Key duties and responsibilities

Compliance roles,

• Assist the team understands and adhere to AWF and donor financial and administrative policies and procedures.
• Implement AWF established internal controls for the avoidance of waste, fraud and misappropriation of assets within the program. Report all instances of known or suspected fraud and abuse promptly.
• Gain an understanding of donor contracts within Tsavo-Mkomazi landscape in order to be in a position to advise on compliance with the use of donor funds and associated accounting.
• Assist compliance with staff time reporting requirements including timely completion timesheets by Landscape staff.
• Oversee cash flow operations for the Tsavo-Mkomazi Landscape by ensuring timely projections of cash as per established work plans.
• Support HQ Central Finance team with smooth month-end close process

Finance and Accounting roles 

• Gain an understand of landscape work plans and budgets to assist with appropriate accounting distribution and expense coding in the accounting system.
• Assist the Tsavo-Mkomazi Landscape Manager with review of monthly grant budget reports distributed by the Budgets and Grants Team, making corrections to expense coding as necessary.
• Assist Budget and Grants Team in preparing required grant reports, prior to submission to the donor.
• Input and submit any invoices with adequate documentation and follow up with field staff on any delayed approvals.
• Assist with timely sub-grantee expense reviews and reporting any questionable costs and non-compliance issues
• Assist in performing supplier statement reconciliations and attend to ad-hoc vendor queries.
• Ensure timely completion of expenses and revenue posting for smooth monthly-end close of books.
• Process staff travel advance requests/reimbursement, disburse cash, review advance retirements, generate credit memos and identify any issues.
• Reconcile employee vendor cards and travel advance holding account on a regular basis.
• Ensure cash deposits are banked at least within 2 business days upon receipt.
• Scan and file all financial documents and trip expense backups.
• Review trip retirements and validate all supporting documentations.
• Administer petty cash float, initiate top-ups, organize petty cash hours and process payments.
• Input petty cash expenses and reconciliations in the system as part of the monthly close.
• Maintain optimum petty cash balances and advise the supervisor of cash replenishment requirements.
• Perform internal and external customer circularization on a monthly basis.

Administrative Roles 

• File and archive all office documents (Procurement & financial documents) per established systems.
• Maintain electronic logical coding, indexing, and references of scans.
• Develop and maintain a vehicle usage calendar to ensure that vehicles are available when needed and increase instances of vehicle pooling.
• Ensure proper upkeep of Voi office, equipment and other facilities. Ensure insurances and license are always updated on time.
• Provide supervision to guards and caretakers. Provide for required office services and supplies.
• Oversee timely field procurements in liaison with Tsavo-Mkomazi Landscape Manager and Central procurement teams.
• Support in coordination with Admin and program departments to ensure integrated internal controls, timely payment of vendors and full, auditable procurement support documentation filing.
• Maintain asset records in Serenic and e-assets register. Timely conduct quarterly asset verifications & reconciliations.
• Ensure that there are sufficient stocks of office consumable materials to mitigate against stock outs.
• Assist with program logistics and facility (travel, space, etc.). Ensure the front office is well managed. Ensure the guests and callers receive professional, courteous, prompt and pleasant service and messages are delivered to program staff timely.
• Ensure vehicle fleet management for project vehicles including ensuring a maintenance schedule and vehicle mileage tracking, validation and posting.
• Responsible for field vehicle fuel management and ensure accurate record keeping, monitoring system on fuel consumption- Review monthly vehicle log sheets and prepare monthly report of fuel and maintenance for approval by the Landscape Manager
• Inspect equipment, structures or materials to identify possible causes of security lapses and communicate the findings to the Landscape Manager.
• Provide security briefing to staff as needed and ensure that all staffs adhere to security policies and procedures. This includes briefing to all newly recruited staff.

