Risk and Compliance Officer

Want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our one shared home, the Earth? Working with WWF could be the opportunity of a lifetime:

All around the world, people are waking up to the deepening crisis of nature loss. A growing realization that nature is our life-support system. And that nobody will be spared from the impacts of its loss. Here at WWF, we are helping to tackle this enormous global challenge.

Our people come from hugely diverse backgrounds and with a variety of expertise, ranging from HR and finance to advocacy and conservation science. We welcome applications from anyone who believes they can help us create a better future for people and wildlife.

What we do:

We are an independent conservation organization, striving to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. From individuals and communities to business and government, we are part of a growing coalition calling on world leaders to set nature on the path to recovery by 2030. Together, we seek to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable. WWF Network has moved to the development and the implementation of 9 Practices with Global Goals to be achieved.

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global Network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

For our Country Office in Cameroon (CCO), we are looking for a dynamic and committed Risk and Compliance Officer.

Reports to: Country Director

Location:Yaounde

Duration: Two (02) years

The mission of the department

To ensure a high performing WWF Cameroon Office with efficient and effective Financial and Accounting operations and systems, as well as a sound management of financial resources, to delivering conservation activities. The department ensures that an efficient and effective internal control management and solid financial basis are established.

Major Functions

Under the Country Director’s supervision

• Work in collaboration with the Finance & Administration department and relevant stakeholders to assess the implementation and monitoring of internal control framework;
• Support the Finance & Administration Manager in ensuring an improved overall finance management finance management of WWF Cameroon hosted Projects, reaching and maintaining a high level of performance with regard to targets set out for Cameroon country KPIs and Dashboard indicators;
• Ensure internal Control System review for field offices conducted according to agreed work plan and report any potential risk to the Country Director;
• Ensure all CCO implementing partners are complying with WWF standards, all financial management policies are followed in all the projects.
• Ensure effective implementation of all financial policies, procedures and legal requirements in the Programme Office, so that policies and procedures are adapted, where necessary, to comply with the Country laws;
• Assist the Finance Team to streamline financial processes and procedures in CCO, and promotes new financial initiatives and requirements;
• Assesse needs for training and capacity building for finance and key non-finance staff and defines corresponding actions and planning for implementation. Assists in holding physical training and capacity building sessions and in assessing the effective added value.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Ensure environment of effective controls and compliance in CCO, through:

• Ensuring WWF CCO Risk and Management Register is updated with a quarterly follow-up of actions to be taken to mitigate the identified risks;
• Ensuring risks mitigation plans are in place;
• Monitoring that the projects implement and comply with WWF International’s policies and procedures/donor’s requirements and the risk and control framework;
• Conducting regular reviews at country field projects to identify control gaps and areas of non-compliance with country policies and procedures;
• Supporting projects in implementing effective processes to ensure full compliance with WWF International’s policies and procedures;
• Prepare and coordinate internal/external audits. Conduct and Lead self-internal audits per the Field Operations Manual (FOM)
• Support in coordinating management responses to findings raised by auditors;

Develop and roll-out training, tools, and support for the Country Office:

• Propose to the top management best practices to improve financial performance in key areas including cost recovery, budgeting and forecasting, balance sheet analysis, cash flow management, etc.;
• Support initiatives to implement finance “best practices” in the Country Office.
• Perform other related duties at the request of the Country Director.

Profile:

Required Qualifications

• Accounting certification, e.g. ACCA, CPA, or Master’s degree in international business or finance, MBA;
• At least 5 years of financial and accounting experience is essential;
• At least 2 years of management experience, with a proven track record in working with multi-cultural and decentralized teams;
• Strong knowledge of financial issues, including financial reporting, controls and budgeting;
• Experience with implementing new processes and systems;
• Prior NGO experience and international exposure will be an asset;
• Knowledge of the WWF Network would be an advantage.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Good knowledge of financial management and related control policies;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Experience in risk management;
• Relevant degree of accountability and commitment to excellence;
• Strong project management and operational skills, as well as a well-organized approach to work;
• Ability to train others and explain complex concepts in a simple manner;
• Interpersonal skills, able to interact with and influence senior management staff in Projects and relevant staff in different functional areas in a positive manner;
• Experience with and a good understanding of operating in different cultural environments;
• Ability to drive change and high performance;
• Decisive, proactive, collaborative and an excellent communicator;
• Excellent written and spoken English and French;
• Proficiency in the use of computer office applications – word processing, spread sheet and presentation, and Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) software;
• Available to travel to field projects;
• Passion and commitment for conservation and sustainable development.

WWF’s Values & Behaviors:

• Able to demonstrate WWF behaviors in ways of working: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly.
• Aligns and identifies with the core values of the WWF organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration.

Working Relationships:

Internal

1. Works with Projects Managers, Programme Administrative and Finance Officers (PAFOs) and Programme Portfolio Finance Supervisors to achieve finance unit objectives;
2. Interacts frequently with the Regional and International Finance Units.

External – External auditors and consultants.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.