DIANA Seascape Finance Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is an independent conservation organization established over 60 years ago, with a mission to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and the ecosystem. With an active presence in more than 100 countries, WWF works to achieve both on-the-ground and global policy action, focusing on protecting and restoring species and their habitats, as well as transforming markets and policies toward sustainability. The organization is part of a global movement advocating for urgent action on climate change and nature loss, aiming to create a better future for both people and nature. WWF emphasizes the importance of local communities and Indigenous Peoples in conservation efforts, ensuring that they are at the center of climate and nature action. The organization is committed to using its resources and global network to support these communities in creating effective solutions to environmental challenges.

Job Overview:
The DIANA Seascape Finance Officer is responsible for managing the financial portfolio of the DIANA seascape projects and supporting Project Managers in establishing, managing, and monitoring project budgets. This role involves ensuring compliance with WWF and donor financial regulations, producing timely financial reports, and overseeing fund management to ensure that financial commitments align with technical achievements. The officer will also contribute to the strategic financial planning and overall financial performance monitoring of the DIANA Seascape. This position requires collaboration with various stakeholders, including project managers and financial teams, to ensure effective financial management and reporting.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The primary duties and responsibilities of the DIANA Seascape Finance Officer include:

• Planning and Budgeting: Prepare cost estimates and budgets during the development of new project proposals; assist the Seascape Manager in budget monitoring and provide periodic assessments of financial management performance; work closely with Project Managers to establish quarterly and annual budget forecasts; contribute to the annual work plan ensuring coherence between activities, budgets, and results frameworks; assist in addressing any financial and budgetary issues that may arise.
• Budget Monitoring and analysis" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Financial Analysis: Prepare documentation related to budget execution reports, including variance analyses between approved budgets and actual expenditures; ensure financial resources are utilized in accordance with project budgets; monitor budget implementation and recommend fund reallocations as necessary; ensure financial operations are coded correctly by budget line; contribute to account analyses and budget variance assessments.
• Financial Reporting: Prepare financial reports and necessary explanations for donors; draft or write correspondence to address inquiries regarding financial transactions; prepare documentation for funding requests in collaboration with Project Managers.
• Grant Management: Collaborate with the Grants Department to ensure financial tracking of contracts, protocols, and agreements signed within the seascape.
• Compliance, Internal Controls, and Audits: Provide guidance to Project Managers on donor financial regulations; supply necessary information to respond to internal/external audit findings; collaborate with the Administrative and Financial Director in preparing project audits; participate in internal control missions or support field offices; assist in developing accounting policies.
• Financial Flow Management and Internal Coordination: Work with the landscape accountant to ensure field offices have sufficient funds in their bank accounts to meet obligations.
• Capacity Building: Provide advice and training on budget management to field offices.
• Supervisory Responsibilities: Ensure that supervised staff fulfill their tasks according to their roles; provide guidance, technical support, and regular feedback to supervised staff and team members; organize performance evaluations and support continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the DIANA Seascape Finance Officer position include: a degree in Management or equivalent, with a minimum level of Bac +4; at least 2 years of experience in Finance, Accounting, and Administration, preferably in the NGO/donor project sector; experience in financial management of multi-donor international projects is a significant asset; excellent communication skills, both oral and written, in French and Malagasy, with a strong emphasis on English; proficiency in office tools (word processing, spreadsheets, email); knowledge of Oracle software is an advantage.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a degree in Management or a related field, with a minimum educational level of Bac +

• This educational background is essential to ensure that the candidate has the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to manage financial operations effectively within the context of conservation projects.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in Finance, Accounting, and Administration, ideally within the NGO sector or in projects funded by international donors. Experience in managing financial aspects of multi-donor international projects is considered a significant advantage, as it demonstrates the candidate's ability to navigate complex financial environments and adhere to various donor requirements.

Languages:
Fluency in French and Malagasy is mandatory, with a strong emphasis on proficiency in English. The ability to communicate effectively in these languages is crucial for collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, project managers, and international partners. Additional language skills may be considered an asset but are not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position is a full-time contract role with a classification level of A3-4

• The location of assignment is Antsiranana, Madagascar, and the contract is expected to last until October 202
• The organization encourages early applications as they will review submissions throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early. WWF is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, welcoming applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Candidates are encouraged to submit their covering letter and CV in English, as priority will be given to applications that include both documents. Work permit restrictions may apply for international candidates.