Other duties

• Take on other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor

Qualifications

• Diploma /Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or related
• Accounting certification preferred
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a similar role
• NGO experience
• Experience in busy office
• Proficiency in the use of computers
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
• Familiarity with accounting packages and government regulations such as taxation requirements and statutory related matters
• Ability to work in a field setting and remote environment with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of  Senior Director ,Program Operations, and in close collaboration the Senior Officer – project implementation will be expected to take on the following specific roles and responsibilities;

Assure implementation of project activities to achieve project results:

• Lead preparation and instituting of various project management tools including: Workplans, reporting templates, budget templates, critical path and due diligence for assuring project compliance to donor guidelines and AWF’s policies;
• Support line manager in planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of all project at AWF;
• Participate in project management meetings as will be requested by the project managers;
• Work with the line manager to guide and oversee initiation of projects, entering projects into envisio, support required revisions;
• Participate in budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects and other related elements;
• Collaborate closely with the project managers in execution of project plans and activities;
• Work with Project Managers to ensure efficient and effective delivery of project activities in line with AWF and donor standards.
• Work with the Monitoring and Evaluation and Learning team to build staff capacity on Envisio and roll it out to support management of AWF projects by developing a standardized framework for managing and implementing AWF projects.
• Implement a repeatable project delivery process for project teams to manage and deliver projects in a harmonized manner.
• Support country programs and projects to maintain best project management practices while ensuring a constant quality improvement.
• Conduct or coordinate orientation of new project leads to get up to speed on AWF project management methodology, project management system, tools, and processes.
• Support Project Managers in planning, implementation and quality control of the project activities implemented in various landscapes/project sites.
• Provide required feedback on overall project progress reporting and delivery to the Senior Director Project Management and Partnerships, project staff and relevant donor contact.
• Work with implementing partners and ensure that they adhere to AWF and donor standards and regulations in the implementation of project activities.
• Ensure AWF is delivering on project activity obligations and complies with partner guidelines for projects which AWF is a sub-grantee on a timely basis.
• Ensure that the responsibilities and accountabilities as articulated in the RACI are followed and inform supervisor when there are challenges.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning

In collaboration with the MEL team,

• Monitor all project quality indicators and undertaking periodic assurance tasks on behalf of the Project Manager;
• deliver quarterly project status reviews and reports to ensure consistent and continuous status reporting on AWF interventions.
• Contribute to internal donor reporting cycle process ensuring critical reviews are conducted by key teams to produce high quality reports.
• incorporate learning aspects in all projects by having key learning questions embedded during design stage and evaluations are conducted in line with the project requirements.
• Coordinate and participate in project progress reporting meetings with the Project Managers, the implementation team and implementing partners.
• Support data collection and maintenance of tools for result reporting and contribute to drafting and review of reports to donors.
• Monitor the project status to assure of delivering on timeline by working closely with project managers, finance teams and Analytics report team
• facilitate and promote efforts to share and manage knowledge across the organization.

Communication and learning

• In collaboration with the field communication manager, develop and maintain database and other central repositories of AWF projects, including project management documents and key deliverables.
• Draft and disseminate lessons learned reports to provide decision making insights for Project Managers and Senior Director Project Management and Partnerships.
• Develop a mechanism to ensure quarterly reporting on technical and financials to provide real time progress and contribute to program literature.
• Work with the communication and marketing teams to develop content for informational tools and materials to broadcast the projects progress.

Risk and compliance

• Ensure that project risks are identified, monitored and actions taken to address risks. Escalate risks to the Director – Program Operations as appropriate.
• Ensure that AWF projects meet all relevant internal and external compliance and requirements (financial, HR, quality management, procurement, etc.) including managing transitions during instances of staff changes and end of projects.

Financial management and budget planning

• Support project and finance teams in planning for project activities in line with approved project budgets.
• Keep track of the project financial and operational performance and ensure project activities are within assigned budgets, identify problems and suggests corrective actions;
• Liaise with finance team to ensure actual spending of project budgets align with activity implementation and identify gaps.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, project management, sustainable development, or related field. A Master’s degree in relevant fields is an added advantage.
• Project Management Certification is an advantage
• Experience with project management software/systems. Experience with Envisio is an added advantage.
• 6 years’ experience in nonprofit program management, coupled with a strong familiarity/affinity for AWF’s landscape level approach to conversation.
• Highly productive and organized, with the ability to work independently. Must be able to thrive under remote supervision.
• Analytical mindset with strong technology skills, including databases, MS Excel, MS Project, Outlook, and reporting writing software.
• Personable, with the ability to get results without unnecessary interpersonal conflict or drama.
• Excellent written and presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment
• Willingness to undertake occasional travel sometimes to remote and physically challenging locations

