DRC: Deputy Country Director in charge of Finance and Operations

May 30, 2022 | Wildlife Conservation Society
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The Wildlife Conservation Society is seeking a highly experienced Deputy Country Director in charge of Finance and Operations for our program in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The main purpose of this role will be to successfully manage and steer a period of significant growth in our program operations and budget in the DRC, and to ensure direct financial and operational support to three protected areas where WCS works: Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, and Kabobo Wildlife Reserve.  The Deputy Country Director in charge of Finance and Operations is responsible for overall financial and operational management of the DRC program ensuring sound financial systems are in place and operations are efficiently carried out.

WCS is seeking a dynamic and results-focused individual to anticipate and address problems and challenges as they arise. The position will directly manage a new operational and financial support office in Goma, and there will be frequent travel to the protected areas in eastern DRC to support the field-based finance and operations teams and in Kinshasa office as appropriate/required. This position reports to the Country Director in Kinshasa and is the privileged country program Finance and Operations focal point liaising with the Regional Office in Kigali, the Central Africa regional controller and the Global Comptroller based in New York.

Primary Responsibilities

  • People Management: Direct supervision of the DRC Director of Finance , DRC Director of Operations and DRC Grants Manager; Manage expatriate administration to include job requisition approvals, supporting onboarding process, review and use of housing allowances, home leave benefits and other allowances in coordination with the Africa Human Resources Director; Provide leadership, management, and program coordination across the three protected areas.
  • Operational Management: Management of the Goma office; Oversight of purchasing and procurement process to ensure timely procurement and adherence to WCS and donor regulations, finding solutions when challenges arise; Ensure coordination across the three protected areas to capitalize on cost advantages and efficiencies.
  • Financial and Grant Management: Ensure Country Director and Regional team have the financial information they require to manage and fundraise for DRC; With inputs from the DRC Director of Finance, provide monthly key performance indicators for each protected area and summary of active grants; Work with Regional Controller to resolve any issues with finances; Oversight of the financial report preparation process; Provide training as needed to staff to support understanding of WCS grant management processes, systems, tools and donor compliance requirements. 
  • Budget Leadership and Financial Planning: Manage and maintain the DRC annual budget; Responsible for managing flexible donor funding allocated to the DRC program; Annual presentation of short- and long-term financial plans for each protected area; Work closely with the Regional Business Manager to develop and/or implement both short- and long-term financial and operations plans for each protected area; Update the financial plans on a regular basis for changes in assumptions and funding secured.
  • Proposal Preparation: Prepare all DRC budget proposals working closely with the Technical Lead and Regional Business Manager for each proposal to ensure all costs are covered; Responsible for aligning proposal budgets with long-term financial plan for DRC; Ensure budgets are developed in compliance with WCS policies and undergo appropriate review by the Regional Business Manager.
  • Audits and Internal controls: Oversight of external and internal audits to ensure timely submission of requested documentation and completion of audits; Responsible for ensuring all audit findings have a remediation plan developed and implemented to improve internal controls and procedures.  
  • Perform other duties as per determined by the country Director.

Qualification Requirements

The successful candidate must have strong interpersonal skills and display evidence of good leadership, business partnering and influencing skills. S/He must have excellent written and oral communication skills and be comfortable participating both as an effective contributor, leader and listener in group settings. S/He must be well organized, resourceful, effective and efficient at coordinating multiple resources to get things done; can work on multiple tasks at multiple levels and switch between them; can foresee and plan around obstacles.

  • Bachelor degree required. Related program of study such as finance, accounting, economics or business highly preferred.
  • Proven financial and operational management experience in an international organization (8+ years) with progressive leadership experience.
  • Proven experience in field operations, troubleshooting, and systems planning in challenging environments.
  • Proven leadership qualities including staff management and management of annual budget >$10million.
  • Experience with grants management and grant reporting in a multi-funder environment.
  • Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse team. Must be solution-oriented, and have strong problem solving and analytical skills.
  • English and French fluency are required.
  • Excellent computer and systems skills required with respect to MS Office applications (advanced skills in MS Excel required) and major financial accounting and reporting software (SAP or equivalent)
  • Experience and knowledge of working in a non-profit context in Africa and particularly DRC, an advantage.
  • Ability and willingness to travel regularly to remote sites.
  • Commitment to the mission and values of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

How to apply

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, skills and experience, should apply through the application tab below by June 20, 2022.