Finance Manager, Kenya

Fauna & Flora International

Fauna & Flora International saves species from extinction and habitats from destruction, while 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 organisations
• 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
• Incorporate sound science in decision-making

Kenya Programme

FFI has been championing wildlife conservation in Kenya in some shape or form since our foundation in 1903. Exactly a century later, we opened an office in Nairobi and established a formal country programme, and have been supporting local partners to protect key habitats and species. In particular, we have played a crucial role in establishing a number of wildlife conservancies in northern Kenya that protect wildlife, and increasingly support our partners generate sustainable income from enterprise development that directly fund conservation efforts and support sustainable local livelihoods. Beyond our terrestrial conservation programme, we are also supporting the efforts of communities in the North coast of Kenya to secure greater involvement in the management and husbandry of their marine resources.

The Opportunity

Under the supervision of the Grants and Operations Manager, Kenya, the Finance Manager, will ensure that the financial functions of FFI in Kenya, are effective, transparent and legally appropriate to support FFI’s programme of work, in conformity with national legislation, funder requirements, FFI norms and international best practice.

This role forms the point of contact for all financial matters for FFI’s programme in Kenya and where specified, with responsibility for maintaining proper financial accounts for the office in the centralised accounting system and for the generation of financial reports for budget holders and funders as the need arises.

As Finance Manager, you will have extensive experience in financial management, preferably in a similar sized international not-for-profit organisation and a strong understanding of relevant financial statutory and regulatory frameworks.

Excellent financial management skills are essential, as is the ability to work to multiple deadlines, a meticulous attention to detail and a rigorous and diligent approach to work.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration of Contract: Permanent

Probation Period: Six months

Salary Range: Circa USD 30,000 per annum

Location: FFI office, Nairobi, Kenya. With travel to domestic and international project sites as required.

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday inclusive.

Job Description

Job Title: Finance Manager, Kenya

Reporting to: Grants and Operations Manager, Kenya

Line Manager of: Finance Officer, Kenya and Finance Officer – Partnerships

Key Relationships: FFI Kenya team, Senior Programme Manager, Eastern Africa, Finance Business Partner, East and Southern Africa, Other teams within Eastern Africa and wider Africa Programme

Purpose:

To ensure that the financial functions of FFI in Kenya, are effective, transparent and legally compliant to support FFI’s programme of work, in conformity with national legislation, funder requirements, Fauna & Flora procedures and international best practice. They will be responsible for maintaining complete and accurate financial accounts for the South Sudan Programme.

Responsibilities:

Financial management and processing

• Support the delivery timely and accurate financial budgeting, monitoring and reporting in compliance with legislation and statutory, institutional and funder regulations
• Ensure that all transactions are processed promptly and accurately onto the accounting system, using FFI and funder coding for all records and month-end outputs
• Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations, including bank reconciliations and cash count, to ensure all balances are up to date, complete and correct
• Submit statutory in-country returns, accounts and ensure timely submission of expenditure by team members and processing of expenditure
• Monitor procurement to ensure that it complies with internal policies and procedures and funder and donor requirements
• Ensure that all staff expense claims, cash advance requests and acquittals are processed in a timely manner and adhere to relevant FFI’s Global Delegations of Authority, processes, procedures and documentation.
• Oversee all financial records keeping, security and organizing by maintaining an efficient, robust, transparent filing system which is easily accessible for internal or external inspection and scrutiny (for example during audits)
• Act as a key focal point with banks and be responsible for resolving bank related issues and keeping signatories up to date as instructed
• Support country and fund managers during the planning and budgeting process in accordance with instructions issued by FFI including forecasting
• Escalate any financial compliance issues to the relevant line management
• Support the GOM in managing and requesting transfer of funds from the UK to ensure sufficient cash flow is available to meet the office needs at all times
• Ensuring best practice is followed and strong internal controls are maintained for all financial functions of FFI Kenya

People management

• Contribute to and lead the recruitment of finance staff including development of job description, recruitment process, and induction
• As required, provide effective and motivational management to line reports through objective setting, continuous performance management, annual appraisal, training provision and personal development planning

