Chief Operating Officer

The COO Asia Pacific leads the regional operations teams to ensure the effective and efficient operational health of all Asia Pacific Country Offices in fulfilment of their individual Strategic Objectives, WWF values/ Network Standards, and policies/procedures of WWF International. In collaboration with the Regional Director Asia Pacific and other Regional and Senior Leadership team members, the COO will facilitate strong collaboration, learning and communications in relation to operational excellence, across the Asia Pacific region and interact with the WWF Network to ensure strong, empowered and financially sustainable Asia Country Offices.

Internal – Works closely with Regional Director Asia Pacific, Country Office Leadership/Regional team members, Finance Director-Country offices, Country Office management teams, Executive Director Finance & Quality Assurance, & Executive Director Network Governance WWF International and other functions of the WWF International Secretariat and wider WWF network offices.

External – External partners with whom there are operational links in partnership and contractual arrangements with WWF. Managing good relationships with existing/potential donors and key stakeholders.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides direction to the Asia Pacific Country Offices operations teams and others to ensure alignment and compliance with WWF International policies, procedures, review, and approval processes (including QA) and flow of communication to and from the region.
• Leads the implementation and adoption of the integrated performance system to ensure review and improvement of performance of all WWF International Asia Pacific offices to meet WWF International’s Finance, People & Culture, Internal audit/compliance, administration, and management systems network standards and KPIs.
• Accountable for the implementation of operational structures and appropriate capacity to ensure operational excellence across Country Office operations teams to support effective and efficient conservation delivery,
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate, and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.
• Develop, supervise, and refine operational processes and controls, enhance policy and procedures, and maintain robust regulatory, legal and risk compliance framework by actively engaging with WWF International legal and risk & compliance units.
• Reinforce an effective and exemplary risk and control culture and further strengthen the control environment.
• In collaboration with the Head, Finance Asia Pacific, provides financial oversight of country offices, by setting up and implementing risk management and internal control frameworks that allow for empowerment with appropriate levels of control and oversight at all levels.
• Responsible to drive controls and efficiencies, execute strategy, provide thought leadership, and champions best operational best practices.
• Lead the development and preparation of Country Office strategic Plans and Budgets for the organization and assist Asia Pacific-RMT in the review and final presentation to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Drive and support transformational change initiatives to achieve sustainable, quality, and operational growth at scale.
• Supports the Regional Head People & Culture Asia in driving the right culture, values, people processes and talent management in the region, in alignment with P&C global objectives & strategies and WWF values.
• Ensures implementation of Organizational Development initiatives from an operational perspective. Provides oversight and direction on OD processes, review of the systems and organizational processes with a view to making them empowering, efficient and effective;
• Acts as a business partner to the rest of the management team to understand all necessary operational aspects and needs for delivering the business and strategic plan targets.
• Act as an escalation point for operational and strategic issues requiring global support; identify remedial solutions and oversee timely, efficient implementation as required.
• In consultation with the WWF International General Counsel, ensures that overall legal requirements of WWF are complied with and its presences and staff in Asia Pacific Region as well as contractual partnerships and agreements are including mandatory legal provisions and adherence to WWF standards and critical policies, are credible and up to date.
• Provides support to Regional Director Asia in managing country offices and provides advice to Country Directors on all operational issues.
• Performs other duties assigned by the Regional Director, Asia Pacific.

Required Qualifications:

• A qualified accountant with advanced degree in finance and accounting or business administration.
• At least 10 years of professional experience in a senior finance and operations leadership role, with demonstrated success in managing teams, office operations, and budgets at a regional level.
• Proven knowledge and experience of the not-for-profit sector, preferably of environmental non- government organizations, governance, and regulatory compliance.