Grants and Operations Manager at Fauna & Flora International

Financial Management

• Ensure the following in collaboration with the Country Manager, Finance Business Partner, East and Southern Africa, and Programme technical staff:
• Accurate and diligent financial management
• Compliance with internal financial policies and procedures
• Compliance with contracts and grant agreements, including co-financing and procurement requirements
• Application of best practice approaches in the management of both statutory and non-statutory funding
• Relationships with relevant in-country partner NGOs and funding agencies are maintained and managed, to the extent required by the Country Manager
• Timely submission of invoices and internal transfer requests to maintain appropriate cash flow
• Maintenance of financial records to meet in-country and wider institutional, statutory and donor auditing requirements
• Ensure FFI internal reporting requirements and all grant reporting requirements are met in an accurate and timely manner, working with, the Country Manager and programme technical staff
• Maximise use of internal FFI systems to coordinate financial reporting processes and work proactively to ensure reporting and milestone deadlines are diligently met.
• Coordinate the annual budgeting and periodic reforecasting processes for the Kenya programme working with the Country Manager, Senior Programme Manager, Eastern Africa, Finance Business Partner, East and Southern Africa and wider programme team.
• Coordinate local and international fund audits when required in liaison with UK Finance colleagues.
• Manage any external, statutory audits required locally.
• Fulfil any requests arising from FFI UK and FFI US statutory audits promptly and diligently.
• Partner Capacity Building
• Offer capacity building and advice on operational and financial management to partner organisations within the Kenya and Tanzania programmes by:
• Assessing and reviewing comprehensively, partner financial management and operational systems based on FFI and International best practices to identify gaps and areas of improvement.
• Providing effective recommendations on actions to address any gaps identified in partner organisations’ systems and operations.
• Formulating a plan with the partners to fulfil any actions recommended in addressing their financial management and systems gaps.

Operational Management

• Oversee day to day financial, administrative and logistical management of the FFI Kenya programme, ensuring compliance with FFI and donor operating standards, policies and procedures, contracts and grant agreements.
• Provide direction to programme technical staff, in logistical and operational planning matters to enable projects meet aims, objectives and timelines.
• Ensure the effective administration of funds by:
• Ensuring funding and donor proposals and resulting contracts and grant agreements are appropriate and comply with FFI operating standards and implementation conditions within Kenya.
• Facilitating the development and implementation of in-country systems, policies and procedures, that accord, to the extent possible, with institutional systems, policies and procedures (including implementation of knowledge, data and IP management processes).
• Ensuring compliance with all of FFI’s systems, policies and procedures in the Kenya programme.
• Ensuring compliance with FFI’s organisational Delegation of Authorities.
• Overseeing asset management including the recording, maintenance and tracking depreciation of FFI assets.
• Ensuring compliance with national and institutional Health and Safety policies and procedures to manage and minimise financial and operational risk within the Kenya programme.
• Facilitate dissemination and application of best practices and donor regulations in operational and financial management within the Kenya programme, for statutory and non-statutory funding.
• Ensure effective risk management of security issues, under the direction of the Country Manager, within the East Africa region and communicate issues of concern, advising on potential impact on the staff, operations and finances.
• Develop strategies to manage impacts on grant compliance caused by external factors, in collaboration with the Country Manager, Senior Programme Manager, East Africa and the wider Africa Programme Team.
• Provide input on strategic management of funder relationships, encouraging open and regular communication and hosting donor visits as required by the Country Manager and East Africa technical teams.

Legal Compliance
Coordinate the legal compliance of FFI’s operations in Kenya including:

• Ensuring the administration of FFI Kenya’s bank accounts are well managed and in accordance with FFI’s Delegation of Authorities, policies and procedures, while managing and maintain a professional relationship with banks and being responsible for resolving bank related issues
• Ensuring the administration and maintenance of insurances, registrations, permits, letters of authority, etc., necessary for the continued presence of the FFI Kenya office and the implementation of FFI operations in Kenya
• Ensuring submission of statutory in-country returns, accounts etc., in a timely manner
• Remain up-to-date with statutory and regulatory frameworks relevant to operations in Kenya.
• Maintain effective working relationships with relevant 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.

