Director of Finance, Madagascar Program

Reports to: WCS Madagascar Country Director with a dotted-line report to the WCS Comptroller and Global CFO (based in New York headquarters [WCS-NY])

Location: Antananarivo, Madagascar

Country Program/Sector: Madagascar Program / East Africa, Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean (EAMWIO) Region

Position Type: Full-time

Application deadline: 30 October 2020

Internal liaison: Regional Financial Comptroller and Country program staff

Expected travel: Local travel to field sites as necessary

Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

Madagascar Program Overview:

The WCS Madagascar Program has been working in Madagascar since 1993 to ensure the long-term conservation of the country’s unique biological diversity with a focus on activities in our priority landscapes and seascapes.

The WCS Madagascar Program works to ensure the long-term conservation of the country’s unique biological diversity with a focus on activities in our priority landscape/seascapes. We achieve this through terrestrial and marine protected area management, engagement with local communities to support them to become effective stewards of natural resources, environmental education, and a program of applied conservation science. WCS’s interventions are focused in the MaMaBay (Makira-Masoala-Antongil Bay) landscape/seascape program in the northeast of Madagascar with interventions in and around Makira Natural Park – where WCS is the delegated manager of the Park, Masoala National Park, and Antongil Bay. We also work in the southwest and northwest of the country to support the management of a network of locally managed marine areas, environmental education and community engagement, as well as research and conservation of marine mammals.

Job Summary:

The position holder will be in charge of all financial management activities of WCS Madagascar. Further, this role is responsible for coordinating all financial and accounting management activities of the WCS Madagascar Country Program to ensure compliance with GAAP and WCS financial policies & procedures, donor and statutory requirements, payments, receipts and cash management, and ensure completeness and accuracy of Madagascar Country Program financial accounts.

This role will prepare accurate and complete financial reports of all WCS activities in compliance with WCS accounting policies & procedures and appropriate grant donor requirements. The Finance Director will lead in ensuring that resources are secured, safeguarded and utilized for intended purposes. The role will ensure the provision of financial performance insight, support for financial planning, funds management and insurance over the financial control environment.

Major Responsibilities:

Financial Planning and Budgeting

• guidance and support is provided to PIs (Project Investigators) to develop their annual plans and the country program annual budget in line with organizational policies and donor commitments.
• Support the Directors of program and Site Coordinators to consolidate all plans and proposals

Finance management

• Approval of all DAC (purchasing request), OM (document travel/ travel authorization) and DE (Hiring request) related to expenditures for Head Office in Antananarivo, South West and North West sites.
• Check the SAP monthly recording
• Responsible for monthly budgeting for monthly cash request to New York

Management, reporting and Budgetary Control

• Analyze the budgeting and the burn rate of the country program, the funds of each grant by working closely with PIs, Finance Officers and carry out adjustments as necessary.
• At year end, providing adequate financial and management analysis for decision making
• Prepare and submit timely monthly and year-end reports and required schedules to the Head Office in New York, timely and accurate reports to all donors and the Malagasy government

Internal Controls, Risk Management and Statutory compliance

• Ensure implementation of the CP finance policies and procedures as required in order that changes introduced by WCS globally, accounting standards and local laws are complied with.
• Ensure compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements of local government and donors e.g. withholding taxes for contracts, per diem within statutory limits, etc.
• Co-ordinate internal and external audits
• Supports and reviews the development of financial plans for funding proposals and monitor expenditure against grant agreements, working with the Country Director and SMT members to resolve issues as necessary.
• Prepare Pipeline (Grant Management Form) in a quarterly basis

Financial Systems

• Provides support in managing the country program financial systems (SAP) ensuring information captured in these systems are accurate, complete and adequate.
• Ensures SAP system activities are coordinated for effective support, skill development and successful upgrade.

People Leadership

• Effectively manage performance; developing team members in order to maximize their contribution to the team and organization
• Supervision of the works of the Finance Specialist, Finance Officers for Antananarivo and Maroantsetra and the Procurement Officer

Minimum Requirements:

Experience and Technical Skills

• Bachelor of Accountancy Degree or equivalent accounting qualifications from recognized institutions.
• Minimum of 5 years post qualification experience, of which at least 2 years must be at a senior management level
• Experience in monitoring budgets, cash flow management and systems development.
• Demonstrated sound and in-depth knowledge of GAAP, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Financial Management, and Taxation Law of Madagascar.
• Experience using an ERP system
• Advanced knowledge of Excel desirable
• People management experience desirable.
• Knowledge of accounting for non-profit organizations and donor regulations are desirable

Skills and Abilities

• Attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent planning and prioritization skills. Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
• Strong analytical/problem solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and also to work effectively in a diverse team environment.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written).
• Able to demonstrate commitment to WCS’s Values and a working style and approach that reflects these