Director of Administration & Finance (DAF)

CONTEXT

The Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) is an international NGO working in four West African countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. WCF has been in operation since 2000 for the conservation of chimpanzees and other biodiversity in West Africa and opened its office in Liberia in 2013. WCF is working closely with the Forestry Development Authority and other local government and NGO partners. WCF’s main target area in Liberia is the Southeast, in particular the Grebo-Krahn and Sapo National Parks, and the Proposed Kwa National Park, located in Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Sinoe, and Rivercess Counties. WCF runs 3 offices in Liberia; in Monrovia, Zwedru, and at Sapo National Park. Major donors for WCF are the European Union, Rainforest Trust, USAID, UKAID, the Great Ape Conservation Fund of the USFWS, and other smaller donors.

WCF’s long-term mission focuses on enhancing the survival of the remaining wild chimpanzee populations and their habitat, while ensuring sustainable benefits for local communities. It covers conservation programs that include biomonitoring, law enforcement, environmental education, research, land-use planning, alternative livelihood schemes, ecotourism, infrastructure development, and capacity building. Emphasis is placed on using an evidence-based approach to the program and supporting transboundary collaboration between stakeholders in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia.

POSITION OBJECTIVES

Reporting to the Country Director and the West Africa Director, and working closely with the Project Manager, the Director of Administration & Finance (DAF) is responsible for the financial, administrative, logistical and human resources management of the WCF Program in Liberia. This involves compliance with and improvement and development of financial and logistical management manuals, internal and external financial reporting, implementation of an effective internal control system and audits for a country program with around 50 employees and an annual budget of ca. 3 million United States Dollars.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

BUDGET MANAGEMENT

• Develops budgets in collaboration with Country Management and Head Office;
• Ensures the proper use of acquired funding by developing a monthly budget tracking report showing the full costs of the missions;
• Anticipates and alerts Country Management and West Africa Management about any problems in the use of funding, and proposes amendments and information notes to donors where necessary;
• Produces interim and final reports on the various financing operations;
• Ensures compliance with commitments made to institutional donors (regular meetings, reports, recommendations, etc.), acting as their focal point for financial/logistical and administrative audits;
• Leads in the preparation of financial audits
• Develops budgets for prospective funding in collaboration with project managers, Country Management, and head office;
• Ensures compliance with internal procedures and institutional donors to ensure eligibility of expenditure;
• Consolidates the country mission’s annual general budget (organizational budget), with specific attention to covering cross-cutting costs (human and material resources).

ACCOUNTING

• Guarantees the existence of financial resource management and compliane with accounting rules and procedures in the country;
• Responsible for the accuracy and completeness of expenses recorded in the accounting software;
• Ensures the good quality of accounting documentation and regular dispatch to head office;
• Validates and closes monthly and annual accounts in close collaboration with the head office accounting department;
• Ensures proper use of the mission’s Chart of Accounts in accordance with the Financial Procedures Manual.

CASH MANAGEMENT

• Prepares and sends a monthly cash request based on the operational schedule drawn up by the Project Managers to head office;
• Ensures that at all times sufficient cash is available for operations to run smoothly, with maximum control of security and operational risks;
• Supervises colleagues who are responsible for the cash flow record and reconciliations;
• Conducts ad hoc cashbox controls.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES

• Implements the steps required to monitor the use of material resources (consumption tracking, vehicle tracking, inventory tracking) in accordance with the foundation’s internal procedures;
• Participates in developing the procurement framework (annual procurement plan, international orders, freight tracking) in accordance with the foundation’s internal procedures;
• Ensures that procurement files are properly maintained and generally, that expenditure commitment rules are respected;
• Ensures transparent and effective management of the association’s assets and proper maintenance of the mission’s general inventory.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND FISCAL MONITORING

• Supervises legal compliance with the Foundation’s tax and social security obligations in Liberia;
• Supervise that the accurate declaration of tax and social charges through the production of monthly statements;
• Writes or refines contracts binding the foundation with its partners, service providers, and suppliers, and ensures their proper financial execution and closing.

QUALITATIVE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

• Is responsible for defining, implementing and ensuring compliance with recruitment, training, performance management and compensation procedures.
• Must be familiar with the legal framework required for the smooth running of activities and the administrative management of all personnel;
• Ensures compliance with national and expatriate personnel management frameworks: internal regulations, Code of Conduct/Rules of Procedures, management policy and prevention of abusive behavior;
• Actively participates in discussions on the composition of teams (organization charts, staffing levels, skills required, etc.) and in identifying staff needs;
• Ensures the management and administrative follow up of national and international staff in the field: employment contracts, job profiles, professional insurance, composition of individual files, final accounts, work permits, residence permits, etc.;
• Ensures the reliability and control of national and expatriate staff payrolls.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Recruits and trains employees and partners under his/her supervision;
• Proposes necessary restructuring in line with project needs;
• Evaluates his/her team and reinforces their skills (technical supervision, training, etc.);
• Ensures implementation of yearly performance reviews
• Suggests capacity building measures.

REPORTING:

• Sends monthly accounting to Country Management, West Africa Office and Head Office.
• Provides monthly or annual financial reports or as required by donors to the WCF Country Director with the project’s progress and/or according to the reporting format validated by the partners.

OTHER

• Has a general knowledge of WCF, its functioning, structure and values;
• Is aware of the objectives and activities in general and in the specific work context;
• Is aware of the activities of other departments, supports them, respects rules and procedures;
• Assists with general understanding of the political and social context;

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

Master’s degree in management, accounting, or financial management

• At least 5 years’ successful work experience in financial and administrative management of complex programs (budget of at least 1 million USD per year, multi-donor and multi-partner context)
• Successful experience in sub-Saharan Africa
• Excellent English skills required. French language skills an advantage
• Knowledge of standard accounting software (excellent knowledge in QUICKBOOKS, required, additional knowledge in SAGE, NAVISION an advantage,) and payroll software (SAGE, HOMERE)
• Excellent knowledge of general office software (Microsoft Office suite)
• IT and/or network management skills are a strong asset.

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED QUALITIES

• Accuracy
• Honesty
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work independently
• Proactive
• Analytical and critical thinking skills
• Organizational skills
• Teamwork and sense of responsibility

Fixed-term contract: 12 months renewable

Start date: 01/07/2024

Compensation: according to WCF salary scale and experience