Finance Manager at Rainforest Alliance

Strategy and Performance Management

• Ensure that the organization meets its revenue and expense targets;
• Assure compliance with budget and contract requirements in accordance with Rainforest Alliance policies and procedures;
• Produce monthly budget to actuals reports, forecasts and dashboards at the project, country and regional level;
• Analyze and track financial indicators;
• Ensure cost recoverability and track leverage requirements;
• Track available funding to cover fixed costs;
• Support integrated regional performance management, by operationalizing internal management processes, tools and metrics to continuously improve financial performance;
• Provide ‘surge capacity’ to field teams to help them with the start-up or close-out of strategic initiatives or projects, as well as help them more effectively address and resolve critical issues and risks, with a focus on finance-related challenges;

Planning and Budgeting

• Responsible for accurate and timely reporting and analysis of the department’s performance, based on board approved budgets, for both program management and HQ-Finance;
• Manage the annual budgeting and financial planning process (including mid-year forecast) for the department in collaboration with Country Leads, Project Managers, Supervisors, and other department staff;
• Coordinate with Human Resources the submission of job descriptions/position announcements and new hire requests in accordance with HR processes, and monitor these for conformance with approved budgets;
• Coordinate proposal budget development with program, fundraising and HQ finance staff;
• Ensure effective back-up systems and procedures in place for Finance coordination and maintenance of all key documents in an easily accessible location;

Monitoring & Reporting

• Monitor all financial activities, and keep Management and HQ-Finance advised of situations which have potential negative impact on financial performance;
• Monitor expenses and revenues to ensure that the region spends according to the available revenue and that restricted funds are used according to donor requirements;
• Maintain and track project codes in accounting system and provide needed access to staff;
• Ensure that implementation of funded activities is in conformity and on schedule with the provisions and requirements of the funding sources.
• Produce and/or review financial reports submitted to funders; ensure that submitted reports and invoices are reviewed for accuracy and include proper support documentation;

Communication & Training

• Proactively participate in, and/or convene, cross-functional communication spaces at the country, regional and/or global level, to promote excellence in financial management;
• Serve as a key communication conduit to and from HQ-Finance, Management and other staff, ensuring the timely and accurate dissemination of information;
• Explain the process and guidelines for financial monitoring, budget development and reporting to all internal stakeholders;
• Ensure general compliance across country offices of finance processes, policies and procedures;
• Coach local finance specialists, project managers and country leaders to improve their financial management and budget negotiation skills;
• Interview, hire, train, assign work to and supervise junior finance staff as needed; and
• Other duties as assigned.