Manager

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Emirates Nature-WWF

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Job Description

Manager - Finance

Position Title: Manager - Finance

Unit: Operations

Directly reports to: Senior Director \xe2\x80\x93 Operations (COO)

Location: Dubai Office, Hybrid working

Direct reports: Accountant

Type of contract: Full/Part time Core/Project

Date: February 2024

Background

Emirates Nature is a UAE environmental non-governmental charity, established in 2001 under the Honorary Founder and President H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed\xe2\x80\x99s vision for the United Arab Emirates. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the Ruler\xe2\x80\x99s representative in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of Environmental Agency \xe2\x80\x93 Abu Dhabi (EAD) Board of Directors. We operate with offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah and are governed by a local board of directors. Emirates Nature works in association with WWF, one of the world\xe2\x80\x99s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. Emirates Nature-WWF has been active in the UAE for two decades and is renowned for its commitment to biodiversity conservation, habitat protection, sustainable development, and community engagement. Some of our flagship projects include marine conservation initiatives to protect coral reefs and marine species, wildlife conservation programs focusing on endangered species such as Arabian oryx and sea turtles, habitat restoration projects in critical ecosystems, and sustainable development initiatives aimed at mitigating climate change impacts and promoting eco-friendly practices across various sectors.

It is our organizational objective to ensure a high performing workforce within our offices with highly efficient, skilled members all of whom will be unilaterally focused on supporting and delivering conservation activities to our stakeholders within the UAE.

Job summary

We are seeking a skilled and experienced Financial Manager to oversee and optimize our organization\'s financial operations. This position requires an experienced finance professional with a strong background in nonprofit financial management, ERP systems, financial analytics, day-to-day financial operations, stakeholder engagement, and strategic financial planning. The role entails managing Financial Planning and Analysis, Financial Accounting and Reporting, Grants and Income Management, Cash Flow Management, and Audit and Compliance. Key responsibilities include developing and monitoring budgets, providing financial insights for strategic decision-making, ensuring accurate financial reporting and compliance with relevant regulations, managing grants and income streams, optimizing cash flow, and coordinating audits. The ideal candidate will possess strong financial acumen, analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders to drive financial efficiency and transparency. This role offers an opportunity to contribute to the financial sustainability and growth of our organization while ensuring adherence to best practices and regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate will be analytical, detail-oriented, and highly motivated. Effective verbal and written communication skills, strategic and critical thinking skills are essential for stakeholder management.

Major duties and Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning and Analysis:

Develop, implement, and monitor the organization\'s annual budget in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Develop and maintain financial models to support long-term planning, scenario analysis, and forecasting.
Analyze financial trends and provide recommendations for strategic decision-making.
Develop multi-year financial projections liaising with Unit Directors and COO.
Provide financial analysis and insights, weekly finance updates and projections to support strategic decision-making.
Track and report on budget variances, identifying areas for improvement or cost-saving opportunities. Financial Accounting and Reporting:
- Prepare accurate and timely monthly reporting packs for projects and other business units and discuss variances and forecasts with respective unit directors and project managers.
- Ensure compliance with relevant IFRS, UAE VAT and corporate tax laws.
- Produce financial reports for external stakeholders, including donors, partners, and regulatory bodies such as MOCD.
- Supervise monthly closing exercises, payments to vendors and consultants and follow up of overdue receivables.
- Prepare and review monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements.
- Supervise and recommend updates in internal control processes and SOPs.
- Prepare monthly payroll and manage Staff leave, End of service and other benefits provisions.
- Manage full-time staff and consultants planning and staff cost allocations to ensure staff costs are aligned with unit and project budgets. Grants and Income Management:
  - Oversee the financial aspects of grants, subscription income, sponsorships including budgeting, reporting, and compliance against signed agreement and UAE laws.
  - Collaborate with project managers to ensure accurate tracking of funds and alignment with grant/sponsorship requirements.
  - Prepare financial reports for sponsors and grantors, showcasing the impact of funds allocated.
  Cash Flow Management:
  - Manage cash flow to ensure the organization\'s operational needs are met.
  - Monitor project cash flow requirements, identifying potential issues and proposing solutions.
  - Maintain relationships with financial institutions and manage banking activities.
  - Analyzes revenue, expenses, cash flows, and balance sheets.
  - Assists management in making financial decisions. Audit and Compliance:
    
    Coordinate and liaise with external auditors, and auditors from regulatory bodies during the annual and periodic audit process.
    
