Project Finance & Administrative Officer (FAO), (Temporary Role) At African Wildlife Foundation

Title: Project Finance & Administrative Officer (FAO), (Temporary Role)

Division: Conservation Strategy, Impact and Learning

Reports to: Program Manager (Mid Zambezi Valley)

Matrix Management: Senior Finance and Administration Officer, Harare

Supervises: None

Location: Marongora, Zimbabwe

Position Summary

The Project Finance & Administrative Officer (FAO), Mid Zambezi Valley Landscape will manage office and vehicle workshop stocks, preparing regular reports (e.g. expenses and office budgets) and reports on the project. S/he will handle the daily processing of invoices and staff portal expenses in compliance with AWF’s internal and donor policies and procedures. The position will also support treasury-related administrative and routine tasks requiring urgent action, constant consultations, and frequent follow-ups with field and program staff. Good experience and knowledge of logistics and stock/asset management is a pre-requisite.

The FAO will provide finance and administrative support to projects in the Mid Zambezi Valley, ensuring compliance with AWF’s internal controls as well as donor policies and procedures. This position will be based at Marongora Field Station in Makuti, Zimbabwe, and reporting to the Program Manager, Mid Zambezi Valley landscape.

Responsibilities

• Support the Save Valley project team with processing of transactions and systems training.
• Liaise with local banks, vendors, and service providers on procurements.
• Process payroll and facilitate timely remittance of liabilities to respective authorities.
• Facilitate accounting system posting of reviewed invoices for payments.
• Post vehicle mileage as part of month close process.
• Facilitate system procurement process and related inventory updates.
• Input and submit any direct invoices with adequate documentations and follow up with field staff on any delayed approvals.
• Perform periodic supplier statement reconciliations and attend to ad-hoc vendor queries.
• Make payments on straight to bank.
• Ensure complete posting of all expenses for the monthly close of books.
• Process staff travel advance requests/reimbursement, disburse cash, review advance retirements, generate credit memos, and identify any issues.
• Reconcile employee vendor cards and travel advance holding account on a regular basis.
• Ensure field travel balance deposits are banked on monthly basis.
• Scan all financial documents and trip expense backups.
• File and archive all financial documents per established systems.
• Maintain an electronic logical coding, indexing and references of scans.
• Write and dispatch manual checks as instructed by the supervisor.
• Review trip retirements and identify any issues.
• Petty cash float, initiate top-ups, organize petty cash hours and process payments.
• Input petty cash expenses in the system as part of the monthly close.
• Maintain optimum petty cash balances and advise the supervisor of cash replenishment requirements.
• Perform internal and external customer circularization on a monthly basis.
• Ensure organization policies are strictly adhered to and identify any issues to the supervisor.
• Other relevant duties as assigned by the AWF Senior Finance Staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Business, Accounting and/or an advanced qualification in related areas.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• At least three years’ experience in a busy finance office.
• Strong level of competence in Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment.
• Knowledge of any accounting system is an added advantage.
• Ability to pay attention to detail and follow instructions.
• Self-organized and having own initiatives.
• Easy to train and willing learn.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters at the highest level of professional.
• Strong problem-solving skills and organizational skills.
• Willingness and desire to be based in the field.
• Ability to balance field project operations, administration and finance is desired.
• Commitment to AWF’s vision and mission.