Regional Finance and Administrative Officer (N-22-121)

The International Potato Center (CIP) is searching an outstanding, highly dynamic and passionate candidate as Regional Finance and Administrative Officer for our hosted organization, the Wyss Academy for Nature.

The Wyss Academy for Nature (WA) at the University of Bern s vision is to achieve a just and sustainable world in which nature conservation and human wellbeing reinforce each other. We are a place of innovation, where research, business, policymakers, practitioners and communities come together to co-design solutions for sustainable futures. Our goal is to research, develop, and implement innovative solutions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, land use change and rising inequality by connecting technical, social, economic, institutional and policy innovations at the interface of nature and people. The WA comprises four regional hubs, one each in Europe (Switzerland), South America (Peru), East Africa (Kenya), and Southeast Asia (Laos).

About the role: the selected candidate will lead the Wyss Academy s financial, human resources and other administrative services in the region, reporting to the Wyss Academy s Hub Director. The Regional Finance and Administrative Officer will be based in Lima, Peru and report to the Regional Stewardship Hub South America Director.

Key responsibilities:

Administration

• Oversee the procurement of goods and services in according to the CIP s and Wyss Academy s standards and policies.
  
• Coordinate with CIP the development and maintenance of equipment and asset inventories.
  
• In coordination with CIP, supervise the Wyss Academy s country legal and statutory compliance.
  
• Support the organization of logistics, including travel, workshops and office management.
  
• Coordinate IT issues with CIP and Wyss Academy headquarters in Switzerland.
  
• Support the Hub Director, Senior Advisor and Programme Managers in the preparation and signature of contracts and agreements with consultants and partners.
  

Finance

• In collaboration with CIP, manage the financial operations of the Wyss Academy, ensuring timely delivery of financial reports and other aspects of the financial management.
  
• Maintaining all financial records in the Wyss Academy s ERP for activities implemented in the region, under the supervision of the Wyss Academy HQ Finance Officer.
  
• Support the Hub Director with annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting processes.
  
• Analyze financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to Wyss Academy s required reporting and procedural standards.
  
• Liaise with the Programme Managers in the monitoring and review of partners reports.
  
• Support the Programme Managers with project budget monitoring and review.
  
• Oversee due diligence and administration of contracts, grant agreements, financial instruments and other legally binding arrangements to ensure organizational assets and resources are protected.
  

People (HR)

• Act as a liaison person between CIP s People and Organization Development (POD) and Wyss Academy s People & Culture (P&C).
  
• Provide guidance to the Hub Director in the application of the Wyss Academy s P&C policies in close coordination with CIP.
  
• Under the instructions of the Hub Director, coordinate between CIP s POD and Wyss Academy HQ s P&C team the recruitment, onboarding and offboarding of the Wyss Academy SAM Hub s staff.
  
• Maintain staffing data up-to-date and prepare periodical HR reports and records in accordance with the requirements of CIP and Wyss Academy HQ.
  
  

Requirements

What are we looking for?

• Bachellor or Master s degree in Business administration, Economics, Finance or Accounting or Bachelor s degree in related field.
  
• 8 years of professional experience performing similar functions, preferably in an environment of international organizations or NGOs.
  
• Experience creating and managing budgets, grants administration and reporting.
  
• Knowledge on organizational management and development is an asset.
  
• Knowledge of accounting software packages.
  
• Proficient in MS Office, especially in Excel.
  
• Competences: Multitasking skills, adaptability, good attention to detail and accuracy, strong organization and planning skills, solution-oriented.
  
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in Spanish and English both written and oral.
  
  

Benefits

What are we offering?

• Great career opportunity in an international organization.
  
• Generous compensation package commensurate with experience.
  
• One-year term contract with the possibility of renewal.
  
• Work in an equal and diverse workplace.