Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The Project Finance Lead provides strategic and hands-on financial leadership to all WWF Tanzania donor-funded projects. The role ensures strong financial planning, project performance monitoring, donor compliance, risk management, and high‑quality financial reporting, while supporting technical teams in effective budget execution.

The role leads a small team responsible for project finance oversight (but not accounting or grants management functions). This includes budget control, expenditure monitoring, burn rate analysis, donor reporting coordination, audit support, cash‑flow planning, and strengthening project staff capacity in financial management.

Responsibilities or duties

Budgeting & Financial Planning

• Lead development and consolidation of project budgets, revisions, annual plans, and forecasts.
• Ensure alignment of budgets with donor rules, WWF standards, and project workplans.
• Support cashflow planning, scenario analysis, and structured budget reviews with technical teams.
• Enforce the no‑cash no‑spend and prudent cash management principles across all projects.
• Upload approved project budgets into financial systems and maintain updated budget structures.

Financial Monitoring, Analysis & Reporting

• Conduct monthly budget vs. actual (BVA) sessions with project teams and document actions.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly financial performance dashboards for management.
• Coordinate preparation of donor financial reports (financial analysis only, not accounting).
• Generate portfolio-level spending trends, burn rates, and risk alerts for senior management.

Donor Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure adherence to requirements for USAID, EU, NORAD, SIDA, WWF Network, and other donors.
• Review financial aspects of procurement, budget reallocations, and cost eligibility.
• Identify and communicate financial risks early, with recommended mitigation plans.

Internal Controls, Systems Strengthening & Capacity Building

• Build financial management capacity of Technical Leads and field teams.
• Support alignment of project structures and codes within WWF financial systems.
• Strengthening coordination between Finance, Procurement, Operations, and M&E

Audit Support & Performance Assurance

• Coordinate statutory and project audit preparations and timely provision of documentation.
• Support management in drafting responses and implementing audit recommendations.
• Track and ensure non-recurrence of past audit issues.

Team Leadership

• Provide leadership, coaching, and performance oversight to the Project Finance Officers
• Ensure high-quality standards in financial analysis, reporting, and compliance work.
• Set annual work plans and KPIs aligned to WWF objectives.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Commerce, or a related field.
• CPA-T / ACCA preferred.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in project financial management in an international NGO.
• Strong understanding of multi-donor requirements
• Advanced financial analysis and reporting skills.
• Strong problem‑solving, communication, and coaching capabilities.
• Excellent Excel skills and proficiency with financial systems.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills in both English and Kiswahili.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Proven coordination, organizational, and planning abilities.
• High level of integrity, accountability, and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration.

Experience needed

Minimum 5 years’ experience in project financial management in an international NGO.

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

Working Relationships

Internal:

• Head of Finance & Administration
• Project Managers and Technical Teams
• Procurement, Operations, M&E, and Senior Finance Team
• Senior Management Team (as needed).

External:

• Donor representatives (on compliance and reporting matters)
• External and internal auditors
• Partners during project-level audits or financial reviews

• Lead development and consolidation of project budgets, revisions, annual plans, and forecasts.
• Ensure alignment of budgets with donor rules, WWF standards, and project workplans.
• Support cashflow planning, scenario analysis, and structured budget reviews with technical teams.
• Enforce the no‑cash no‑spend and prudent cash management principles across all projects.
• Upload approved project budgets into financial systems and maintain updated budget structures.
• Conduct monthly budget vs. actual (BVA) sessions with project teams and document actions.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly financial performance dashboards for management.
• Coordinate preparation of donor financial reports (financial analysis only, not accounting).
• Generate portfolio-level spending trends, burn rates, and risk alerts for senior management.
• Ensure adherence to requirements for USAID, EU, NORAD, SIDA, WWF Network, and other donors.
• Review financial aspects of procurement, budget reallocations, and cost eligibility.
• Identify and communicate financial risks early, with recommended mitigation plans.
• Build financial management capacity of Technical Leads and field teams.
• Support alignment of project structures and codes within WWF financial systems.
• Strengthening coordination between Finance, Procurement, Operations, and M&E
• Coordinate statutory and project audit preparations and timely provision of documentation.
• Support management in drafting responses and implementing audit recommendations.
• Track and ensure non-recurrence of past audit issues.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and performance oversight to the Project Finance Officers
• Ensure high-quality standards in financial analysis, reporting, and compliance work.
• Set annual work plans and KPIs aligned to WWF objectives.

• Proven coordination, organizational, and planning abilities.
• High level of integrity, accountability, and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration.
• Advanced financial analysis and reporting skills.
• Strong problem‑solving, communication, and coaching capabilities.
• Excellent Excel skills and proficiency with financial systems.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills in both English and Kiswahili.

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Commerce, or a related field.
• CPA-T / ACCA preferred.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in project financial management in an international NGO.
• Strong understanding of multi-donor requirements