Finance Assistant.

Background
Organization background

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.
IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental international organisation, with more than 1,400 government and NGO Members and some 18,000 volunteer experts in around 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by around 1,100 staff members in more than 50 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world.

Unit background
IUCN Multilateral Finance Unit (MFU) is a global unit within Corporate Services that leads on IUCN strategic engagement with the Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, and other multilateral funds, and includes the Environmental and Social Management System. MFU main functions are to engage strategically with the Funds, to advise and guide IUCN regional and thematic experts on the pipeline development, to oversee the portfolio, and to monitor and report to the Funds. A core aspect of the work is to ensure compliance with the GEF and GCF technical and policy requirements. IUCN is a Partner Agency to the GEF since 2014 and an Accredited Entity to the GCF since 2016, and both portfolios have grown significantly in the last ten years. It is the largest portfolio where IUCN Secretariat plays the role of an implementing agency overseeing the execution by governments, IUCN members, NGOs/CSOs and other agencies. The MFU portfolio including GEF and GCF now represent over one third of the IUCN project portfolio.
Under the overall strategic and operational guidance from the Portfolio Manager and working closely with the MFU finance colleagues and other units, the Finance/admin Assistant – Multilateral Finance will ensure overall support for financial management, administrative tasks and financial/admin compliance to the GEF/GCF policies and procedures.


Job description
Major responsibilities
• Ensure project financial reports are prepared accurately and submitted in timely manner
• Coach project staff on financial management processes, including their understanding on project budgeting, cost recovery and financial reporting
• Support Regional Multilaterals Portfolio Manager in the management of GEF (Global Environment Facility) and GCF (Green Climate Fund) portfolio of projects

Specific duties and responsibilities
Financial Management and administration
• Assist Portfolio Manager/ Senior Finance officer in reviewing financial reports submitted by implementing partners
• Maintain consolidated calendar of financial reports to be submitted by implementing partners.
• Ensure timely record of implementing partners expenditures in the IUCN financial system.
• Support periodic review of GEF/GCF projects and portfolio financial
• Support Senior Finance officer] in the reconciliation of PACOGEF/GCF projects in IUCN
• Financial system and facilitate preparation of project financial closure.
• Provide Portfolio Manager with financial information/analysis to support overall management of PACO GEF/GCF portfolio projects as required.

Project preparation activities and budgeting
• Assist Portfolio Manager and Senior Finance officer in the preparation of GEF/GCF project budget
• Ensure budget is aligned with IUCN and the GEF/GCF guidelines and policies
• Facilitate planning and procurement of project preparation activities
• Ensure accurate record of expenditures under GEF Project Preparation Grant (PPG) and GCF Project Preparation Facility (PPF)
• Provide guidance on the use of budgeting tools, such as the budget review tool and the finance checklist for donor contracts and review completed checklists

Audits
• Maintain consolidated calendar of audit reports require to be submitted by implementing partners and to be submitted to the donors.
• Ensure timely submission of project financial audit report by implementing partners
• Support and coordinate with project staff to facilitate the preparation and submission of GCF project audit reports as required.
• Assist Regional Head of Finance / Portfolio Manager/ Senior Finance officer Multilateral
• Finance in reviewing audit reports submitted by implementing partners and highlights issues of concerns.
Year-end closing
• Assist Regional Head of Finance / Senior Finance officer Multilateral Finance on the outputs pertaining to year-end closing, especially those relating to implementing partner accruals for GEF/GCF projects.

Other administrative tasks as requested
• Assist and monitor GEF/GCF projects procurement process
• Review and submit consultants Invoice for payment.
• Monitor consultancy contracts (amendments, closure, etc.)
• Prepare Internal Agreement (IA’s) with regions and global programs.
• Support with drafting of sub-grants and consultancy contracts along with internal sign-off sheets.
• Support with procurement processes on request basis.
• Support the organization of meetings, workshops, webinars, trainings and other capacity building activities.
• Support organization of monitoring missions and other travel required by the team, including facilitating logistical arrangements, processing travel requests and expenditure claims

Other responsibilities
Perform other tasks that may be assigned by the line manager
Requirements
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business administration, or a relevant;
• Excellent proficiency in written and spoken English and French. Other IUCN languages (Spanish) represent an asset;
• At least 3 years of experience in full-time professional experience in Finance, Accounting, or Project Finance Management;
• Experience in supporting the financial management of portfolio with donors and with large number of projects in an international multicultural context;
• Proficiency with accounting software is essential; familiarity with ERP/SAP systems is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of and work with IUCN and partners, or similar international organizations, is required
• Knowledge of the GEF and GCF is an asset.

Salary
The minimum gross annual salary for this position is XOF 11’295’793. While this is an indicative amount effective as of the current date, changes may occur as per IUCN’s compensation practices without prior notice. The same applies to other organisations hosted by IUCN.

Applications
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the « Apply » button.
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/