Financial Analyst (Nairobi) at Nature Conservancy

YOUR POSITION WITH TNC

The Financial Analyst provides highly specialized financial & accounting-related services to the Africa Region Program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Financial Analyst provides highly specialized services in one or more of the following functions: proposal budget development; financial analysis and reporting; support and design field financial management processes; accounting; management controls and reporting; or similar financial activities for the Africa Region Business Unit. Exemplifies a high level of expertise in area(s) of specialization of reporting, proposals, analysis and systems innovation. Administers and maintains finance/accounting activities in accordance with TNC policies and procedures and best practices in financial/organizational management. The Financial Analyst provides assistance to all levels of personnel in their  specialty area. Responds to complex operational and employee/management questions and problems based on advanced knowledge of the subject area with solutions. The financial Analyst will report to the Finance Manager, Africa region. This position will be based in any of the TNC offices in Tanzania or Kenya.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE

• Prepares financial reports and analysis for programs that compare budgets to actual results, while recommending corrective action as appropriate.
• Supports and proactively informs leadership team on overall performance of the program and projects revenue, expenditure, cash and net asset position.
• Supports program managers by monitoring and reporting on the spending rates of restricted and unrestricted funding to ensure proper burn rates are sustained.
• Leads the management of private awards, ensuring compliance with donor financial and other contractual requirements, accurate and timely reporting and timely close out of awards. Serve as the regional primary point of contact for private awards managed by TNC global teams.
• Lead the financial review of programs during quarterly program review meetings. Present program financial performance using Power BI reporting tool, highlight performance from revenue and expenditure perspective, awards spending, identify and discuss areas for attention and action with program managers. 
• Supports the Finance Manager, Director of Finance and Operations and partner with Conservation Director on fiscal year budgeting process. 
• Develops an annual program budget template that addresses the needs of all stakeholders (Conservation, Finance, Operations and Development), consolidate the program budgets and present analysis of program budgets on Planned expenditure, Revenue and Surplus/Deficit positions for presentation to the budget committee.
• Monitors budgets and lead the mid-year budget review process in order to maintain realistic revenue and expenditure estimates.
• Manage private awards grants out portfolio for grants <$300,000 in collaboration with Finance Specialist and supervises the Finance specialist. Supervise the drafting and review of all private awards grants out, ensure grants out processes and procedures are followed, the right templates are used and where applicable legal reviews are provided. 
• Ensures Indirect Cost is fully recovered from all public and private awards and transferred to relevant General & Administrative projects prior to year-end close.
• Builds program managers’ capacity on budgeting, financial reporting, and monitoring tools.  
• Collaborates with conservation, development, external affairs and grants teams on budget development for funding proposals and fiscal program planning.
• Collaborates with operations team members to ensure financial management processes in the field complement and support project outcomes, and where necessary, design financial management tools & processes that facilitate strong control environments. 
• Serves as a resource to staff on budgeting and financial matters, policies, procedures, guidelines and educate staff as required.
• Works toward meeting the strategic priorities of the program by developing and coordinating tactics for approved plans and completing day-to-day tasks.
• Ensures programmatic commitments, TNC policies and procedures, financial standards and legal requirements are met and managed for compliance.
• Reinforces consistency in the organization’s policies and procedures and provides support related to relevant field.  
• May participate in complex negotiations.
• Reports to Finance Manager, Africa Region, and provides interval updates on activities.
• Performs any other finance tasks deemed necessary for the smooth operations of the finance department.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field and 4 years’ related experience or equivalent combination.
• Professional certification such as a CPA or ACCA.
• Experience using accounting and financial reporting systems.
• Experience in manipulating, analyzing and interpreting data.  Advanced expertise in Microsoft Excel required.
• Experience with complex relational databases. Knowledge of Microsoft’s Power BI application is preferred.
• Experience in full cost budgeting.
• Experience in supporting multiple projects in various locations and/or countries.
• Experience with innovations in financial systems and tools.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills.
• Multi-lingual skills and/or multi-cultural experience appreciated. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong capacity building, organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of current trends in budgeting, financial reporting and analysis.
• Demonstrated use of modern technology in providing financial solutions. 
• Demonstrated high level of integrity and trust.