DRC: Director of Finance and Administration

Mar 19, 2022 | Jane Goodall Institute
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The Jane Goodall Institute is a global wildlife and environment conservation organization. It is an international community conservation organization that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall. By protecting chimpanzees and inspiring people to conserve the natural world we all share, we improve the lives of people, animals and the environment.

The Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) will oversee the overall financial management, compliance, administration, Human Resources and operations of JGI-RD Congo, ensuring teams adhere to policies, procedures and donor and organizational regulations the Jane Goodall Institute in DR Congo. The DFA is responsible for setting up and managing the financial, operational and administrative systems that support the activities. He/she is also responsible for financial and operational compliance with donor requirements and the effective management of DR Congo program operations. He/she reports directly to the Executive Director and is a member of the country program management team.

Key Job Responsibilities

  • Representation
  • Maintain regular links with local authorities when necessary for strategic operational orientations;
  • Pursue the actions undertaken with government authorities regarding the renewal of operating authorizations, administrative and financial facilities and make the link between compliance with JGI policies and the legal framework of the DR Congo. etc.

Policies, procedures and coordination

  • Ensure that functional operational support is in place to achieve results in all program areas;
  • Ensure in collaboration with the Executive Director that all administrative and governmental documents are in place and comply with statutory regulations;
  • Work with the Executive Director and the entire finance and administration team to ensure that all inquiries from labor, tax, and other tax and administrative obligations are addressed in a timely manner;
  • Ensure that the global JGI operational procedures and policies (supply chain, HR, administration and IT) put in place are applied by all staff;
  • Review JGI's operational procedures and policies manual, design a plan to update them and ensure their consistent application;
  • Ensure compliance with donor regulations with respect to supply chain;
  • Develop an annual operations plan with the program manager and ensure regular monitoring by the heads of the logistics, administration and finance departments;
  • Serve as a focal point and maintain communication with Africa Program operations staff;
  • Ensure coordination between operational units in the field and with the Programs and Finance Department;
  • Contribute to meetings of the management committee and propose relevant adaptations if necessary to improve the overall level of the mission 
  • Anticipate, analyze and alert the Executive Director regarding all risks related to operational activities, including programmatic, security and financial aspects. etc.

Budget and finance

  • Provide oversight of the budgeting process, procurement, inventory and forecasting, including the development of operational activity budgets in collaboration with the Executive Director and Director of Programs;
  • Collaborate with programs to ensure regular communication and timely response to DR Congo program requests, schedules and reporting requirements;
  • Provide timely and accurate financial reports to the Executive Director as required;
  • Prepare information necessary to provide the Executive Director with financial insight to support effective decision-making and ensure an efficient financial process;
  • Ensure that all financial management practices for all projects comply with donor policy and JGI regulations;
  • Manage internal and external financial audits of the DR Congo program;
  • Track and analyze all costs incurred and oversee the preparation and timely submission of financial statements and monthly reports to the Executive Director;
  • Ensure expenditures are on budget and consistent with commitments made in grants and work plans;
  • Exercise due diligence to ensure that available donor funds are not diverted from their development purpose outlined in contracts and are not vulnerable to corruption, extortion or benefiting a malicious group;
  • Lead standard monthly accounting submissions, including general ledger files, account reconciliations, expenses by cost center/projects, required subrecipient reports, and other financial information in a timely and accurate manner ;
  • Ensure that the monthly reconciliation of the cash book with the bank statements is done and check the related verifiable documents;
  • Oversee the management of petty cash, ensuring that all purchases are properly documented. etc

Administration and Human Resources

  • Work with the Executive Director to ensure that the recruitment and retention process for all staff is efficient, transparent and well managed and that there is a focus on female staff;
  • Ensure operations staff have performance plans and annual reviews;
  • Serve as a focal point for investigations of policy violations and follow up on allegations of employee misconduct and advise on possible disciplinary action;
  • Within the organization and in collaboration with the Administrative Assistant, identify areas of staff knowledge that require strengthening and work with supervisors and staff to provide the appropriate training, with the aim of contributing to the development and staff retention;
  • Ensure that all necessary support for the functioning of the office, including external relations with governmental and customary authorities, is in place.
  • Follow up on all legal aspects with JGI RD Congo's legal advisor;
  • Keep abreast of donor policies, procedures, rules and regulations; compiling and updating applicable local policies; and train JGI RD Congo program staff on these policies;
  • Manage and manage administrative, financial and logistics staff: briefing, planning, monitoring, management, performance maintenance, technical capacity building;
  • Define and update the training plans of his team and monitor the impact of training;
  • Develop the administrative-HR part of donor and internal reports according to the requested frequency;
  • Plan, coordinate and ensure the payment of salaries, and manage the withholding and remittance of statutory deductions; etc.


Logistics and Information and Communication Technology

  • Verify that mission logistics policies are appropriate, documented, disseminated and that required monitoring processes are effective;
  • Assist logistics staff to work effectively with other units to improve resource planning and utilization;
  • Undertake periodic reviews of procurement, vehicle and fuel, property and inventory, supplier, supplier contracts and communication systems to identify areas for improvement and compliance with policy from JGI;
  • Review key/routine reports (fuel consumption, supply plans, vehicle maintenance) and provide feedback with recommendations;
  • Ensure that all conditions are required for the deployment of field teams in the intervention areas;
  • Ensure that the necessary IT support is provided by the technician to the programs and operations departments of the mission;
  • In collaboration with the HQ IT department, maintain and upgrade IT systems to support internet communication across the DR Congo program. etc

Any other necessary and relevant responsibilities will be assigned under the recommendation of the direct supervisor, depending on the needs of the organization.

This is a fixed-term contract with potential renewal based on candidate performance and availability of funds.

Experience and qualifications required

  • Have at least 10 years of progressive experience in managing finance, grant contracts, logistics, Human Resources and Administration related matters for humanitarian, community recovery and development activities of regional scope, with at least five years in a management position;
  • Have an advanced degree in business administration, finance, accounting, management, economics or in a relevant field. A Master's degree would be preferable;
  • Has prior experience with development projects and/or significant experience with multi-donor financial procedures, rules and regulations;
  • Have at least 3 years of experience in managing grant programs;
  • Proven experience in personnel management, administration, logistics, communications and finance in large scale operations;
  • Proven ability to build and effectively supervise a diverse team of employees, with at least five years of experience supervising a finance and administrative team;
  • Strong oral and written communication skills in French and English, demonstrating an ability to communicate with various audiences, including stakeholders, partners and donors;
  • Good command of handling accounting software (Sun system, NAVISION, SAGE, etc.) and computer tools, especially Excel;
  • Ability to work under pressure and sometimes work long hours, and to support a heavy workload;
  • Ability to organize work independently and prioritize tasks;
  • Autonomous, honest, highly responsible and punctual;
  • Ability to work both independently and within a team.
  • Flexibility, adaptability, cultural sensitivity.

Requirements

Working environment

The position will be based in Goma in the North Kivu province. The candidate will be able to travel regularly inside the country to visit field activities for contacts and political engagement.

JGI prohibits discrimination and harassment in all its forms and provides equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status. disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by U.S. or international law.

Application

Candidates with the desired profile are invited to submit their applications using the link below, please click on the button at the bottom of the webpage entitled “ Apply for this job ”.

Applications must include:

  • Full Curriculum Vitae (in English or French);
  • Cover letter describing how your experience and expertise meet the qualifications for this position (in English or French).

The deadline for submitting applications is March 25, 2022 at 11 p.m. from Goma/East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.