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership

• Lead the review , implementation, and adoption of AWF’s project management methodology, tools, Standard Operating Procedures and expectations.
• Set clear, measurable goals with staff that relate to program implementation and review progress against goals on a regular basis.
• Demonstrate an open, collaborative, and supporting management style, with an emphasis on empowering and advancing field-based staff within the organization.
• Direct operations of team by building functional excellence and fostering meaningful career development

Mentor and Coach new program managers, hires and other staff

• Help to create an inviting, appreciative and cohesive team experience.
• Ensure AWF’s vision is well understood by the project teams
• Provide expert input into and deliver creative solutions to improve AWF’s unique culture
• Promote a culture of accountability, urgency in delivery and quality of work using the established RACI
• Champion a high-performing team

Program Implementation

• Oversee programs in Africa ensuring conservation impact, compliance with donor regulations and effective communication with other AWF departments including finance, marketing, media, development and program design.
• Oversee effective and relevant program inception meetings, and planning exercises for programs in Africa.
• With landscape and country coordinators and directors, coordinate development of project plans. Ensure that plans are consistent with donor expectations, including appropriate reporting and check points, and are realistic and sufficiently detailed to be actionable by implementing staff.
• Ensure that program managers are utilizing the project management system. Meet with program managers regularly to review implementation status. In cases of program delays, analyze impacts from a financial and conservation standpoint and recommend an adaptive management course.
• Coordinate interventions with other technical leads to problem-solve and adjust planning accordingly.
• Regularly question programmatic assumptions, plans and pace to ensure that AWF remains on a good course considering changing operational realities. Encourage similar good-natured analysis throughout the organization.
• Ensure that all grant terms, conditions, rules and regulations are being adhered to by AWF and all sub-awardees.
• Contribute to the development of conservation project plans and budgets, advising on what is achievable given time, budgets, and operations. Ensure that requirements for proposal development (log-frames, technical design, and other inputs) are high quality and provided to the relevant fundraising team timely.

Management systems, procedures and reporting

• Maintain and improve project management systems that facilitate program planning and ongoing management.
• Build, maintain and improve systems for collecting programmatic means of verification (MOVs). Establish and enforce approval workflows to ensure adequacy and completeness of MOVs.
• Develop and deliver standard programmatic reporting to cover implementation status and SOP compliance. Provide SVP-CSLI with summary level reports on a weekly basis in advance of program review meetings.
• Ensure timely and high-quality programmatic reporting and conservation outputs from landscape teams to improve AWF’s long-term donor satisfaction.
• Provide quarterly reports summarizing the overall project implementation status.
• Evaluate the challenges faced by the Field team and act to mitigate risks and develop opportunities
• Establish relationships/partnerships with relevant local NGOs, private sector and wildlife agencies in target geographies.
• Represent AWF at forums, conferences and meetings

Classroom Africa

• Oversee the implementation of AWF’s Classroom Africa (CA) program, and expansion of the program to include conservation education.
• Develop strategies to build the Classroom Africa brand, and expand funding and geographic footprint.
• Lead on selection of new school sites, relationship management with education ministries, and the Classroom Africa board.
• Ensure exceptionally high standards for construction and maintenance of schools and associated programs.
• Develop Classroom Africa team to work more independently over time.

Qualifications

• Master or Bachelor’s  degree   in   ecology, conservation, project management, sustainable development, or related Advanced degree preferred.
• At least 10 years’ experience managing large field-based conservation and sustainable development grants with annual budgets in excess of US$1 million
• Strong basis in general management theory with real-world experience in managing and motivating large
• Demonstrated ability to lead professional teams
• Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into the organizational Willingness to question the status quo.
• Decisive, with a high level of business acumen and the ability to balance the delivery of programs against the realities of a
• Strong project management experience
• High level of emotional intelligence
• Results based orientation
• Personable, with the ability to get the best from a team without unnecessary interpersonal conflict or
• Ability and willingness to travel sometimes to  very remote and sometimes physically challenging locations
• Fluency in English and French