Country Manager (m/f)

Fauna & Flora International is recruiting a Country Manager (m/f), to be based in Maputo, Mozambique with travel within Mozambique to project sites, and travel within the region and to the UK as required.

Description

• The Country Manager will be responsible for delivery of the agreed strategy, and the management and implementation of the Mozambique Programme. With an excellent knowledge of conservation and a forward-thinking approach, the Country Manager will provide excellent technical and operational leadership to both the FFI team and partners. The Country Manager will represent FFI in Mozambique and also have overall responsibility for ensuring full compliance with both local laws and regulatory frameworks, donor requirements and FFI internal policies and procedures

Duties

Programme Set-up and Ongoing Management

• The initial period will involve completing the registration process for FFI in Mozambique, setting-up, and resourcing an FFI Mozambique office according to the local regulations, then ensuring the ongoing operational management of the programme. This will involve but not be limited to:
• Acting as the legal representative of FFI in Mozambique as appropriate
• Liaising with the local lawyers, and government departments about FFI’s registration as required
• Ensuring FFI is fully registered and compliant for NGO status in Mozambique including administering and maintaining insurances, registrations, permits, letters of authority etc.
• Ensuring national contracts comply with local labour laws, FFI’s Delegation of Authorities and, to the extent possible, with institutional HR practice
• Ensuring tax, social security and other mandatory systems are in place in compliance with local labour and tax laws
• Developing and implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to mitigate potential risk to FFI operations and staff within the Mozambique programme, standardised with wider FFI SOPs where possible and appropriate

Strategic planning and implementation

• Ensure a full understanding of FFI’s organisational strategy and objectives, and in collaboration with the RD and SPM, lead the design, implementation and management of the Mozambique programme and projects, engaging staff, and other stakeholders in the process
• Assess changes in the external operating environment and conservation sector, while keeping the RD and SPM informed and updated and if required ensuring these changes are reflected in the country approach
• As a member of the wider Africa team participate in Africa team meetings, communicate effectively with the wider team and contribute to regional programme planning and monitoring
• Actively contribute to projects and programmes at a regional level, which require the involvement of the Mozambique Programme

Country Programme Development

• Contribute to raising the profile of FFI within country, strategically networking with government agencies, donors and other national and international agencies encouraging a broad understanding of FFI
• In collaboration with the RD, ensure that the Mozambique programme and all projects are well resourced, and have credible future pipeline options, including but not limited to:
• Developing, inputting to and at times leading project concepts and proposals, in line with approved strategic plans
• As agreed with the RD and FFI’s SMT, explore the potential for programme expansion (activities and/or geographically) and develop the potential for further programme funding

Partnership Support and Development

• Ensure effective collaboration within FFI networks and collaborators including government ministries and wildlife authorities, local and international NGO’s, civil society groups, corporates and small community-based organizations (CBOs)
• As agreed, provide development and capacity support to identified FFI partners, to ensure those partners are risk minimal and receive the long-term capacity required to deliver a joint conservation vision

Operational leadership and management

• Oversee or where relevant manage all grants in line with FFI and donor requirements
• Ensure that projects and funds remain within the remit of their initial design, budget and proposal and prepare any amendments when necessary
• Provide sound technical advice on all aspects of programme delivery and management
• Assume overall responsibility for the country programme’s monitoring and evaluation of projects
• Ensure that all FFI policies and procedures are adhered to at all times
• Be accountable for full compliance with donor contracts including all terms and conditions and reporting requirements
• Be responsible for ensuring the identification, minimization and management of safeguarding issues and risks and the implementation of safeguarding priorities and good practice for the Mozambique programme

