WWF GUIANAS PROGRAM OFFICE
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title: Accountant/Grants Manager, Guyana
Location: Guyana
I. Major Responsibility
Under the direction of the Finance and Administration Manager (F&A Mgr.) and the Country Manager Guyana , the Accountant/ Grant Manager coordinate and implement all financial and accounting systems in accordance with WWF-US policies and procedures. Assists in processing and managing grants, consultancies and other agreements in Guyana, ensuring that Grantees and Contractors from Guyana comply with the terms of their respective agreement. This function is achieved by using initiatives, judgment and high levels of accounting and organizational skills. The employee must work in close coordination with the administrative staff of the regional office in Suriname.
II. Major Duties and Responsibilities
1. Compliance: Maintains a thorough understanding of WWF administrative and financial systems to ensure all WWF-issued agreements and payments are processed timely and in accordance with WWF policy and procedures.
2. Pre-Award: Using knowledge of WWF-US policies and procedures and capacity of funding recipients, works closely with Program Officers to select appropriate administrative mechanisms for program activities (agreement type, payment schedules, etc.).
3. Financial system: Coordinates with the Finance and Administrative Manager (F&A Mgr.) the development, operation and maintenance of adequate financial systems, controls and procedures for the WWF Guianas Program in accordance with WWF-US institutional guidelines;
Prepares the annual operations budget jointly with the F&A Manager and coordinates the monitoring of its execution and modifications in coordination with the program officer and the technical Officers.
4. Accounting and Financial Reporting: Enters financial transactions for the Guyana Office into the automated accounting system (ACCPAC). Maintains records of all the office transactions in the accounting system, produces monthly financial reports and submits to the F&A Manager for review and approval and consolidation of the information.
5. Agreements: Reviews and processes agreement requests, including preparing authorization documents, securing signatures, distributing documents, and preparing appropriate paperwork for prompt payment. Prepares grant award documents and other agreements for the review of the Program Officer(s) and managers, working with the relevant staff to draft special provisions as needed. Reviews proposals for grant funding submitted to WWF, works with grantees to modify proposals if necessary, and make recommendations to the WWF Guianas Grants Review Committee. Works closely with project implementers through regular meetings, field visits, and through other means of communication to ensure the smooth implementation of project activities. Assists in the identification and assessment of issues and/or events that may impact project implementation and proposes appropriate actions to address them. Provides technical assistance to grantees in WWF grant procedures.
6. Financial Reports: Reviews and analyses all financial reports to ensure compliance by funding recipients with agreement terms. Notifies Program Officers of any problems/discrepancies and provides technical assistance to grantees/consultants in resolving problematic issues.
7. Files: Creates and maintains files pertaining to grants, consultancies, vendor agreement, and other agreements. This includes reviewing budget and payment schedule, and monitoring compliance with reporting requirements and deadlines. Regularly monitors on-going compliance with WWF reporting requirements and individual project deadlines. Ensures all project reports are acknowledged and routed to appropriate individuals for review. Notifies recipients of delinquent reports; informs Finance & Administration Manager and relevant Program Officer(s). Notifies Program Officers of any problems/discrepancies and provides technical assistance to grantees in resolving problematic issues.
Organize and file in an orderly fashion all the receipts, invoices, bank account reconciliations, account statements, check copies, payrolls, accounting reports, information on contracts and consultants and all other information necessary for the purposes of internal control and audits and ensure the physical or digital back-up of these documents.
8. Banking: Deposits bank drafts, maintains check book registers, verifies statements, and reconciles each bank account monthly. Monitors bank account balances for adequate funds, ensuring that transfers between accounts occur as needed. Prepares monthly checking account reconciliation and submits to the Finance & Administration Manager for review and approval.
9. Audits: Coordinate periodic internal and external audits with the regional office.
10. Human Resources: Provide support to human resource functions such as the preparation of the payroll. Make sure that the timesheets are filled out by the personnel in Guyana in accordance with the policies and procedures of the organization.
11. Travel Advances: Issues approved travel advances to staff. Reviews advance reconciliations and claims for completeness and accuracy.
12. Petty Cash: Reviews petty cash reconciliation reports and makes recommendations for replenishment, accordingly.
13. Collaboration: Develops and maintains professional relationships with representatives of grantee organizations, relevant government agencies, other conservation organizations, and other key stakeholders in conservation. Shares information with others as relevant.
14. Reporting: Keeps supervisor and colleagues informed of developments and issues. Submits trip reports to supervisor and colleagues within one week of return from the field.
15. External relationship: Liaises, if appropriate with auditors, bank staff, insurance agents etc.
16. Program Issues: As part of the team, keeps abreast of program issues.
17. Other duties: Carries out other related activities as required and plays an active role in the successful implementation of the WWF Guianas program.
III. Supervisory Responsibility
N/A
IV. Working Relationships
Good working relationships, both internal and external, are fundamental to this position.
1. Internal: Interacts frequently with colleagues of WWF Guianas and with staff of WWF-US, primarily Agreement Services, Accounting, and LAC. Maintains close working relationships with colleagues through regular exchange of information.
2. External: Develops and maintains professional relationships with representatives of grantee organizations. Interacts occasionally with bank staff, service contractors, consultants, and others.
V. Qualifications
Ideal candidates will possess the following qualifications:
1. Knowledge: A Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field.
2. Experience: At least three years of experience in accounting and financial expertise, with word processing and spreadsheet familiarity required. Experience in grants administration and the design, implementation, and monitoring of projects.
3. Skills and Abilities: Excellent oral and written English communication skills. Knowledge of French will be an asset. The position requires attention to detail, the ability to keep accurate financial records, and the ability to prioritize effectively, and work accurately under time constraints, using initiative and judgment, and a high level of administrative and organizational skill. Must possess a demonstrated ability to work effectively with a broad range of stakeholders and as a member of a multidisciplinary team. Candidates should enjoy facilitating the work of others. Strong interpersonal skills including diplomacy and flexibility. Must have working knowledge of basic Microsoft programs such as Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint. Personal interest in national conservation issues is desired.
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