Want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our one shared home, the Earth Working at WWF could be your opportunity of a lifetime.
All around the world, people are waking up to the devastating impacts of climate change and nature loss. The situation today is worse than the darkest predictions of just ten years ago, pushing billions of people to the edge and threatening lives and livelihoods. At WWF, we are facing our biggest crisis – and our biggest ever opportunity – to create a better future for people & nature.
WWF International global recruitment team are exclusively managing this vacancy. We kindly ask that you do not contact the local office on this position.
LOCATION: Flexible with preferred locations WWF INTERNATIONAL HUBS
MAJOR FUNCTIONS
To ensure WWF country offices operate with strong, compliant, and strategic financial management systems that support conservation delivery, safeguard resources, and enable high-performing, financially sustainable programmes aligned with WWF international standards and global strategy.
Responsible for leading the Country Office Finance pillar for the organization, reporting to the Global Finance Director. This role oversees country office financial management, finance business partnering with Country Leadership and Regional Directors, budgeting and forecasting oversight, and performance management of the Regional Finance Business Partners. The role requires the ability to provide strategic financial advice, implement excellent financial planning and monitoring for Country Offices, develop and maintain relevant guidance and processes, coordinate financial capacity building, and foster a high-performing, inclusive team culture.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Business Partnering and strategic financial advice
- In collaboration with the Global Director of Finance, establish, lead, and develop a strong country-office-facing finance business partnering culture through the Regional Finance Business Partners.
- Provide an excellent customer-centric finance business partnering service to Country Leadership (including Country Directors) and Regional Directors, ensuring consistent support and decision-ready insight across regions.
- Accountable for identifying and coordinating financial capacity building to Country Finance Leaders, including professional development support and mentoring, to strengthen financial management across the network.
- Accountable for providing financial capacity building to non-Finance Leaders across the organisation, including Country Leaders and other budget holders, to build and develop financial literacy across leadership and management positions.
- Provide recruitment and performance management support and advice to Country Directors for their senior Finance roles, in coordination with Regional Finance Business Partners and HR as appropriate.
Provides excellent financial planning
- Oversee and continuously improve annual and rolling planning, budgeting and forecasting processes for Country Offices, ensuring alignment with the Strategic Plan and global standards.
- Accountable for regular and robust budget monitoring and forecasting for Country Offices, including early identification of risks, trends, and required management actions.
- Collaborate with resource mobilisation teams and relevant stakeholders to define, monitor, and review income forecasts and projections impacting Country Office plans.
- Support prudent long-term business and financial contingency planning for Country Offices, including appropriate budget allocations, investments, and reserves in line with policy.
- Business Owner (for Country Office scope) for the continuous improvement of tools, processes, and reports used to manage financial plans and performance.
Provides financial analysis and reporting to enable data-driven decisions
- Lead the Regional Finance Business Partners in providing accurate, timely, and decision-relevant financial insights, trends, and analysis to Country and Regional leadership.
- Ensure the smooth flow of financial information across Country Offices and the Global Finance function, promoting effective use of KPI / vital sign dashboards, data presentation tools, and consistent reporting approaches.
- Coordinate with Financial Planning & Reporting Team, Global Technology & Digital Solutions and other stakeholders to refine and enhance financial data interpretation and presentation for Country Office reporting needs, leveraging existing frameworks.
Develop and maintain documents, guidance, and processes
- In collaboration with the Global Director of Finance and other key stakeholders, develop and maintain guidance, tools, and process documentation for Country Office financial management, planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysis, and reporting to support consistent application across the network.
- Champion continuous improvement and change management across Country Office finance processes, strengthening controls, compliance, and efficiency while keeping user experience at the centre.
Team leadership and unit development
- Manage and empower the Regional Finance Business Partners, including setting objectives, coaching, coordinating ways of working, and supervising performance to ensure high-quality support to Country Offices.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with Global Finance leadership and other teams to ensure clear and seamless collaboration between Country Offices, Regional structures, and the Secretariat on finance matters as required.
- Perform other duties as requested by the Global Director, Finance.
PROFILE
Required Qualifications:
- A professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CPA) and/or CFA/MBA is highly desirable.
- A post-graduate university degree in finance, business administration, or related subject is an advantage.
- Significant experience in senior financial management roles, including leadership in a complex, multi-jurisdictional international operating environment; experience in an INGO is an advantage.
- Demonstrated experience in country office financial management and oversight, including budgeting, forecasting, and performance management across a networked organisation.
- Good understanding and prior experience in improving and/or implementing globally integrated financial systems or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.
Required Skills and Competencies:
- Excellent leadership and managerial skills with a demonstrated ability to drive change and organisational culture, including coaching and development of senior finance professionals (e.g., Regional Finance Business Partners).
- Strong financial acumen and analytical skills, with the ability to translate financial insights into practical guidance for Country and Regional leadership.
- Excellent organisational, written, verbal, and presentation skills; ability to communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of stakeholders across diverse cultural environments.
- Strong political, interpersonal, influencing, and negotiation skills, with a customer-centric business partnering approach.
- Demonstrates strategic foresight and a global systems thinking approach, with a track record of prudent financial management and executive decision-making.
- High integrity and confidentiality, with sound judgment and a commitment to strong internal controls, risk management, and compliance.
- Fluency in English is essential; other languages (especially French) is highly desirable.
- Embraces the WWF mission and values: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration.
5 WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Internal.
Interacts frequently with the Global Director, Finance, and other senior staff across WWF International. Works closely with Senior Director, Country Division; Regional Directors, Country Directors, Country Finance Leaders, Country Office finance teams, and Budget Holders. Leads and collaborates with the Regional Finance Business Partners to deliver consistent country-office-facing business partnering, capacity building, and performance oversight. Collaborates with Planning & Reporting Team, Global Technology and Digital Services (GTDS) and other stakeholders for systems, data integration, and reporting. I collaboration with Global Director Finance, attends ET and other key governance forums as necessary for Country Office Finance related topics.
External.
May be required to liaise with organisations that work with WWF, including external donors, auditors, and relevant regulatory authorities. Works closely with external systems providers and consultants as needed to support Country Office finance processes, data and reporting.
HOW TO APPLY
Please upload your covering letter and CV in English. Priority will be given to applications with both documents indicated.
Deadline for applications: 5 June 2025
Work permit restrictions may apply
Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.
At WWF, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every individual feels valued and respected. We believe that a diverse workforce will help us to achieve our mission to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing fair and unbiased consideration for all candidates regardless of their background. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply and join us in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace
