Financial Program Manager, WWF Green Climate Fund Accredited Entity

Overview

Major Function

World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US), one of the world’s leading environmental organizations, seeks a Financial Program Manager for its Green Climate Fund (GCF) Accredited Entity (AE) team. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world’s largest dedicated fund helping developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and enhance their ability to respond to climate change in line with the Paris Agreement. Based on specialized fiduciary and programming expertise, accredited entities partner with GCF and developing countries to carry out activities that include the development of GCF funding proposals and the management and monitoring of projects and programs funded by the GCF.  Working closely with core and extended team members of the GCF Accredited Entity unit and other teams across WWF (including staff from finance, legal, safeguards and country offices), the Financial Program Manager engages and coordinates national governments, donor country agencies, private sector entities and WWF Offices in oversight of their execution of medium-sized ($50m-$250m) GCF projects in Bhutan and others that will come online in Latin America over the next year.

The position is responsible for all budgeting and financial management, financial reporting, and compliance with GCF Policies and requirements, accounting, revenue contracts management, contracting, long-range planning and general administration for the WWF GCF Accredited Entity.  Responsible for meeting performance measures as outlined in the program operations standards, and for complying with reporting requirements as established by the Vice President of Program Operations.

Key Responsibilities

Project Development

• As part of the Project Development Team, provides guidance and input to the Budget, Procurement Plan, Risk Assessment and Management, and other sections of the GCF Funding Proposal
• Capacity Building: Provides training and guidance to staff and executing entities on GCF requirements and GCF AE procedures as they relate to the financial operations of GCF projects.
• Oversees due diligence on proposed Project Executing Entities ensuring that recommended risk mitigation is reflected in the sub agreements and reviewed during annual supervision missions.
• Grants and Contracts: In collaboration with General Counsel’s office reviews draft terms, agreements, and amendments. Develops grant agreements for Executing Entities.

Implementation

• Supervises Financial management of the project including the following:
  • Ensures Executing Entities remain compliant with GCF and WWF fiduciary policies.
  • Manages sub grant agreements.
  • Identifies issues with materialization of co-finance to Project Manager.
  • Reviews and approves annual project budgets, quarterly financial reports. Maintains internal project records
  • Prepares consolidated financial Information
  • Reviews and approves audit reports; responds as required.
  • Reviews annual procurement and equipment inventory and ensures that GCF is notified prior to disposal or sale of equipment
  • Participates in supervision missions annually to ensure appropriate financial and administrative management systems are implemented to meet the level and complexity of funding.
  • Prepares disbursement requests for submission to GCF

WWF Institutional

• Leads annual budgeting process for GCF AE and forecasts three-year budgets including the required unrestricted allocation.  Manages actual financial performance against budget ensuring that projections are accurate and that the program does not overspend available revenue.

• Serves as a resource for financial and administrative policies.  Coordinates and expedites information-sharing both intra-departmentally and inter-departmentally.

• Ensures that level of effort and budgets for program staff is incorporated into their department annual budgets and three-year projections.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Serves as WWF AE focal point to the GCF Secretariat on fiduciary and operational matters.

• Coordinates with Vice President of Accounting and Controller on WWF GCF AE audit and other reports as required by the GCF

• Maintains a working knowledge of relevant GCF Policies ensuring that updates are communicated to relevant parties and templates are revised accordingly.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in accounting, business, finance, public administration, or a related field. A graduate degree is preferred.

• Minimum eight years of substantial and successful project management experience implementing and/or supervising financial and operational functions of large bilateral and/or multilateral funded projects, preferably with private sector components. Candidates with a graduate degree must have a minimum of three years of demonstrated experience in these areas.

• Outstanding oral and written communication skills including presenting financial information and operational risks to decisionmakers.

• Proven success negotiating complex agreements with governments and institutions in developing and middle-income countries

• Ability to operate with independence to solve problems and work on multiple initiatives under deadline pressure

• Adept at navigating complex issues and organizational complexity; execute high quality work in a timely manner.

• Experience with GCF projects and knowledge of GCF policies and project cycle management is preferred.

• Position will require international travel

• Fluency in Spanish Preferred

• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams and time zones.

• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration:

  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

Responsibilities

Project Development

• As part of the Project Development Team, provides guidance and input to the Budget, Procurement Plan, Risk Assessment and Management, AE Fee Request, Term Sheet, First level AML/CFT (KYC) assessment sections of the GCF Funding Proposal
• Capacity Building: Provides training and guidance to staff and executing entities on GCF requirements and GCF AE procedures as they relate to the financial operations of GCF projects.
• Oversees due diligence on proposed Project Executing Entities ensuring that recommended risk mitigation is reflected in the sub agreements and reviewed during annual supervision missions.
• Grants and Contracts: In collaboration with General Counsel’s office reviews the draft Term Sheet and Funded Activity Agreement (FAA) and drafts changes/amendments to FAA. Develops Grant Agreement for Executing Entities in line with FAA.

Implementation

• Supervises Financial management of the project (GCF funds + co-finance) including the following:
  • Ensures Executing Entities remain compliant with GCF and WWF fiduciary policies (Prohibited Practices; Procurement; AML/CFT; Information Disclosure).
  • Manages sub grant agreements (GCF + Co-finance).
  • Identifies issues with materialization of co-finance to Goal Team Project Manager.
  • Reviews and approves annual project budgets, quarterly financial reports. Maintains internal project records
  • Prepares AE Consolidated Financial Information for APR (in coordination with Project level APR financial information)
  • Reviews and approves audit reports of Executing Entities; responds as required.
  • Reviews annual procurement and equipment inventory and ensures that GCF is notified prior to disposal or sale of equipment
  • Participates in supervision missions annually to ensure appropriate financial and administrative management systems are implemented to meet the level and complexity of funding.
  • Prepares disbursement requests (with relevant signatures) for submission to GCF

WWF Institutional

• Leads annual budgeting process for GCF AE and forecasts three-year budgets including the required unrestricted allocation.  Manages actual financial performance against budget ensuring that projections are accurate and that the program does not overspend available revenue.

• Serves as a resource for financial and administrative policies.  Coordinates and expedites information-sharing both intra-departmentally and inter-departmentally.

• Ensures that LOEs and budgets for program staff (safeguards, gender, climate, Goal Teams) is incorporated into their department annual budgets and three-year projections.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Serves as WWF AE focal point to the GCF Secretariat/Trustee on fiduciary and operational matters as detailed in WWF’s Accreditation Master Agreement and amendments.
• Coordinates with Vice President of Accounting and Controller on WWF GCF AE audit and other reports as required by the GCF
• Maintains a working knowledge of relevant GCF Policies ensuring that updates are communicated to relevant parties and templates are revised accordingly.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in accounting, business, finance, public administration, or a related field. A graduate degree is preferred.
• Eight years of substantial and successful project management experience implementing and/or supervising financial and operational functions of large bilateral and/or multilateral funded projects, preferably with private sector components. Candidates with graduate degree must have minimum of five years of demonstrated experience in these areas.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills including presenting financial information and operational risks to decisionmakers.
• Proven success negotiating complex agreements with governments and institutions in developing and middle-income countries
• Ability to operate with independence to solve problems and work on multiple initiatives under deadline pressure
• Enhances inclusion through excellent interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively with teams across cultures and multiple time zones.
• Street smart; able to navigate complex issues and organizational complexity; execute high quality work in a timely way without drama.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration:
  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.
• Experience with GCF projects and knowledge of GCF policies and project cycle management is preferred.
• Position will require international travel
• Fluency in Spanish Preferred

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page**,  Requisition #23013**
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.