Finance Compliance and Administrative Advisor Full-Time

Wildlife Conservation Society is hiring a Finance Compliance and Administrative Advisor based in Niassa.

Organization Background

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

Mozambique Program Overview

WCS has accumulated biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant places, with flora and fauna, thrive together with local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, this knowledge is applied to address issues of management of species, habitats and critical ecosystems to improve the quality of life of rural poor people, whose livelihoods depend on the direct use of natural resources.
WCS created a national program in Mozambique in 2012, with two main objectives:
Increase the protection of the Niassa Special Reserve (NSR), a vast landscape in the north of the country and improve the conservation status of its elephants through co-management of the Reserve; and
Strengthen the management of protected areas at the national level, contributing to improving policies and strengthening the government’s capacity to implement legislation on crimes against wildlife through the strategic involvement of government agencies in Maputo.
WCS Mozambique continues to work towards these objectives but has also commenced projects related to sustainable financing of conservation through the development of mechanisms for biodiversity offsets, the identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and marine/coastal conservation.
Resolution 01/2020 of the Council of Ministers of 9 June approved a 20-year co-management agreement between the National Conservation Area Administration (ANAC) and WCS for NSR. Under this arrangement, programs exist for conservation comprising law enforcement, community development, conservation management and tourism development. These efforts are supported by a variety of donors, including the European Union (EU), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Global Environment Fund (GEF) and the French Development agency (AFD).

Position Objectives

• To ensure that all donor projects are managed correctly within the Niassa Special Reserve and ensure that WCS/NSR are in compliance with donor regulations.

Principal Responsibilities

Administration and Finance

• Implement and ensure compliance Compliance with all donor and WCS financial regulations relating to expenditure and procurement processes including funds provided under match;
• Prepare all ‘no objection’ processes for preapprovals of expenditure etc. as per donor regulations;
• Ensure that all necessary supporting documentation is provided for all transactions;
• Liaise with the LE, Operations and Community Development departments to prepare appropriate annual work plans and budgets;
• Assist the NSR Financial Controller in the preparation of all audit materials etc. to ensure that NSR/WCS and sub-grantees are fully compliant and passes all audits;
• Assist the Financial Controller with the preparation of financial reports required under the donor grant (including inputs from sub grantees) and to ensure they are accurate and delivered on time.

Human Resources

• Ensure that all staff funded under the donors grant are recorded as per grant requirements

Monitoring and Reporting

• Liaise with the LE and Community Development departments to ensure that they are following the work plan and budget and are delivering expected outputs;
• Liaise with the LE and Community Development departments to ensure that the M&E department is receiving the correct data as per activities conducted under the donor grant;
• Assist the Field Operations Manager with the preparation of all technical reports required under the donor grant (including inputs from sub-grantees) to ensure they are delivered on time.

Visibility

• Ensure that all donor regulations with regards visibility are followed and applied;
• Ensure that visibility materials are ordered, stocks maintained and that these visibility items are correctly displayed during the operation of the grant;
• Ensure that the donor is featured in NSR/WCS communications platforms such as Newsletters, media posts, etc.  Liaise with the Communications department to produce project-related ‘brochures’, ‘success stories’, ‘lessons learned’ materials to publicize the project.

Additional Responsibilities

• Any additional responsibilities as assigned by the NSR Field Operations Manager Additional responsibilities (and titles) may be designated by NSR/WCS as necessary and appropriate for the purposes of managing donor funds.

Qualification Requirements

• More than four years of experience in the administration of large-scale programs / projects using international donor funding. Experience in conservation programs an advantage;
• Strong organizational capacity and proven experience in activity planning, budgeting, management, reporting and performance monitoring;
• Experience in Conducted Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) and due diligence reviews;
• Understanding of European cultural approaches to development;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of Portuguese and/or Swahili is an advantage, as is knowledge of other European languages;
• Self-motivated, disciplined and able to work in rudimentary and remote camps for long periods of time;
• Flexibility, optimism, good humor, passion for excellence, self-motivation in reaching a collective end;
• Advanced university degree in an appropriate field;
• Knowledge and experience in using MS Office vital and accounting software an advantage;
• Good analytical and reporting skills;
• Strong ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks.

Application Process

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply by emailing an application letter and CV to: africaapplications@wcs.org by March 31, 2021. Please include “Finance, Compliance and Administrative Advisor” in the subject line of your email.