Finance Officer at International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The Finance Officer, BIODEV2030 is expected to support the development of tools, reports, and appropriate procedures to facilitate efficient and effective financial and administrative management of the BIODEV2030 Phase II project and its resources. Generally, the Finance Officer will support the Grants & Contracts Manager in the project implementation and delivery, throughout the full project cycle management. He/she will also work closely with the global project team, based in Gland (Switzerland), to meet the donor requirement in terms of reporting.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

Under the direct management of the Grants & Contracts Manager, ESARO, the Finance Officer, BIODEV2030 will have the following specific responsibilities:

Programmatic financial and administrative support;

• Develop and ensure the efficient implementation of systems to support the financial and administration management of the BIODEV2030 Phase II project to enable effective financial performance and minimize risks.
• Develop and maintain internal systems to support financial and administration procedures as the BIODEV2030 Phase II project transition from proposal development, implementation, and closure.
• Ensure that regular project tasks are performed to meet IUCN’s internal procedures, such as time tracking, consistent cost recovery and overheads charging, financial and contractual data archiving, etc.
• Ensure the maintenance of up-to-date financial and administrative data in appropriate systems (Award Vision, Project Portal, etc.) including budgets, consultancy agreements, implementing partner agreements, etc.
• Contribute to annual reporting, work plans and general briefings to respective Finance & Administration Managers.
• Prepare the BIODEV2030 Phase II regional project financial management reports for use at various levels of the organization covering areas such as performance measurement, compliance, and risk.

Project Management Support: Budget, procurement, contracts, donor report, monitoring of budget expenditure and audits;.

• Develop and ensure the efficient implementation of consistent financial and administration systems and services (internally, and externally with countries in the region, sub-contractors and implementing partners) to BIODEV2030 Phase II, from concept and proposal development with budget development ensuring proper cost recovery, and throughout the project cycle management with financial reporting to close-out with project audits.
• Liaise and coordinate with regional colleagues to ensure a consistent approach to project finance and administrational procedures from the set-up of the project.
• Provide support to Country Senior Programme Officers in Africa to develop reliable quarterly forecasts and to optimize cost recovery.
• Ensure that all donor contractual requirements in respect to finance, procurement, forecasting, and reporting are respected through sound monitoring and oversight, and liaison with IUCN countries of the region and HQ, on financial and administration aspects.
• In conjunction with the BIODEV2030 Phase 2 project management team, ensure that cost recovery is optimized between countries, considering the different roles and responsibilities of the project management teams; Ensure and safeguard timely and efficient donor financial reporting, project audits, etc. Track and follow up on reporting deadlines/submissions with the IA project and finance managers.
• Provide support to project audits by collecting requested documents and by responding to requests from the auditors in collaboration with Finance Managers, and countries of the region.
• Support the tracking and follow up on reporting deadlines/submissions with regional finance managers.
• Support the development and management of internal agreements (IAs), including the drafting of agreements. Work with regional colleagues to ensure a consistent and streamlined approach to the administration and management of internal agreements.
• Support the digital and physical financial and contractual data filing and maintenance through the maintenance of a BIODEV2030 Phase 2 Teams Drive, projects files, project reports filing, etc.
• Supervise and ensure timely and efficient procurement and contract clearance processes (implementing partners, consultancy, internal agreements) by:
• Ensuring the respect of donor requirements in all procurement activities and adequate documentation of the process.
• Supervising the preparation of documents for clearance of contracts; Undertaking due diligence checks on all contracts, internal agreements, implementing contracts issued by the countries of the regions.
• Ensure timely procurement process clearance from Procurement officers of PACO and ESARO.
• Issue any necessary explanation of exceptions to IUCN Policy.
• Liaising with all necessary units to ensure a smooth clearance process (Programmes, OLA, Legal department, Regional Directors etc.) and take lead on inputs, revisions, etc.
• Ensure monitoring and oversight of the project’s contracts procurement clearance processes, including liaising with the IUCN procurement officer, documenting the contracts under review, and ensuring timely contract procurement clearance.
• Liaise and coordinate with regional colleagues to ensure a consistent approach to project finance and administrational procedures through streamlining an efficient internal agreement process.
• Any other duties that may be assigned from time to time.

REQUIREMENTS
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Work Experience;

• 6 years relevant experience in a grants finance role preferably in a large or international NGO
• Direct experience with government international development agencies
• Experience building financial tracking and reporting systems.
• Understanding of accounting software
• Accounting designation such as CPA, CMA, CA or related experience and qualifications is a must.
• Fluency in English and French, both written and verbal.

Core Competencies;

• Transparency: Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making by carrying out the work of IUCN in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team.
• Inclusiveness: Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provide a tolerant, positive, and supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multiethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
• Professionalism: Promote the organization’s interests, objectives, and values in a diligent and professional manner.
• Accountability: Takes responsibility for individual and collective actions, promotes the IUCN One Programme approach.