Payroll

• Support the accurate computation of withholding taxes and social security contribution and process payment to relevant authorities within the legal and required deadline, allowing for contingency time in case of any delays
• Support the processing of relevant taxes, social contribution and ensuring any deduction are withheld and additions are accurately calculated and released on schedule
• Support on updating Fauna & Flora UK on any changes to payroll or relevant information

Fund Management

• Support the financial input to funding and donor proposals and resulting contracts and grant agreements (prior to approval) to ensure they include accurate budgeting, staff and overhead charging and cost recovery and are appropriate to, and comply with, FFI operating standards and implementation conditions within Kenya
• Support Fund Managers with financial reporting (internal and funders) and keeping financial milestones up-to-date in the Fauna & Flora fund management software/system
• In consultation with Fund Managers, raise invoices to funders when fund conditions have been met and payment is due to FFI
• Support Fund Managers to ensure that the financial reports of the partners are properly prepared and submitted on time and are adequately supported by appropriately authorised documentation.
• Review the staff time charges and overhead charges that are applied to each project to ensure these are correct and in line with the projects’ grant agreement
• Ensure budget holders have accurate financial information and reports to make effective decisions about their programmes/projects

Partner support

• Assess partners’ financial management abilities, identifying capacity needs for successful financial management
• Provide ongoing training to and monitoring of partner and other associate organisations in the management of financial procedures as required by the GOM to ensure transparency and compliance with FFI, statutory and funder requirements

Legal Compliance

• Remain up to date with statutory and regulatory frameworks relevant to financial operations in Kenya, ensuring FFI’s compliance
• Maintain effective working relationships with financial government agencies, engaging and consulting with them as appropriate and submitting documentation, notifications etc. as required by legislation
• Act to minimise organisational risk and liability and escalate compliance issues to the GOM

Audits

• Support FFI and Donor audits and liaise with external auditors for audit schedule and planning
• Support the audit process (in-country and UK) and seek clarification and responses from the relevant Managers on any audit queries and/or recommendations and findings as necessary

Other duties

• Complete and submit a timesheet each month in a timely manner
• Answer queries from other FFI offices (UK and in the region) when they arise
• Participate in monthly finance updates with FBP, GOM and Country Manager, providing monthly updates on all active and proposed funds/projects
• Develop and implement financial induction and exit procedures in line with internal financial policies and procedures and best practice
• With the support of the GOM and FBP, develop, implement and monitor financial policies, procedures and guidelines that are fit for purpose and accord, to the extent possible, with institutional policies, procedures and guidelines

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• Excellent financial analysis skills, with emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking
• Excellent numeracy and analytical skills, applied to financial management, including variance and costing analysis
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Advanced skills in Excel spread sheet and finance / accounting / reporting systems
• High proficiency in standard word processing and business writing
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation and administrative skills, with structured and methodical approach to work
• Fluency in written and oral Swahili and English

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• CPA(K) or ACCA
• A degree in Finance or Accounting
• Extensive knowledge of accounting systems and software – Quickbooks, Sage, Sun systems
• Excellent understanding of relevant financial statutory and regulatory frameworks applying in Kenya including mandatory tax payments and other requirements
• At least 5 years’ experience in a Finance Management position managing a portfolio of at least $1 million.
• 5 years’ experience of the Charity sector and/or working in a similar sized (to FFI) international not-for-profit organisation
• 5 years’ experience of statutory donors’ grant management for example USAID/EU
• At least 5 years management reporting experience, including budgeting and forecasting
• Experience in conducting independent research of technical financial guidance and documenting findings
• Experience in managing a team
• Experience in providing financial coaching/training for non-financial managers

Desirable

• Knowledge of Microsoft SharePoint
• Experience with Access Dimensions and Focalpoint software

Behavioural qualities

Essential

• A considerate team player able to work as part of a team in a dynamic environment where flexibility is essential
• Capacity to work independently and be responsive to the needs of the organisation and teams in Africa
• Builds positive personal and organisational relationships
• Proven commitment to organisational compliance
• Demonstrates rigour, diligence and meticulous attention to detail in approach to work
• Commitment to the mission and values of FFI
• Flexible to respond to demands of operating across different cultures and time-zones

Other

• Entitlement to live and work in Kenya (without employee sponsorship)
• Available to travel domestically when required