Finance Officer, Partnerships at Fauna & Flora International

To achieve its mission in Africa, Fauna and Flora uses different approaches to work with and alongside local partners to focus on the sustainable use and management of natural resources as a means to effective conservation in the long-term. In all its projects in Africa, Fauna and Flora seeks to:

• Build and support local partnerships with African conservation and community development organisations;
• Strengthen institutions to bring sustainability and added value to projects;
• Maintain long term presence and relationships;
• Reconcile conservation goals with the needs of local people; and
• Incorporate sound science in decision-making.

The Opportunity

• The role will involve working closely with key project partners to maintain financial systems and support financial reporting to ensure timely and accurate financial project reporting, in conformity with specific funder requirements and in accordance with Fauna and Flora policies and procedures.
• The successful candidate will have proven experience in facilitating financial processes, maintaining financial systems, and assisting in financial reporting. They will have strong organisational skills and financial management experience, and preferably experience working in the environment and/or development field. They will be a team player, with excellent interpersonal skills, an ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organisations, and to support partner capacity building. They will be self-motivated and committed to producing the highest quality of work.

Purpose:

• This role will support facilitating financial processes and supporting timely and accurate financial reporting for the project. This will involve working closely with key project partners to support compliance with Fauna and Flora and donor financial guidelines and Fauna and Flora policies and procedures. The role will also support the strengthening of internal systems and procedures for the lead project partner to maintain an effective implementation team that delivers impactful conservation action, on time and within budget.

Specific Duties:

Under the line management of the Finance Manager, Kenya the Finance Officer, Partnerships will have the following responsibilities:

Financial Management

• Assist in financial reporting and fund audits as required for allocated projects
• Checking all expenses are scanned, correct and compliant, with a particular focus on staff time and procurement as the highest risk areas
• Support the maintenance of existing financial systems including but not limited to general expenses processing, travel expense claims processing and income & expenditure records
• Ensure all financial processes for Fauna and Flora and partners are in line with donor requirements and Fauna and Flora policy and procedures
• As delegated, support financial management in month-end procedures and help ensure a strong internal control environment
• Assist in maintenance and update of the fixed assets register for allocated projects within the Fauna and Flora Kenya office
• Support financial processes on Fauna and Flora internal systems such as raising Purchase Orders, uploading fund budgets and transfers
• Produce monthly fund financial reports for the project funds and flag any discrepancies to the fund managers
• Keep a track of Fauna and Flora timesheet charges on all allocated project funds and ensure that staff time is fully charged in time for donor financial reporting, liaising with Programme Manager (Operations and Compliance), Africa to ensure all timesheet trackers for funds are up to date and being followed
• Oversee the maintenance of an accurate and updated cash flow report for the projects and provide monthly updates on this to the Finance Manager, Kenya
• Support cash flow management and banking by carrying out bank errands including withdrawals, deposits and bank instructions
• Support the procurement and purchasing of office supplies and equipment and materials needed for project activities
• Review fund records retention system and develop a financial database for the project.
• Maintain an organised, well-documented and sequential filing system for invoices, payments and all other relevant financial documents for the project.
• Facilitate travel for staff visiting the project or undertaking fieldwork or meetings, in terms of cashflow availability and supplier payments.
• Assist in Fauna and Flora Kenya institutional budget development.

Partner Support

• Support partner capacity assessment and capacity building with regard to financial management, systems and donor guidelines by supporting the developing standard financial tools, templates, checklists and guidance for partners
• Support fund audits as required by ensuring partner supporting documents are in alignment with the partner financial reports
• Support partners to maintain an appropriate fixed asset register for the project

Other

• Undertake international travel to project sites, if required.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with skills and experience as requested by the Finance Manager, Kenya.

Person Specification

Essential

Skills

• Excellent financial management and numeracy skills, including budgeting, re-forecasting and financial reporting
• Strong organisational skills, with structured and methodical approach to work
• Excellent interpersonal skills, specifically ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organisations
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Outlook and Excel
• Fluency in English and Swahili (spoken and written)

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Minimum three years’ experience supporting grant management, compliance and the responsible management of donor funds
• Proven experience providing support in financial management of high-value grants (budgets totaling in excess of 500,000 €/USD pa)
• Undergraduate degree in a finance-related discipline

Desirable

• CPA professional qualification
• Experience of working with statutory funding
• Experience working with government agencies, communities and community-based organisations, partner NGOs and for-profit entities
• Experience working within a geographically dispersed team
• Experience working in the environment/conservation or development field

Behavioural qualities

Essential

• Excellent team player
• Self-motivated and output driven, committed to producing the highest quality of work
• Flexible and adaptable in uncertain and changeable work situations
• Rigorous and diligent approach to work
• Commitment to FFI’s Values

Other

• Entitlement to live and work in Kenya (without employee sponsorship)