Manager, Financial & Market Inclusion

Position Overview

About Rare:

Rare inspires change, so people and nature thrive. Our culture is results-oriented and entrepreneurial, committed to working towards ambitious goals and creating measurable results. Rare is growing and expanding its impact through a range of exciting programs, including Fish
Forever – a global initiative to restore near-shore fisheries in the tropics.

Demand for fish has pushed the oceans to their limits. Coastal communities sit at the intersection of society and ecology, directly dependent on healthy ecosystems to provide fish for food and income. We believe that empowering communities to protect and manage coastal waters will help address this crisis. Delivering community, rights-based management systems for coastal fisheries, connecting managed access of fisheries with fully protected marine reserves, will result in transformative impact for both people and nature. We envision a future in which 100% of coastal fisheries are sustainably managed with networks of reserves replenishing and sustaining fishing areas to support vibrant, prosperous communities. Fish Forever is helping improve fishery productivity, profitability and sustainability while also boosting livelihoods, protecting habitats, and enhancing coastal resilience to climate change.

About the Role:

The Manager for Financial and Market Inclusion will play a pivotal role in the Innovative Finance work of the Fish Forever program implementation team in the Philippines. The work will include overseeing projects focused on financial and market inclusion with responsibilities that encompass project and budget management, coordination, administrative support, and grant oversight. This position bridges central, country, and support teams, while also liaising with funding agencies. Collaboration with site implementation teams, local partners, and government officials is crucial.

Reporting to the Director of Implementation and Innovative Finance, this role ensures adherence to Rare's policies, supports Fish Forever grant management, and contributes to system-building efforts alongside the Director of Innovative Finance.

Essential Functions

Program Management:

• Provide independent management oversight over a portfolio of FMI-related grants and related deliverables in support of Fish Forever.
• Assist in the preparation and management of FMI-related work plans, budgets, contracts, and sub-agreements.
• Working with implementing and cooperating partners to launch and manage several pilot interventions at different Rare sites.
• Ensure grant deliverables are met on time and within budget.
• Monitor accomplishments and deliverables of project implementation and provide recommendation for higher management action.
• Identify project risks or delays, and develop mitigation plans to address them.
• Develop all related donor reports in coordination with country teams. Manage all related reporting timelines.
• Prepare for and conduct all related program status reviews.
• Ensure all related updates are provided in internal project tracker software.
• Respond to program requests, liaise with other program and support staff.

Research, Scoping and Strategy Development:

• Work with Rare and the Fish Forever partners, external consultants and donor institutions to plan and conduct a series of studies to understand current conditions and determine opportunities- including identification of current local capacities, fishery related enterprises, livelihoods, and social enterprises.
• Collaborating with Fish Forever teams across regions to share strategies, learnings, and opportunities.

Budget Management Support:

• Co-provide oversight of grant-funded budgets, including coordinating the preparation, monitoring, and reporting of the budgets in close coordination with the FMI Senior Manager.
• Oversee the high-level budget to actuals of related grant budgets.
• Identify any risks, and work with country teams and finance to develop mitigation plans.
• Work with Finance to develop and finalize donor financial reports. Manage all related reporting timelines.
• Prepare relevant reports for program review, or report on financial status during program review.

Communications:

• Develop and execute internal communications plan to support and increase knowledge sharing about related projects and other departments at Rare.
• Provide support to priority communications projects or project presentations to different partners and stakeholders.
• Represent the team in speaking engagements or related events to promote the projects as directed by the Senior Manager, FMI.
• Serve as a point person for programmatic information related to assigned projects.

Qualifications:

• 5 or more years of relevant work experience required; experience in community organizing work an advantage.
• Degree in public/business administration, economics, finance, project management, international development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated project and budget management skills.
• Comfortable working with coastal communities and a multi-cultural environment.
• Willingness to work flexible hours to accommodate virtual, international meetings, and support main program partners with challenging schedules.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and Filipino; Ability to speak local languages such as Cebuano, Surigaonon, Karay-a, an advantage.
• Willingness and ability to travel to job sites.

Rare is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic.