WWF – F&A DIRECTOR Retour vers les opportunités

WWF NORTH AFRICA F&A DIRECTOR

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position title: WWF North Africa Finance and Accounting Director

Reports to: WWF North Africa Director

Supervises: WWF North Africa F&A team

Location: Tunis, Tunisia

 Date: December 2023

Engagement: Full time position

     Background : 

WWF is one of the world’s leading biodiversity conservation organizations; its mission is to halt the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. 

WWF began operating in Tunisia in 1994, and implements the WWF conservation program throughout the North African region to safeguard natural environments and the species that live in them, promote sustainable lifestyles, train decision-makers, support citizens in their efforts to reduce their ecological footprint, and contribute to the environmental education of young people.

Major Functions: 

The F&A Director provides strategic direction for all WWF North Africa operations, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, and payroll. The F&A Director ensures day to day completion of all administrative processes – in Tunisia as well as the other countries of interest in the North Africa region (Morocco, Libya, Algeria, Egypt etc ).

The F&A Director  will provide guidance, support and oversight to the F&A units based in the Head Office in Tunis as well as in the country offices in Morocco, Libya, Algeria (and possibly Egypt) having a key role in the development of  legal and administrative setup of such offices and, at a later time  depending on the future development of the WWF North Africa legal/organisational setup in the region,  of  the  new  country  offices that WWF North Africa may establish according to its strategic plan.

The F&A Director has the direct supervision of the F&A team in the WWF North Africa Head Office in Tunis(accountant/s, project administrator/assistant/s) as well as the supervision of the WWF North Africa F&A teams based in WWF North Africa country offices.

F&A Director is a member of the WWF North Africa Senior Management Team and serves as a strategic thought partner to WWF NA Regional Director and all other members of the SLT. S/he ensures the full integration and interaction of the F&A Units (in Tunisia and in the other North Africa country offices with the WWF North Africa conservation team; participates in international forms organised within the WWF Global Finance Community, is the contact person for WWF International and the network community of practice for all the sectors of operations (finance).

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of WWF North Africa Director, F&A Director  is responsible for the following duties and responsibilities:

1. FINANCIAL PLANNING AND MONITORING

• Supports the WWF North Africa Director in the development and update of the WWF North Africa Business Plan and the Strategic Plan.
• In accordance with the annual planning cycle, coordinates the preparation of the annual budget for the WWF North Africa Programme (WWF North Africa overall budget as per WWF network standard requirements, Office Core Budget and individual projects budgets) in close collaboration with Country Operations Managers, Program & Projects’ Administrators and Programme Staff and submits it to the approval of the WWF North Africa Director and WWF Regional Head of Finance  
• Liaises with WWF North Africa SMT to establish the level of financial resources available to build up funding assumptions for the budgeting process.
• In conjunction with the preparation of the annual operating budget, co-ordinates with the relevant project administrators and managers the preparation of administrative plans for each project and operational unit.
• Leads the preparation and review of new Project proposals in connection to Financial and Administrative aspects.
• Overseas implementation of WWF North Africa cost recovery system: incorporating cost recovery in all budgets, and reporting back cost recovered to donors and WWF North Africa organises budget/planning workshops for technical staff and relevant third parties.
• In collaboration with the Project Managers and Country Operations Managers and Program & Project Administrators monitors and analyses budgeted costs and activities against the actual results.  As necessary, assists in the development of budget revisions and communicates these to the donor.

2. ACCOUNTING AND CONTROLS ENVIRONMENT

• Maintains and ensures proper functioning of the accounting system in the WWF North Africa Office in Tunisia including:
• Proposes and implements improvements and enhancements to the system in cooperation with the WWF International Finance Unit and in compliance with the WWF Network recommended systems and standards.
• Oversees the day-to-day processing of accounting transactions (care of the WWF North Africa Accountant/s)
•  Supervises the monthly closing of the WWF North Africa books and the reconciliation of bank accounts for Tunis office
• Reviews as needed all transaction listings to ensure that the information is reasonable and correctly charged to the appropriate project. Monitors the use and flow of funds on all project accounts according to budget constraints.
• In coordination with P&C Manager, responsible for the safeguarding of all WWF North Africa assets by ensuring a robust and right sized controls environment. Ensure staff are properly trained
• Ensures that the WWF Network Financial and Administrative Policies and Procedures are correctly implemented in Tunisia and adapted for local conditions and structure at the WWF North Africa units outside Tunisia.

3. ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

• In coordination with the WWF North Africa Director provides short technical seminars on Finance and Administration and WWF Network Standards to F&A project staff based at the WWF North Africa units outside Tunisia and to relevant project partners.
• Coordinates with the WWF North Africa Director to establish and administer bank accounts for the implementation of the WWF North Africa financial operations and to ensure the compliance with standards and procedures for the cash management. Takes lead in maintaining relations with the bank. Ensures that all bank accounts are reconciled monthly and that any discrepancies are resolved immediately. 
• Ensures that all operations comply with local laws and regulations and with WWF Network Standards and Policies where applicable. Establishes and implements the system of internal control for the Financial and administrative operations.
• Support procurement operations, contractual agreements, services and other transactions necessary for the daily running of the WWF North Africa operations.
• Support the administrative management of WWF North Africa staff (work contracts, monthly payroll and compliance with tax, pension, insurances health & safety requirements) in compliance with local rules and WWF Standards.
• Ensures there is adequate liaison with relevant donors on all administrative and financial matters.
• Reviews periodic submission of financial reports from Projects partners and other third parties and identifies problems and solutions. 
• Coordinates the calls funds from donors as required. Ensures that the most favourable exchange rates are obtained for conversion of funds received to local currency. Updates and monitors cash flow projections and invests excess funds according to established policy.
• Monitors and evaluates internal controls and proposes modifications to ensure sound financial management at the Programme Office and the Project Sites.
• Holds regular reviews with Project Managers and Program & Projects Administrators to review current financial situations based on work plans. 
• Plans and supervises semi-annual inventory of real property for the office and each project. 
• Establishes procedures for purchasing and safeguarding of WWF assets and inventory.
• Supervises paper flow and filing systems to ensure that they are in compliance with local rules, adequate for the users and can be easily accessed.  Ensures the implementation of new filing systems if required.
• Other tasks as needed

4. FINANCIAL REPORTING

Responsible for WWF North Africa Financial Reporting processes including:

• WWF North Africa overall Financial Reports for the (annual and semi-annual) consolidation with WWF International Accounts (including at minimum reviewed monthly trial balances, Quarterly and Annual Financial Reports according to WWF Network Standards).
• WWF North Africa local Statutory Report, audits and taxes declarations.
• Individual projects Financial Reporting in coordination with Project Managers and Administrators ensuring that all contractual donor’s requirements and financial information is met and transmitted on time.
• Directs the preparation of all audit trails for the WWF North Africa operations including external audit, individual internal project, or Field Office audits, develops a response to the audit report along with a concise plan for implementing audit recommendations.

5. PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• • Supervises and evaluates all North Africa F&A staff:  staff in the Finance and Accountant Unit (Project Administrator, Accountant/s other staff covering administrative duties) based in the WWF North Africa office in Tunis as well as other Administrative staff as required, in other WWF North Africa  partner or branch offices in the NORTH AFRICA region 
  • Plans for F&A staff training and capacity building including leading on timely development PDJ forms for F&A staff 

• Ensures coordination and exchange of information at the level of North Africa to assure synergies, integration and coordination of organisational works.
• Ensures that each position within the F&A unit has updated ToRs
• Supports professional development of F&A team, including identifying opportunities to enable their participation in Network opportunities;

Working Relationships:

Internal

The WWF North Africa /F&A Director reports to WWF North Africa Director and keeps a strategic and technical reporting line (dotted line) to the WWF Regional Head of Finance who will provide technical and strategic support and who will approve and review annual objectives to ensure consistency and compliance with WWF International and WWF Network and standards.   

As a member of WWF North Africa Senior Management Team, interacts with WWF North Africa conservation, communications and HR managers for the alignment of the F&A operations with the implementation of the WWF North Africa Conservation Programme, interacts frequently with the WWF International Director Global PO Finance, participates to the meetings (physical and virtual) of the WWF Network WWF Global Finance and HR Communities

External

Works closely with the Projects’ implementing partners in the North Africa region, and liaises with a wide variety of external entities such as donor agencies, tax and pension offices, banks, insurance companies, lawyers, external accountants, payroll consultants etc. 

Knowledge: 

• A High university degree in Accounting, Administration and Finance, Economics, Management or related field.
• Certified accounting license considered an advantage

Experience: 

• 10 years of proven track record of experience in F&A department in private or non-profit sector, accounting/audit or consultant firms and at least 4 years of professional experience in leading teams. 
• Experience with multi-country and multi- programme management and Tunisian commercial and labour legislation an advantage.

Skills: 

• Excellent interpersonal, leadership and management skills; sensitiveness to work in a cross-cultural context, but with appropriate doses of firmness on decisions; dependable, reliable, and organised. 
• Highly skilled in accounting, financial planning, budgeting, contracting and bank transactions, payroll. 
• Advanced user of the MS Office applications (with particular regards to the Excel spreadsheets) and accounting packages. 
• Fluency in mother tongue as well as  French and English. Other languages are an  advantage. 

Competencies: 

• An ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines 
• Excellent teamwork skills
• Understanding and applying WWF Code of Conduct and Respect in the Workplace policies
• Understanding and applying WWF social and environmental safeguards 
• Aligning with the core values of the WWF: courage, collaboration, respect and integrity
• Demonstrates WWF behaviors in ways of working: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly