Sr. Finance & Operations Officer

About Rare:

Rare inspires change so people and nature thrive. For over 45 years, across 60 countries, we have inspired and empowered millions of people and their communities to shift their behaviors and practices to protect our shared planet. We are a global leader in driving social change for people and nature and believe that the cumulative power of individual and community action is a vital pathway to safeguarding and restoring our shared waters, lands, and climate. 

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. 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 Sr. Finance & Operations Officer is responsible for the operational day-to-day needs of the program office by ensuring that Financial Management, Talent/Human Resources, Information Systems (IT), Safety, and Office Management requirements are met based on Rare’s policies and procedures, local laws and regulations, and donor requirements. The Sr. Finance & Operations Officer will ensure that Rare adheres to good organization governance principles, including transparency, accountability, managing Rare’s operations responsibly, and minimizing conflict of interest at all level.

The main duties of this position include:

• Manage the country’s financial management functions by ensuring the adoption and implementation of procedures for donor requirements, agreements management, accounting, budgeting, and audits as set by the Finance department.
• Facilitate local Talent/HR processes to ensure that annual human capital audits allow Rare to manage and mitigate risk, expedite recruitment and new hire onboarding, improve performance management, support growth and development of staff, and increase staff engagement in the region.
• Assess and coordinate, with guidance from the global Talent team, policies, and practices that increase staff safety and awareness of the local environment.
• Support IT function by ensuring that initiatives are implemented effectively and in compliance with local and Rare Global standards, policies, and practices.
• Ensure that the program office management is efficient, effective, and conducive to promoting an enjoyable place to work where staff can thrive and engage one another.
• In all functions, the manager will ensure compliance with local and Rare’s global standards, policies, and practices and ensures proper segregation of duties.

  Key Responsibilities

Financial Management

• Support Vice President by providing recommendations to support sustainable growth for the program while minimizing risk.
• Support the program budgeting and long-term financial planning processes in all its stages: planning, review, approval, and implementation; prepare program/proposal budgets and donor financial reports in conformity with donor requirements and Rare’s policies and procedures.
• Ensure financial and accounting records follow donor requirements, local and national government regulations, and Rare’s policies and procedures.
• Ensure timely and accurate submission of financial and donor reports to the Finance department in compliance with Rare’s policies, procedures, and systems.
• Monitor monthly budgets, ensuring that program year-round expenditures are utilized based on the approved budget and provide financial analysis and interpretation to management and project managers.
• Ensure internal control systems and procedures are in place.
• Manage the annual audit of program financial records and ensure that all audit findings and observations are corrected and addressed after audit completion.

Contracts, Agreements, and Procurement Management

• Coordinate with other program units to ensure proper oversight, including review and evaluation of proposals, risk assessment of applicants, drafting of agreements, development of appropriate monitoring program, review of financial reporting, close-outs, and associated documentation and record keeping.
• Coordinate with other program units to ensure proposal budgets are appropriate to the program and in conformity with Rare policy and donor requirements.
• Ensure agreements are awarded and managed in compliance with Rare’s policies and procedures.
• Facilitate procurement processes and ensure that policies and procedures are followed.

Talent/Human Resources 

• Co-manages annual human capital audit to mitigate risk and actively manage Talent functions within the region.
• Ensure compliance with and communication of local laws and regulations and Rare’s policies and practices.
• Oversee recordkeeping and documentation related to recruitment, payroll, benefits, safety, and training.
• In coordination with the Talent team, assess policies and practices that increase staff safety and awareness within the local environment.
• Act as the local liaison of the Talent team to support global balanced scorecard metrics related to building Rare culture, increasing staff engagement, and supporting training initiatives that create career development opportunities for our staff.

Information Technology

• Facilitate compliance with Rare Technology global policies and support regional staff with their IT needs.
• Locate and vet local IT partners and act as a liaison between local vendors and the Arlington IT department.
• Manage IT outsourcing services on a day-to-day basis.
• Coordinate the procurement of equipment in coordination with the Arlington office.
• Bring country technology needs to the attention of the Rare Technology department.
• Manage IT assets and inform IT of additions and changes.

Office Management and Program Operational Capacity

• Ensure that the country office holds adequate insurance, and that staff and physical assets have a secure environment to operate.
• Assess program operations performance and take steps to address and remedy areas of concern.
• Manage local organizational structure efforts in operations, ensuring roles, responsibilities, and workflow are clear among the operational staff.
• Serve as field advocate by facilitating feedback between country staff and Arlington regarding policies and procedures.
• Provide and arrange training to ensure program staff are well-versed in operational matters.
• Maintain efficient use of program resources, making sure that administrative services are provided in a timely and cost-effective way.
• Lead local “greening” efforts that make Rare a socially responsible and environmentally conscious employer.

Qualifications (Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities)

• College degree in finance or business administration and four (5) to five (7) years of work experience.
• Proven financial management skills and experience in budget preparation and management.
• Ability to accurately and efficiently review and analyze detailed information.
• Familiarity with the requirements for successfully managing a non-profit organization under program law. Knowledge of local fiscal and labor requirements a strong plus
• Supervisory experience helpful.
• Experience with diverse funding environments including US and European governments, multi-laterals, and large foundations preferred.
• Fluent spoken and written English required.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Effective communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with all levels of employees in a team setting.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive issues and information.
• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office (especially MS Excel).

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.