Regional Financial Controller

African Parks Network; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

African Parks Network is seeking a Regional Finance Manager to lead and oversight park finance functions across multiple regions. You will coordinate with head office, ensure compliance, and drive audit readiness for donor-funded projects.

You will provide training to park finance teams, review budgets and monthly reports, and act as liaison during donor audits while travelling to field sites as required.

Qualifications

• B Comm degree in accounting or equivalent.
• Qualified CA, or CMIA, ACCA an advantage.
• Experience in leading teams.
• Experience in multi-donor funded projects is an added advantage.
• Good knowledge of Excel and IT systems.
• Ability to travel for extended periods.
• Knowledge of IFRS/OHADA matters, taxation matters, undrawn funds and disbursements.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional finance oversight and reviews for park networks.
• Coordinate between park finance teams and head office.
• Support audits and donor reporting packages; ensure audit readiness.
• Provide training and onboarding to new finance managers in the region.
• Ensure monthly management reports are prepared for regional reviews.
• Act as stand-in finance manager for parks when needed.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Excel

IT systems

IFRS/OHADA

Donor funding

Education

B Comm in accounting

CA/CMIA/ACCA advantage

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Overview:

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. We currently manage 24 national parks and protected areas in 13 countries covering over 20 million hectares in Angola, Benin, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The regional role is key in ensuring excellence within our park finance teams. He/she will be the main link between park finance and head office. The individual will play a role of oversight/review, coordination, support, technical leadership and compliance monitoring.

This position will be leading various finance projects in these regions.

The regional manager’s tasks include but are not limited to the following:

• Compliance reviews within the parks to ensure adherence to SOPs
• Assisting in implementing systems or enhancing internal controls where deficiencies are noted
• Will be the first point of contact between head office and park finance (. i.e., acts as a link into head office)
• Will assist with audits, review of annual reporting packs and ensuring audit readiness (annual statutory audits as well as donor audits)
• Will provide training/onboarding to new finance managers and ongoing training to the park finance team as and when needed
• To provide support to the regional operations manager in terms of finance issues
• Ensure management reports are available so that monthly financial reviews are done by PMUs
• Will act as stand-in finance manager for parks if necessary

Technical leadership and training

• To provide leadership on more strategic matters such as: systems and software, audit and technical IFRS/OHADA matters, taxation matters, the intricacies of undrawn funds and disbursements.
• To conduct training to the Finance teams and Park Managers, as and when the need arises
• Represent the park during board meetings

Support and knowledge share

• Will be responsible for the onboarding of new finance managers in his/her region.
• Review the donor status of the parks, ensuring that the funding gap is correct, ensuring that new grants are communicated.

Audits

• Support the process by ensuring the audit timelines are adhered to.
• Lead all donor audits Oversight/review

Oversight/review:

• Review of park annual budget before it gets submitted to CFO
• Review of the park monthly report, ensuring accurate and timely processing of transactions as well as correct donor allocations
• Review of investment approvals completed by park

Compliance

• Undertake frequent compliance checks, providing formalized feedback to the full park

Required Qualifications, Competencies and Experience:

• B Comm degree in accounting or equivalent
• Qualified CA, or CMIA, ACCA an advantage
• Experience in leading teams
• Experience in a multi-donor funded project is an added advantage
• Experience in a multi-donor funded project is an added advantage
• Good knowledge of Excel and IT systems
• Ability to travel for extended periods
• Knowledge of requisite systems and software, audit and technical IFRS/OHADA matters, taxation matters, the intricacies of undrawn funds and disbursements.

Please note that Applicants from Malawi or Rwanda are encouraged to apply.