    Ensure compliance with IFRS, WWF international guidelines, UAE fundraising laws and reporting requirements.
    
    Implement and maintain internal controls to safeguard the organization\'s financial assets.
    
    Monitors financial details to ensure legal compliance.
    
    Required qualifications
    
    Bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s degree in finance or related field, MBA or ACCA finalist. ACCA CPA, or CMA certification is a plus.
    
    Current certificate of qualifications, which may include FCA, CII, DipFA, CISI, and FINRA Series 7 or Series 63 licensure
    
    Minimum 3 years of proven experience as Finance Manager or similar level role in UAE / GCC.
    
    Proficient in MS Office suite and in-depth knowledge of IFRS, UAE VAT and Corporate Tax laws.
    
    Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
    
    Working level knowledge of QuickBooks, Xero, and major ERP systems.
    
    Fluency in English, Arabic is an advantage.
    
    High level of cultural sensitivity and awareness with ability to work in a multi-cultural setting
    
    Proven knowledge and or experience in the non for profit sector, preferably of environmental non-government organizations.
    
    Competencies
    
    Emirates Nature-WWF Focus: Acts as a member of Emirates Nature-WWF, placing higher priority on Emirates Nature-WWF goals than own goals and anticipating the effects of own area\xe2\x80\x99s actions on others to ensure holistic Emirates Nature-WWF outcomes. External Orientation: Looks outwards ensuring WWF stays relevant, continues to anticipate and adapt to external environmental and global trends. Delivering Quality Outcomes: Establishes stretch goals, plans, using best judgment and takes responsibility for planning to and delivering on outcomes. Building Working Relationships: Builds collaborative relationships through the understanding and development of other\xe2\x80\x99s and own ideas. Communicating Effectively: Uses appropriate means of communication to convey messages, seeks input from others and ensures understanding. Leading Teams: Develops direction and shared purpose, builds a team through coaching to ensure the accomplishment of goals and high level team performance. Leading Change: Encourages and seeks out innovative solutions and brings people on a journey constructively and empathetically. Managing Resources: Makes the right judgments based on financial and resource availability. Establishing Strategic Direction: Generates options to achieve long-range goals, selects the best strategies for success and delivers on strategic goals.
    Building Organizational Capability: Diagnoses individual and team capability and development needs and champions talent management.
    
    Skills required
    
    Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
    
    Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
    
    Ability to develop and execute membership engagement strategies.
    
    Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and manage multiple tasks.
    
    Strong communication skills
    
    Good knowledge of MS Office
    
    Adaptable, flexible, able to take initiative and prioritize among competing demands
    
    Values
    Behavior Description
    
    Innovation
    
    Impact driven
    
    Balance between proactivity and reactivity
    
    Plan but not over-plan
    
    Implement innovatively with a future driven mindset.
    
    Being courageous
    
    Embedding MTP with impact at scale
    
    Experiment & Solution Driven
    
    Embrace decision making process based on adaptive management.
    
    Ensure all changes in decisions do not move away from original goal and MTP
    
    Adaptability
    
    Entrepreneurial
    
    Keeping to the ambition/vision/goal and MTP
    
    Ensure we are meeting the plan to achieve goals whilst adapting tactical plans along the way
    
    Together we are stronger
    
    Working together as a matrix organization to implement strongly
    
    Integrity & Trust
    
    Be confident
    
    Believe in success
    
    Retain high level of ethics
    
    Working relationships
    
    Internal - Works with all Units
    External - Works with external Stakeholders such as, but not limited to, Auditors, Regulatory entities, Government entities, Banks, international and local Corporates, Individual Donors
    
    Additional information
    
    Emirates Nature-WWF is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome diversity in the workplace and offer a flexible and diverse place of employment.
    Emirates Nature-WWF staff participate wholeheartedly in general activities and events that require the full support and participation of all staff members, whether the focus of any particular event or activity has any bearing on the job description and assigned project objectives and activities.
    
    How to apply
    
    Please send your application consisting of a cover letter explaining why you are the right candidate to work with EN-WWF and your CV with the subject \xe2\x80\x98Application for Manager - Finance\xe2\x80\x99 to the attention of Ms Magdalena Tayoun on careers@enwwf.ae before 15th March 2024.
    Emirates Nature reserves the right to appoint a candidate prior this date.