People leadership and management

• Manage and lead the country team within a clear performance management framework, promoting a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, positive communication and teamwork
• Create an environment of sharing, learning and empowering within the team
• Ensure appropriate and inclusive staffing structures are in place, while playing an active role in key recruitments to ensure these structures are adequately filled
• Ensure full compliance to all local labour laws, and social security and tax requirements of Mozambique
• Interpret and apply all FFI’s HR policies and terms and conditions consistently and effectively, and in line with the DoA and ensure that all staff are aware of and comply with these
• Ensure that the SPM and UK HR are aware of all liabilities arising from labour law that might impact staff and budgets
• Assume overall responsibility for ensuring compliance with safeguarding requirements and good practice for the Mozambique programme

Financial and budget management

• Be accountable for the financial management of the entire country programme
• With support from the Finance Business Partner, develop the annual institutional budget for Mozambique and ensure expenditure stays within budget
• Ensure the required financial controls are in place and are implemented
• Ensure operations are cost effective through regular review of resource usage, and that there is a team culture of cost effectiveness
• Ensure all assets are maintained and insured, and records such as an asset management register and vehicle maintenance and use logs are kept

Safety and Security

• At all times, be aware of the security situation in Mozambique and its impact on both FFI staff and project activities
• Fulfil the leadership role when safety and security risks are identified, taking appropriate action to ensure staff safety at all times
• Ensure the development, updating and compliance of both Security and Health & Safety policies and procedures
• Ensure a risk register is regularly updated and communicated to the SPM
• Undertake an annual (and as required) review of the country programmes security plan and ensure the mitigation of any identified risk
• Ensure compliance to FFI Travel Policies and Procedures when business travel is necessary

Communications

• Effectively manage internal communications and external communications in collaboration with the RD and Communications team in the UK
• Other: With the agreement of the SPM and RD, perform any other tasks that may be requested from time to time that are appropriate to skills and experience, including broader representation of FFI and its Programmes

Requisites

• Excellent programme leadership and people management skills, with ability to motivate and performance manage individuals to achieve excellence
• Excellent project management skills with proven experience in project design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Excellent financial management and numeracy skills, including budgeting and reforecasting
• Strategic planning skills
• Technical conservation skills
• Excellent verbal communication and networking skills, with ability to present, negotiate and persuade at all levels with confidence and credibility
• Strong written communication skills, including report and proposal writing
• Fluency in English and Portuguese (spoken and written)
• Strong prioritization and time management skills, with ability to work to multiple deadlines
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
• Knowledge and experience:
• Substantial professional experience in conservation programme management with a particular focus on the implementation of sustainable and holistic solutions
• Substantial experience of strategic thinking, including identifying, analyzing, problem solving and responding to opportunities and challenges and the ability to translate into practical plans of action
• Proven programme development and fundraising record, with experience nurturing and managing donor relationships and securing substantial funding
• Significant experience of the financial management of multi-million USD or equivalent budgets, including preparing financial projections, general financial management and reporting
• Understanding and experience of the statutory and regulatory frameworks within which to operate
• Experience working with government agencies, communities and community-based organizations, partner NGOs and for-profit entities
• Experience managing teams to deliver complex projects
• Experience in institutional development and capacity building
• Understanding of operational risk management
• Behavioural qualities:
• Commitment to FFI’s values and mission
• Commitment to organizational and legal compliance and the responsible management of donor funds
• Commitment to inclusive programme of work at national and global levels
• Output-driven
• Rigorous and diligent approach to work
• Ability to lead the programme independently in a remote setting with logistical constraints
• Ability to represent FFI in politically sensitive or unsettled contexts
• Team player, demonstrating ability to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others
• Ability to build positive personal and organizational relationships
• Flexible and respectful of colleagues in approach to work
• Others:
• Valid driver’s license
• Ability to travel regularly, both within country and internationally, sometimes for weeks at a time
• Pre-existing right to work in Mozambique

Notes

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted
• Applications should consist of the following: Covering letter explaining why you are applying, relating your experience and skills to the role; Full CV
• Contact details for two referees (who will not be approached without your permission)
• For further details: https://bit.ly/3pAQtlz
• Regrettably, due to limited resources and the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to contact short-listed candidates. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion