financial operations maintained the highest levels of transparency, accountability, and compliance with all FCDO regulations.
- Worked with CREATE program team to verify and track budget and expenditures vis-à-vis sub-grant awards and ensure proper reporting, documentation and overall deliverables are reviewed by Senior Management and signed off on prior to issuance of payment.
- Ensured award management systems and processes were successfully implemented, and key controls are in place to support effective portfolio management and compliance with donor requirements.
- Led capacity-building initiatives for over 20 downstream Partners, improving their ability to meet FCDO’s financial compliance standards. As a result, partner compliance improved by 40%, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring more effective program execution.
- Conducted rigorous financial monitoring visits, evaluating the utilization of funds and verifying compliance with subcontract terms, providing actionable recommendations for improved financial management and ensuring strict adherence to donor guidelines.
- Collaborated with Implementing Partners to develop and implement a Fraud Risk Mitigation and Response Policy, reinforcing organizational safeguards, improving risk management, and ensuring proactive identification and mitigation of financial risks.
Grants Officer
SUNY-AHADI (USAID)
Nairobi, Nairobi Province
06.2018 - 10.2019
- Supported the effective implementation of $15M AHADI Governance project funded by USAID & DFID through high-quality grant and partnership management. I was in-charge of financial planning, budgeting and grant analysis, grantee assessment and capacity building, grant monitoring and financial reporting, fund disbursement and financial accounting, facilitating Grants auditing.
Regional Finance
Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS)
Machakos, Machakos District
01.2012 - 03.2018
- Coordinated Accounting, Logistics and Administration functions of the Regional Office consisting of 5 Branches, ensuring alignment with KRCS and donor policies (USAID, ECHO, DFID, Global Fund, and other development partners), financial sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and risk management across a variety of humanitarian and emergency response initiatives.
Project Accountant
Kenya Red Cross Society
Kitui, Kitui District
05.2009 - 12.2011
- Collaborated closely with the projects Finance Manager in designing, implementing and maintaining a reliable project finance management system to support core functions including budgeting, forecasting, expenditure analysis, audit, costing and tracking financial performance.
Education
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance Option (2nd Class Upper Division)
KCA University
11.2015
Certified Public Accountant -
KASNEB
12.2007
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education -
Kalulini High School
12.2002
Skills
Financial Management: Comprehensive accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting
Grant Lifecycle Management: Full cycle grant management from proposal development to close-out
Internal Controls: Design and implementation of financial policies, procedures, and compliance frameworks
Leadership & Team Management: Senior finance team supervision and cross-departmental collaboration
Technical Proficiency: Advanced MS Excel, QuickBooks, Sage, and financial management systems
Compliance Expertise: NGO regulatory compliance, audit management, and donor reporting requirements
References
- Ritah, Kyalo, Finance and Grants Manager, (+254) 724 344113, Mercy Corps
- Vincent, Omare, Finance and Compliance Manager, (+254) 729 406 744, Mercy Corps
- Julia, Otieno, Finance and Compliance Director, (+254) 725 037363, Mercy Corps
Additional training & workshop attended
- Incident command System by IMATC/KRCS.
- Senior First Aid Training by KRCS.
- Navision Business Financial System by KRCS.
- Grants Management by Mango Consultants.
- Forensic Audit Workshop by ICPAK.
- Budget Review and Emerging Tax Issues-2016/2017 ICPAK.
- Income Tax Policy Sensitization Workshop by ICPAK.
Timeline
Finance and Grants Manager
Mercy Corps
05.2023 - Current
Funds Management Associate
Chemonics International
12.2021 - 06.2022
Senior Finance and Grants Officer
Mercy Corps
10.2019 - 11.2021
Grants Officer
SUNY-AHADI (USAID)
06.2018 - 10.2019
Regional Finance
Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS)
01.2012 - 03.2018
Project Accountant
Kenya Red Cross Society
05.2009 - 12.2011
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance Option (2nd Class Upper Division)
KCA University
Certified Public Accountant -
KASNEB
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education -
Kalulini High School