Reports to: Country Director
Location: Calabar, Cross River State
Expected Start date: ASAP
Duration: 2 years (renewable) Position Type: Full-time
Contract Type: Fixed Term
About Us
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.
This is outlined in our 2020 strategy, which positions WCS to maintain its historic focus on the protection of species while developing an ambitious plan to engage with a rapidly changing world. The challenges are greater than ever, but with the focus, dedication, and passion of a committed staff combined with a unique mixture of field, zoo, and aquarium expertise-WCS will continue to set the bar for science, conservation action, and education that has driven our success in protecting wildlife and wild places for over a century. We hold ourselves to the highest standards, adhering to core values of respect, accountability and transparency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and integrity.
Position Description
The Director of Finance plays a vital financial strategic role and guides, oversees the organization's budget planning, and monitoring and provides valuable financial insight, analysis and reports to the Country Director, with a dotted-line report to the WCS Global CFO. The Finance Director is a strategic member of the senior Management Team (SMT). The primary objectives are:
- Establishing and overseeing efficient financial management systems,
- Compliance of internal controls,
- Conducting/coordinating financial reviews of project sites with frequent travel to field sites,
- Cash management for the country's program operations.
- He/she will communicate appropriately with WCS project leaders (Directors, Managers, and Administrators), key donors, funding agencies, and local governmental institutions (e.g., Ministries of Finance, Labor etc.). He/she will coordinate and consult regularly with Central Africa Regional and New York HQ offices to manage the timely and accurate submission of reports.
Why Join Us?
- Leverage WSC’s financial expertise to strategically guide the WSC's financial decision-making, oversee budget planning, monitor financial health, and contribute to overall business growth by providing valuable financial insights and analysis to leadership.
- Dynamic Team: join a dynamic team and work in a collaborative and conducive environment where your ideas and everyone's input are valued.
- Growth Opportunities: We believe in providing an enabling environment to develop your career. We are committed to developing your skills and competencies and offer opportunities for career advancement.
- Supportive Environment: Work with a team that values respect, teamwork, and excellence.
Purpose and Responsibilities:
Provide in-country administrative and operational support to CWT activities in Nigeria, focusing on assisting the national team with program implementation and coordination:
Overall supervision of the Finance unit and staff
- Ensure financial efficiency in all aspects of operations, advising the Country Director of any problems or weaknesses in financial controls and procedures, and any ways in which costs could be reduced.
- Ensure all project budget management and financial activities comply with WCS and donor requirements and national legislation, including customs regulations, labour rights, taxes, and benefits.
- Ensure that the highest standards of financial integrity are followed.
Budgeting, projections, and cash flow management
- Prepare annual Country Program budget for submission to the Central Africa Regional office. Maintain Country Program budget and forecasts throughout the fiscal year to adjust for new funding and other budget adjustments
- Prepare donor proposal budgets in coordination with field teams for review by the Regional Business Manager
- Ensure program cash flow management to ensure enough funds are available for project operations.
- Maintain an accurate database of project funding, including contracts, project budgets and donor-specific procedures and regulations.
Monitoring and managing expenditures.
- Ensure that all expenditures are made per established procedures, including verification of supporting documents and budget availability.
- Monitor and review expenditures against budgets on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis by project and for the country office.
- Prepare monthly reports of expenditure against budgets for internal use, including monitoring of expenditure against project activity budgets, WCS projects, grant/fund, and account codes.
- Where expenditures on projects are not in line with budgets, bring this to the attention of the project director and country director and make recommendations to adjust spending accordingly.
- Where funds are received in-country, ensure that these are correctly reported to WCS NY and WCS Region and posted to the appropriate project, grant/fund and account code.
- Oversee cross-charging to other country programs as per established procedures.
- Ensure proper tracking of project advances to staff, ensuring that advances are accounted for promptly according to WCS procedures and that an accurate balance sheet of each staff member's outstanding advances is kept. Prepare a monthly report of outstanding advances at the end of each month.
Reporting
- Prepare and submit analysis on all country project expenditures to the WCS Regional Programmer according to WCS established procedures and deadlines.
- Oversee monthly and year-end reconciliation of accounts, reports and bank statements.
- In consultation with the WCS Country Director and the Project Managers/Directors, ensure communication, reporting and administrative requirements of donors are met.
Audit and quality control
- Ensure that all transactions entering the SAP in the central office are correctly and consistently recorded, including grant, fund, project and other information where needed. Perform a monthly check of all financial data by the 10th day of the following month.
- Ensure that revenue and expenditure posted by WCS NY are correct and are assigned to the right project, grant/fund and account codes, and where problems are found, ensure that these are resolved with the appropriate staff in NY along with project staff as required.
- Supervise regular petty cash counts by WCS policy.
- Assess and mitigate the financial risks of the mission and ensure that reliable internal control systems are in place, and financial ethics are respected within the mission.
- Coordinate and supervise local audits relating to accounting including donors and institutional audits, tax, and labor matters
Contracts and sub-awards
- Review budgets for contracts and sub-awards to other organizations to verify that costs are reasonable and sufficient for proposed activities and meet donor requirements for budget presentation.
- Ensure that contractors and sub-awardees meet financial reporting requirements.Where necessary, perform audits of sub-awardee financial systems and reports.
People Leadership
- Effectively manage performance, developing team members to maximize their contribution to the team and organization
- Responsible for recruiting, training, and managing finance staff for the Program.
- Support staff engagement by maintaining a positive team environment.
Essential criteria for candidates:
- Bachelor of Accountancy Degree or equivalent accounting qualifications from recognized institutions. MBA, CPA or other equivalent certification a plus
- Minimum of 8 years post qualification experience of which at least 2 years must be at a senior management level.
- ICAN, ACCA or equivalent recognized professional qualification is required.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Experience in monitoring budgets, cash flow management and systems development for a non-profit organization.
- Demonstrated sound and in-depth knowledge of GAAP, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Financial Management and Taxation law of Nigeria.
- Significant experience with the financial management of government and agency grants and contracts, experience with EU and US Government grants a plus.
- Experience using an ERP system and advanced Excel skills required.
- Good communication skills, both written and verbal, and strong analytical skills.
- Ability to work independently and work effectively in a diverse team environment
- Commitment to WCS’s values and mission.
WSC Values:
All WCS team members are expected to demonstrate strong professional and ethnics values. These include.
- Exemplifying integrity
- Accountability and Transparency
- Demonstrating commitment to WCS Nigeria
- Embracing cultural diversity and respect
- Embracing change
Core Competencies:
- Achieving results
- Being accountable
- Working in teams/ managing ourselves and our relationships
- Communicating for impact
Functional Skill Set:
- Sound Financial and audit management
- Strategic thinking
- Financial and Data Analysis
- Analytical reasoning
- Risk Management and Compliance
- Stakeholder and donor financial engagement communication
- Strong Leadership
- Strong interpersonal relationships
- Budget monitoring and management
- Managing documents, correspondence, and reports
- Managing information and workflow
- Planning, organizing, and multitasking.
How to Apply: Interested candidates and qualified persons (Nigeria Nationals Only) with the matched skill set, and experience should apply by sending their application (Cover letter and CV as one document) with the Subject “Finance Director” in capital letters to nigeriajobs@wcs.org
Advert open from 2nd October 2024 to 16th October 2024.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
WCS is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. Females are strongly advised to apply. WCS would never ask or request you to pay for applying for a position.