DRC: Salonga Program Administrator

Feb 23, 2017 | World Wildlife Fund
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The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has embarked on ambitious, field-based conservation programs across the Congo Basin. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), WWF is active in several landscape-scale sites, including the over 10 million ha Salonga landscape, encompassing Salonga National Park (SNP), the second largest forest park in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a critical refuge for bonobos and forest elephants. In addition to its importance for biodiversity conservation, this humid forest region plays a significant role in carbon storage and water provisioning.

The Salonga program takes an integrated conservation approach with a consortium of NGOs, government, community, and academic partners. Key conservation strategies include: protected area management; land use planning; law enforcement and species conservation; community-based natural resource management and livelihood improvement mostly through small-scale sustainable agriculture; and forest certification. Sustainable financing mechanisms, including REDD, are being explored.

Effective protected area management is a corner stone of WWF’s conservation efforts in the DRC, in close partnership with ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, the Protected Areas Authorities in DRC). New, creative perspectives and strategies are needed to effectively manage protected areas in this challenging social, economic, cultural, and logistical environment.

WWF and ICCN have entered into a co-management partnership as a new approach to protect and manage the park with financial support from KfW, the EU, USAID as well as own WWF funding. Salonga Program is launching an ambitious programme that will be led by a Management Unit.

In this context, the Administrator of the Salonga Program will oversee the implementation of administrative procedures, financial control and human resources of the program based in Monkoto. He /She shall be in charge of developing administrative and financial procedures and supervise administrative and logistics staff of the program in collaboration with the local Human Resource Office.

Responsibilities:

Main Functions:

Technical coordination: He/she will assist in the development of operational plans, budgets and contractual arrangements for activities under the direct responsibility of the Salonga Program Coordinator.

Human and financial resources management: with the direct support of the Human Resources Office, the Finance Department of WWF DRC and the local Administrative Assistant, the Administrator will provide the technical supervision of program staff as well as its financial management. He will be particularly responsible for justification of expenditures, the review of financial reports, budget planning, etc., according to established procedures of financial partners and WWF. He will therefore ensure that budgets are approved by the Program Manager and expenditures justified before sending them to the accounting unit.

  • He /She will assist the “Finance, Administration and HR Department” of the PNS so that it can produce, respecting established management procedures, the Park’s annual financial statements (Balance sheet, income statement, detailed explanatory annexes) in a condition to be audited annually by an internationally accredited auditing firm.
  • He /She will work closely with ICCN and WWF Kinshasa based accounting teams to integrate the OHADA accounting principles in the practices of Salonga accounting in full respect of WWF Oracle accounting system and SAGE software.
  • He /She will lead the development of Salonga procedures module defining specific practices based on the uniqueness of Salonga context. This will include the implementation of ICCN staff performance evaluation system.
  • He /She will ensure financial reports to donors are of high quality, are reconciled with the Salonga general ledger, are respectful of donor’s templates and regulations. He will also lead the cash flow in Monkoto.

Strengthening partnerships: The Administrator will support the Program Coordinator, Park Manager and the Development Rural Program Manager in the structuring of a strategic partnership with ICCN and other partners in order to establish a co-management structure leading to a significant improvement in the management of the PNS. This will mainly include: the development of partnership agreements with ICCN and other partners; supporting the development of a Foundation (statutes, structure of entities; establishment of committees etc.); supporting the preparation of descriptions for key positions and capacity-building for the PNS management unit; support the implementation of the operational plan of the PNS; participate in the resolution of conflicts, etc.

Responsibilities and main tasks:

  • Contribute to the preparation of budgets in accordance with the standards of the WWF and the donor under the supervision of the Program Coordinator.
  • Ensure that adequate finance and administration systems and procedures are operational throughout the WWF sites attached to the program;
  • Contribute, in consultation with ICCN’s financial and administrative unit (DAF ICCN) and in close cooperation with partners on the site, in the drafting of the manual of managing budgetary, accounting and financial procedures specific to the PNS, which will be based on the General provisions laid down by the DAF-ICCN;
  • Ensure that the “Finance, Administration and HR Department” of the PNS provides rigorous budget and management and rigorous that enables the production, within legal deadlines and according to OHADA standards, of auditable and certifiable annual financial statements;
  • Produce and complete on time monthly financial reports, bank reconciliations and financial information requested by the national office;
  • Ensure the development and implementation of financial procedures aligned with the standard of WWF and current Congolese legislation as well as the requirements of donors;
  • Prepare requests for funds based on solid expenditure plans consistent with the technical program;
  • Ensure a proper posting of expenditures based on authorized budgets as well as proper documentation;
  • Prepare and facilitate external and internal financial audits and participate if needed in other monitoring and evaluation processes;
  • Prepare contracts and ensure that they are in accordance with current legislation;
  • Ensure that the payment of salaries is made in a timely manner;
  • Execution of other tasks entrusted by the hierarchy for the needs of the Service.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

  • University degree in economics, business administration or field related to accounting or a degree of equivalent professional training.
  • At least 7 years’ experience in financial and project management in an international or multinational organization would be an advantage.

Required knowledge and Skills

  • Capacity of rigorous financial management and accounting with a strong organizational capability, communication and computer skills;
  • Ability to analyze, prioritize and complete tasks with minimal supervision within strict deadlines;
  • An understanding of institutions funded by donors, particularly conservation organizations will be a definite advantage.
  • This position requires an imaginative (creative) flexible, friendly and cooperative personality;
  • Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills in French and English;
  • Good administrative, financial, human resources and project management capabilities.
  • Ability to work in difficult, problematic and complex conditions.
  • Commitment to the mission of WWF and adherence to WWF’s values which are:
  • Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging.

Working Relations

  • Internal –Close working relations with the Salonga Programme Manager, the Salonga Park Manager, others DRC WWF staffs such as the Finance and Administrator Director, CAFEC Programme Financial Administrator, and the Human Resources Manager in order to coordinate efforts and mobilize support.
  • External –Working relations with key partners: Ministry of Environment and local authorities in charge of the management of protected areas (ICCN), partner NGOs and local communities.

How to apply?

Email a cover letter and detailed CV with 3 references to recruit-wwfdrc@wwfdrc.org The subject should read SNP-PA. Deadline for applications: 28 February 2017.
 

WWF is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce.
 

***PLEASE DO NOT APPLY THROUGH OUR SYSTEM AS RESUMES ARE NOT BEING REVIEWED. PLEASE APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESS: recruit-wwfdrc@wwfdrc.org