Deputy Finance Manager – Chinko Conservation Area Full Time NEW

Context

African Parks (AP) is a not-for-profit conservation organisation that takes full responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks and protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities. African Parks currently manages 23 national parks and protected areas in 13 countries, covering more than 20 million hectares in Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zambia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

In eastern Central African Republic (CAR), African Parks has been working for over 10 years to restore and manage the Chinko Conservation Area (CCA), which covers over 55,000 km² with a core conservation area of 24,300 km². The CCA is located at the heart of a larger wilderness with no human settlement, covering 200,000 km² straddling CAR, South Sudan and Sudan, linking the forests of the Congo Basin with Sahelian ecosystems in a single ecotone. Despite the many challenges inherent of the operating context (political instability, cross-border transhumance, deforestation, remoteness), African Parks has succeeded in building robust and resilient management systems within a protected area that is now recognised for the innovation developed in terms of peaceful transhumance management (TANGO teams), land-use planning, fire management, and carbon finance. In this context, the management and development of a substantial and diversified funding portfolio is essential to continue the restoration of key species (elephants, northern lion, wild dog, leopard, chimpanzee, Giant eland, bongo, etc.) and to support inclusive local development based on the sustainable harvest of natural resources.

In collaboration with the local population and the relevant authorities and technicians, two additional national parks, Yata-Ngaya and Zemongo, as well as community wildlife zones, livestock grazing zones and agricultural zones are set up and actively managed.

1. Why This Role Matters

This position sits at the heart of African Parks’ operations in the Central African Republic providing strategic financial leadership across Chinko CCA as well as the Zemongo and Yata-Ngaya operational areas. The Deputy Financial Manager is not only responsible for financial control, but plays a critical role in enabling field operations, conservation impact, and long-term sustainability within one of Africa’s most remote and strategically important landscapes.

The role offers:

• Exposure to complex, multi-million-dollar conservation operations
• Direct interaction with senior leadership and international donors
• A unique opportunity to combine strategic finance with real-world field impact.

2. Position Purpose

The Deputy Financial Manager provides financial leadership across the Chinko, Zemongo and Yata-Ngaya landscapes, ensuring strong financial governance, donor compliance, reporting accuracy, and direct operational financial support.

This position is a key enabler of the full success of conservation and operational activities on the ground. Through effective financial planning, control and performance management, the role ensures financial systems and resources directly support efficient field operations.

The role will require regular presence in the field to support operational teams, understand operational realities, strengthen financial controls, and align financial practices with real-world conditions.

3. Key Responsibilities

A. Accounting & Financial Control

• Lead, supervise and mentor the accounting teams across all operational areas.
• Ensure integrity, accuracy and timeliness of all financial records and reporting.
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual financial closures and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Strengthen internal control frameworks and ensure compliance with African Parks policies and statutory obligations.
• Review high-value transactions and ensure proper financial authorization controls.
• Support internal and external audit processes and ensure timely closure of findings.
• Conduct regular field missions to reinforce financial controls and support staff capacity development.

B. Grants & Donor Financial Management

• Ensure accurate setup and coding of donor grants in Serenic.
• Review and validate all donor financial reports prior to submission.
• Ensure full financial compliance with donor requirements across multiple funding streams.
• Support donor audits and coordinate follow-up on audit recommendations.
• Work closely with Programme Managers to align financial execution with project implementation.

C. Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

• Support development of annual budgets and multi-year financial plans for Chinko, Zemongo and Yata-Ngaya.
• Monitor budget execution and conduct variance analysis.
• Support forecasting exercises, cash flow planning, and funding gap analysis.
• Provide regular financial performance reports and recommendations to management.
• Contribute to strategic financial decision-making at landscape level.

D. Treasury, Cash Flow & Banking Operations

• Monitor daily cash positions and bank balances across multiple accounts.
• Support treasury planning, liquidity management, and fund allocation.
• Liaise with banking partners for FX optimization and cost-effective transactions.
• Support financial risk mitigation in a remote operational environment.

E. Systems, Procedures & Financial Process Improvement

• Support continuous improvement of financial systems, reporting and processes.
• Assist with ERP (Serenic), payroll, and stock management system optimization.
• Adapt financial procedures to suit remote and complex operational environments.
• Train non-financial managers in budget management and financial policies.

F. People Development & Stakeholder Engagement

• Support capacity building, mentoring and performance development of finance staff.
• Build strong working relationships with government institutions, donors, auditors, and banking partners.
• Work closely with field operations teams to ensure finance actively supports the success of conservation operations.

4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Timely and high-quality financial and donor reporting
• No major audit findings or ineligible expenditures
• Strong budget control across Chinko, Zemongo and Yata-Ngaya
• Reduced financial risk and improved compliance
• Strengthened capacity and autonomy of local finance teams
• Financial systems actively supporting operational success and conservation impact

5. Candidate Profile

We are looking for a field-oriented, solution-driven finance professional who thrives in complex environments and is motivated by impact beyond numbers.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and team management capabilities
• High resilience and adaptability in remote environments
• Strategic financial thinking combined with operational pragmatism
• Strong ethical standards and professionalism

6. Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree (Bac +5) in Finance, Accounting or Business Administration.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in financial management or senior accounting roles.
• Experience in conservation, NGOs or remote operations is a strong asset.
• Proven leadership in managing and developing finance teams.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent stakeholder communication skills.
• Fully bilingual in both English and French, with excellent written and communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and ERP systems.

Tagged as: African Parks, Central African Republic