Human Resources (HR)

• Ensure FFI complies with Kenyan employment and human resource management legislation through:
• Preparation and implementation of national contracts that comply with local labour laws, FFI’s Delegation of Authorities and to the extent possible with institutional HR practice.
• Ensuring tax, social security and other mandatory systems are in place and in compliance with local labour and tax laws.
• Ensuring necessary visas, work permits, etc., are secured.
• Coordinate the recruitment and selection of employees and interns/volunteers, in line with internal policies and procedures, employment law and best practice, liaising with the Country Manager, Kenya and in accordance with FFI’s Delegation of Authorities.
• Carry out appropriate employment checks prior to appointments.
• Develop and implement induction and exit procedures in line with internal policies and procedures and best practice.
• Facilitate the contracting of consultants in accordance with FFI templates, legislation and FFI’s Delegation of Authorities.
• Advise Line Managers on HR issues and processes, incorporating FFI policy, employment law and best practice considerations, acting to minimise risk and liability to FFI.
• Keep up to date with developments in employment law and best practice, bringing issues that may impact FFI to the attention of the Country Manager, Kenya and Head of HR, UK.
• Develop and maintain employee records, filing and storing data securely in accordance with institutional policies and procedures and data protection legislation.
• Coordinate periodic reviews and revisions of FFI staff salaries, terms of reference and contract preparation, in collaboration with the Country Manager and Senior Programme Manager, Eastern Africa.
• IT and Office management
• Oversee IT and network operating systems including organisation of repairs and upgrades where appropriate to ensure functionality is fit for purpose.
• Manage the budget and necessary equipment procurement for office running costs under the guidance of the Country Manager.
• Health & Safety
• Ensure compliance to FFI’s global Health & Safety policies and procedures and Risk Assessment and Management Procedure and bring issues of concern to the attention of the Country Manager.
• Spearhead the development and implementation of nationally-relevant Health & Safety policies and procedures and monitor compliance.
• Monitor Health & Safety and security issues within Kenya and communicate issues of concern swiftly to the Country Manager, advising of potential impact on staff, operations, projects and finances
• Staff Management
• Provide strong and motivational management within the Kenya Operations and Finance staff to support efficient and effective delivery of FFI’s conservation programme in Kenya through objective setting, continuous performance management, annual appraisal, training and personal development planning.
• Communications and General
• Work as an active member of the Eastern Africa and wider Africa team and attend regional Africa team and project team meetings as requested.
• Provide input, where appropriate and when requested, on other operational and financial management work undertaken by the Africa programme.
• Ensure clear and effective communication around operational management with technical and non-technical staff within the FFI Kenya and wider regional programme as appropriate.
• Proactively ensure regular, high quality and effective communication and coordination with the Country Manager and networks of colleagues in the UK and the Eastern Africa region.
• Perform any other tasks that may be requested from time to time that are appropriate to skills and experience with agreement with the Country Manager.
• Travel to project sites as required to ensure effective and efficient operational and financial management.
• Programme Representation
• Represent FFI and the Kenya programme, at the request of the Country Manager and as needed, with third parties, government entities, donor agencies and partner NGOs, adhering to organisational values and commitments
• The role will also be expected to carry out any other reasonable duties which are consistent with the post and the aims and objectives of the position, as directed by the FFI Management and/or the UK Finance team. Duties may be altered, reasonably added or delegated from time to time to reflect changes within the organisation’s activities.
• Person Specification

Skills

• Essential
• Masters’ degree in a business-related field
• Proven ability to assess capacity, mentor and develop skills of project staff
• Proven operational management skills in remote, developing countries.
• Financial qualification

Desirable

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent work experience in a relevant field
• CPA (K) certification
• Fluency in English (spoken and written)
• Excellent operational management skills, that are mindful of practicability, and proven experience in process management; logistics planning; risk management; health, safety and security management; and legal compliance.
• Excellent financial management skills including process management, accounting, budgeting, reforecasting and procurement
• Excellent Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and data management skills, with proven ability use standard software packages and provide basic ICT support.
• Excellent people management skills, with ability to motivate and performance manage individuals to achieve excellence
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal communication, networking and interpersonal skills, with ability and confidence to interact, negotiate and persuade at all levels
• Strong prioritisation and time management skills
• Good written communication skills, including report and proposal writing

Knowledge and experience

• Professional experience working in operations and logistics management including fleet management
• Proven track record in health, safety and security management
• Managing / supporting management of large (1,000,000 USD plus) multiyear grants from statutory sources
• Ability to lead and manage both decisions and people, in line with other decision makers, in high stress environments
• Proven track record in financial management, including across a number of contracts/grants
• Proven track record of providing effective line management for a team
• Working in Eastern Africa, preferably in Kenya
• Managing an in-country HR function

Behavioural qualities

• Commitment to Fauna & Flora’s values
• Commitment to organisational and legal compliance, and responsible management of donor funds
• Team player, with ability to seek out views of others and build positive working relationships
• Able to work effectively in a supervisory role, supporting managers and decision makers
• Confident in managing work in remote settings
• Ability to work under pressure and to deal with challenges in a positive and constructive way
• Commitment to working in a collaborative manner, sharing information and learning
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural environment

Other

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly and at short notice
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally when required
• Full driving license and willingness to drive in remote areas in Kenya