Head of Internal Control

Virunga Foundation is seeking a Head of Internal Control for Virunga National Park to work from its Rumangabo office in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Virunga Foundation, a UK-registered charity, has a 25-year contract with the Congolese Wildlife Authority (“ICCN”) to manage Virunga National Park, currently extending until 2040.

Virunga Foundation, founded in 2005, is a dynamic and fast growing environmental conservation organization. The organisation employs over 700 staff in the Democratic Republic of Congo and supports over 700 park rangers, employed by the Institut Congolese pour le conservation de la nature, (ICCN). The Foundation’s conservation program aims are to conserve and re-establish all native species, fauna and flora within the Park’s boundaries. Conservation work specifically includes the protection of Mountain Gorillas and other critically endangered mammal species in what is Africa’s oldest national park. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its recognition as one of the World’s most biodiverse areas, containing a number of endangered species. In addition to its conservation goals, objectives include supporting the implementation of the rule of law within and in the proximity of the Park, as well as investing in and supporting a rapidly growing programme of sustainable development projects. The development projects have already supported the growth of existing enterprises, as well as the creation of new ventures, in particular, as a result of the provision of reliable sustainable hydropower. The ecological, cultural and political context of the national park is one of the most challenging yet rewarding of programmes in wildlife conservation. Through the creation of the Virunga Alliance, a wide range of partners, Virunga Foundation has initiated a major reform programme and is focussing on ambitious financial sustainability targets in the medium term. Virunga Foundation has already made significant progress in recent years to achieve a robust funding model with diversified sources of financing including funding from public and private donors, revenue from business initiatives such as hydroelectric power and tourism, as well as loans and investments.

With the continued expansion of the operations and activities, both in the nature of activities and scale, the role of internal control becomes ever more important to ensure the entire range of activities have appropriate oversight, control and reporting mechanisms in place to meet the requirements of a wide range of stakeholders. Stakeholders include; Institutional investors, (grants and loans), Private/Foundation investors, (grants and loans), public donors, regulatory bodies and a range of partners.

Key Objectives:

To review internal practices, processes, systems and policies, making recommendations for improvements to strengthen organisational performance and controls. Assisting senior management in the implementation of recommendations and subsequently following up on implementation. Actively supporting senior management in ensuring the effective management of risk across all Virunga Foundation and subsidiary operations. Undertaking internal audits and control work as required by external funders, under the direction of senior management.

Reporting to: Board of Trustees

Local Manager: CEO

Management Responsibility

• Manage the staff of the internal control team, establishing annual objectives and undertaking review and feedback processes. Identify training and development needs.
• Prepare the Unit’s annual work plan, based on agreed organisation objectives and priorities, amending as required and identifying resource requirements.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• To review and assess the effectiveness of accounting and financial controls, compliance procedures and controls throughout the Park and follow up on the implementation of agreed improvements.
• Plan and conduct risk-based financial, operational and compliance audit engagements of Virunga Foundation’s program and operational units.
• Plan and undertake internal audits and pre-audits required by third parties, particularly funders, to confirm compliance. Assist in the development of reporting and control systems in order to meet new compliance requirements.
• Ensure strong communication with colleagues across functions and maintain a presence on the ground to facilitate early identification of control issues.
• Assess the adequacy and extent of programs designed to safeguard organization assets.
• Identify control weaknesses and opportunities for improvement, whenever noted in the course of undertaking review work. Including identifying areas of strength and weakness and supporting staff and management in continuous staff training, education and development in line with best practices.
• Maintain the organisation risk register, in co-operation with key risk owners, reporting to the Finance and Audit Committee on its status at agreed intervals.
• Report risk management issues and internal control deficiencies identified directly to management and provide recommendations on how to mitigate risks.
• Play an active role as a member of the Board Finance and Audit Committee.
• Support the Investigation Unit in carrying out investigations of allegations of misconduct, violation of The Code of Conduct, and misappropriation.
• Collaborate with and support the Investigation Unit in the implementation of the ethics and compliance program.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or other related field
• At least 10 years’ experience including accounting, finance and auditing, in diverse business environments.
• A professionally recognised accounting or auditing qualification from an internationally recognised institution would be advantageous.

Skills, Experience and Attributes:

• Experience in developing internal policies and procedures and process evaluation and documentation.
• Significant experience and knowledge of the development and review of internal control systems.
• Experience of meeting externally imposed compliance frameworks, particularly from funding organisations and of developing programmes to fulfil these external requirements.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong analytical skills. Detail oriented and ability to interpret and effectively communicate figures and other financial information.
• Experience of implementation of change in procedures, controls and working practices.
• Capable of working independently, under pressure, in a challenging, fast moving work environment, often in demanding field conditions.
• Staff management experience, including objective setting, appraisal and development.
• Fluent in French and English.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate requirement for change in an open manner.
• Ability to train small and large audiences of diverse backgrounds and level of understanding.
• High sense of ethic, integrity, and ability to maintain strict confidentiality.