Job Title: Finance Officer, BlueAction Project – Fauna & Flora International (FFI)

Fauna & Flora International

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) saves species from extinction and habitats from destruction, whilst improving the livelihoods of local people. Our guiding principles are to work with and alongside local partnerships, act as a catalyst for change, make conservation relevant and base decisions on sound science. Founded in 1903, FFI is the world’s longest established international conservation body; our conservation work, and impact, spans the globe.

Africa Programme

Working closely with local partners, FFI’s Africa Programme currently supports operations in 13 countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, and is implementing a range of projects focused on both terrestrial and marine species and habitat conservation, biodiversity planning, protected area management, institutional development and capacity building, sustainable use and community-focused wildlife management initiatives.

To achieve its mission in Africa, FFI uses different approaches to work with and alongside local partners to focus on the sustainable use and management of natural resources as a means to effective conservation in the long-term. In all its projects in Africa, FFI seeks to:

• Build and support local partnerships with African conservation and community development organizations;
• Strengthen institutions to bring sustainability and added value to projects;
• Maintain long term presence and relationships;
• Reconcile conservation goals with the needs of local people; and
• Incorporate sound science in decision-making.

FFI Marine Programme

FFI has been working in marine conservation for decades. However, it launched its formal marine programme in 2011 focused on the following three strands:

• securing important areas to safeguard marine biodiversity;
• informing and influencing policies and practice affecting the marine environment; and
• supporting key national and local institutions to help them deliver effective marine conservation.

In 2005, the Zanzibar Government gazette the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA) making it one of the largest marine protected areas in Tanzania. FFI has worked in partnership with Mwambao (Mwambao Coast Community Network), a Tanzanian NGO, since 2014 to support the effective management of PECCA and to implement measures that improve reef ecosystem health, improve sustainability of key fisheries, improve local wellbeing through inclusion of fishers into their fishing ground management and provide opportunities to engage in other livelihood activities.

The Blue Action Fund project that this role relates to builds upon work to date in PECCA, expanding the target area and the number of communities engaged. The work will cover both communities involved in existing work on Pemba Island and additional communities from Pemba Island and mainland Tanzania’s Tanga region coast.

The Opportunity

FFI and their partner, Mwambao, are implementing a multi-million Euro, a 4.5-year project funded by the Blue Action Fund (BlueAction). FFI is seeking a Financial Officer to support the delivery of this BlueAction grant entitled ‘Increasing socio-ecological resilience through community-led management of key coastal ecosystems in the Pemba Channel, Tanzania’.

The role will involve working closely with key project partners to maintain financial systems and support financial reporting to ensure timely and accurate financial project reporting, in conformity with specific funder requirements and in accordance with FFI policies and procedures.

The successful candidate will have proven experience in facilitating financial processes, maintaining financial systems, and assisting in financial reporting. They will have strong organizational skills and financial management experience, and preferably experience working in the environment and/or development field. They will be a team player, with excellent interpersonal skills, an ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organizations, and to support partner capacity building. They will be self-motivated and committed to producing the highest quality of work.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration of Contract: Fixed-term contract until 30 September 2027

Probation Period: Six months

Salary: USD 17,000 gross per annum

Location: FFI Office in Nairobi, Kenya

Benefits: 25 working days’ annual leave entitlement plus national public holidays observed in Kenya

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job

Job Description

Job title: Finance Officer, BlueAction Project (Kenya)

Line managed by: Grant Manager, BlueAction Project (Kenya)

Key internal relationships: Finance and Administration Manager, Kenya (Kenya), Finance Business Partner, East & Southern Africa (UK), Partnerships Finance Manager (UK), Grant and Development Manager, East Africa (UK), Country, Technical Specialist, Social & Environmental Safeguards, BlueAction Project (Kenya)

Key External Relationships: The Finance Officer will work closely with key staff from the project’s main implementing partner, based in Zanzibar and Tanzania, and with the project contractors.The Finance Officer will represent the values and interests of FFI at all times.

Purpose

On the ground implementation of the BlueAction project in Tanzania will be partner-led. This role will support facilitating financial processes, and supporting timely and accurate financial reporting for the project. This will involve working closely with key project partners to support compliance with FFI and donor financial guidelines and FFI policies and procedures, within the terms of the BlueAction Grant Agreement. The role will also support strengthening of internal systems and procedures for the lead project partner to maintain an effective implementation team that delivers impactful conservation action, on time and budget.

Specific Duties

Under the line-management of the Grant Manager, BlueAction Project, Kenya and working under the supervision of the Finance and Administration Manager, Kenya, the Finance Officer will have the following responsibilities:

Financial Management

• Assist in financial reporting and fund audits as required for the BAF (Blue Action Fund) project.
• Checking all expenses are scanned, correct and compliant, with a particular focus on staff time and procurement as the highest risk areas.
• Support the maintenance of existing financial systems including but not limited to general expenses processing, travel expense claims processing and income & expenditure records.
• Ensure all financial processes for FFI and partners are in line with BAF donor requirements and FFI policy and procedures.
• As delegated, support financial management in month-end procedures and help ensure a strong internal control environment.
• Assist in maintenance and update of the fixed assets register for the project within the FFI Kenya office
• Support financial processes on FFI internal systems such as raising Purchase Orders, uploading fund budgets and transfers.
• Produce monthly fund financial reports for the BAF project funds and flag any discrepancies to the fund manager.
• Keep a track of FFI timesheet charges on all BAF project funds and ensure that staff time is fully charged in time for donor financial reporting, liaising with Programme Manager (Operations and Compliance), Africa to ensure all timesheet trackers for BAF funds are up to date and being followed.
• Oversee the maintenance of an accurate and updated cash flow report for the BAF project and provide monthly updates on this to the Finance and Administration Manager, Kenya.
• Support cash flow management and banking by carrying out bank errands including withdrawals, deposits and bank instructions.
• Support the procurement and purchasing of office supplies and equipment and materials needed for BAF project activities.
• Review fund records retention system and develop a financial database for the project.
• Maintain an organized, well-documented and sequential filing system for invoices, payments and all other relevant financial documents for the project.
• Facilitate travel for staff visiting the project or undertaking fieldwork or meetings, in terms of cashflow availability and supplier payments.
• Assist in FFI Kenya institutional budget development.

Partner support

• Support partner capacity assessment and capacity building with regard to financial management, systems and donor guidelines by supporting the developing standard financial tools, templates, checklists and guidance for BAF partners.
• Support fund audits as required by ensuring partner supporting documents are in alignment with the partner financial reports.
• Support BAF partners to maintain an appropriate fixed asset register for the project.

Other

• Undertake international travel to project sites, Tanga region and/or Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba), if required.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with skills and experience as requested by the Grant Manager, BlueAction Project.

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• Excellent financial management and numeracy skills, including budgeting, re-forecasting and financial reporting
• Strong organizational skills, with structured and methodical approach to work
• Excellent interpersonal skills, specifically ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organizations
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Outlook and Excel
• Fluency in English and Swahili (spoken and written)

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Minimum three years’ experience supporting grant management, compliance and the responsible management of donor funds
• Proven experience providing support in financial management of high-value grants (budgets totaling in excess of 500,000 €/USD pa)
• Undergraduate degree in a finance-related discipline

Desirable

• CPA professional qualification
• Experience of working with statutory funding
• Experience working with government agencies, communities and community-based organisations, partner NGOs and for-profit entities
• Experience working within a geographically dispersed team
• Experience working in the environment/conservation or development field

Behavioral Qualities

Essential

• Excellent team player
• Self-motivated and output driven, committed to producing the highest quality of work
• Flexible and adaptable in uncertain and changeable work situations
• Rigorous and diligent approach to work
• Commitment to FFI’s Values

Other

• Entitlement to live and work in Kenya (without employee sponsorship)

FFI Values

Values underpin who we are and how we act. Just as values shape who we are as individuals, they define us as an organization, creating the culture of success for which FFI is renowned. Our people exemplify our shared values, which are interconnected and interdependent:

• We act with integrity
• We are collaborative
• We are committed
• We are supportive & respectful
• We get things done