Finance & Compliance Officer, Managing the Human Tiger Interface in Nepal

The project “Managing the Human–Tiger Interface in Nepal”, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and led by the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, aims to advance human-wildlife coexistence efforts by building consensus and capacity for coexistence, reducing impacts of human-tiger conflict, and improving habitats for tigers. It does so through four components: (1) strengthening enabling conditions — improving national policy and municipal planning for conflict management and building frontline response capacity; (2) livelihoods support — engaging communities in social-behavior change, piloting faster and fairer relief and insurance, and supporting tiger-safe livelihood options; (3) habitat management — restoring grasslands and wetlands within park core zones to keep prey and tigers inside protected areas; and (4) knowledge exchange — documenting lessons and sharing them nationally and through the GEF-funded Global Wildlife Program. Together, these interventions aim to reduce conflict, benefit more than 121,000 people, and secure healthy tiger landscapes in Nepal.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Finance & Compliance Officer manages all financial and operational aspects of the Project, including project budgeting, contracting, subrecipient monitoring and evaluations, financial tracking and reporting, and administrative functions. Provides financial and administrative assistance to, and oversight of, project staff and grantees to ensure that budgets and agreements are handled in accordance with WWF policies, procedures, systems, and donor requirements. S/he will be based in the PMU office.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Project Planning, Budgeting, and Implementation

• Coordinates with PMU to prepare, administer, and maintain the project budget, ensuring financial data is accurate and current. Provides support to prepare a detailed annual work plan; facilitates endorsement and provides support in updating the government budgeting system (Line Ministry Budget Information System-LMBIS) in close coordination with the Project Implementing Partners.
• Ensures that implementing government agencies and sub-recipients partners spending levels are appropriate and are aligned with the Annual Workplan; expenses are made in compliance with WWF GEF Agency’s standard procedures and the terms and conditions outlined in the Project Implementing Agreement and the Project Operation Manual, and are backed up with proper documentation and booked with correct accounting codes.
• Conduct orientations to the implementing government agencies and sub-recipients partners/service providers on funding provisions and the conditions to ensure the financial compliance, reporting, and auditing requirements of GEF and the Government.  Periodically reviews progress, identifies problems, recommends corrective actions, and communicates issues to the Project Manager.
• Reviews and monitors the status of the budget against the approved annual project workplan and budget, and assists in the revision of budgets and approval facilitation.
• Facilitates disbursing funds to the Project Implementing Partners based on the fund disbursement request of the Executing Agency, in line with the standard policies and procedures of the Government (Ko Le Ni Ka and Mahalekha) and the WWF GEF Agency.
• Ensures GEF Requirements are met, including the budget structure contained in the ProDoc Budget/Annual Workplan, and that all expenses are associated with the incremental costs.
• Prepares and submits project financial reports on time, and provides other financial information and explanations to the GEF Agency as and when required. 
• Identifies needs and priorities to augment the project’s financial effectiveness.

2. Grant and Agreement Administration

• Reviews all documentation received from proposed implementing government agencies and sub-recipients’ partners per the pre-award process; performs subrecipient risk analysis and develops a risk mitigation plan for the project.
• Supports, prepares, and monitors grant and consultant agreements, ensuring compliance with the agreement’s terms.
• Ensures agreements are updated timely in SmartSimple (sub-grant management system), and payments are processed timely and in accordance with WWF policy and procedures.
• Prepares proper documentation for approval, secures signatures, and distributes documents to appropriate parties.                                                   

3. Financial Reports

• Coordinates and prepares financial reports for submission to the WWF GEF Agency, ensuring GEF requirements are met.
• Reviews and analyzes sub-recipient’s financial reports to ensure compliance by the grantee partners/sub-recipients with the WWF GEF Agency reporting requirements, including project partner co-financing.
• Notifies grantee partners of any problems or discrepancies and provides technical assistance to grantees in resolving problematic issues.
• Supports WWF-GEF Agency Annual supervision missions by providing requested documentation and other assistance as needed.

4. Financial Monitoring

• Ensures periodic financial/compliance monitoring of the grantee partners.
• Assists independent mid-term and final evaluations by providing all requested financial information.
• Provides feedback where relevant on evaluation reports and ensures that corrective actions based on the mid-term evaluation recommendations are taken when related to financial issues.
• Monitors project activities and ensures findings/recommendations are implemented on time.

5. HR Management and Documentation

• Provides HR Management support for the project. Includes field-level project staff hiring/termination, time-sheet management, conducting annual appraisal, handling staff safety, security issues, and other HR related support as needed. Ensure personal files, leave records, payroll information, and annual appraisals are updated timely and documented confidentially.
• Maintains information and files of all financial and administrative aspects of the project, including agreements.
• Regularly monitors ongoing compliance with WWF reporting requirements and project deadlines. Ensures all project reports are acknowledged and routed to appropriate individuals for review.

6. Coordination/Communications

• Provides support to the day-to-day project operation and addresses any management issues and challenges.
• Coordinates with government implementing agencies, sub-recipient partners, and WWF-GEF Agency in consultation with the supervisor for financial management and operations.
• Identifies, coordinates, and expedites communication of information and issues both interdepartmentally and intra departmentally, as well as externally with project implementing agencies and the subrecipients, the Project Advisory Committee, the WWF-GEF Agency, and independent evaluators as necessary.

7. Audit Preparation and follow-up on Recommendation

• Coordinates with WWF-GEF Agency, and the project implementing agencies to carryout project, ensuring auditing standards of the Government of Nepal and the GEF Agency.
• Disseminates the audit reports to partners and appropriate recipients on a timely basis and takes follow-up actions to implement the recommendations of the audit, GEF Agency’s Mission, and periodic monitoring. 

8. Other Duties

• This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the tasks that are anticipated proactively. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary, related to project finance and compliance, according to the project's needs.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Working Relationship

Internal: Works closely with PMU staff

External: Coordinate and engage with implementing partners, governmental and non-governmental representatives, as well as consultants.

Knowledge: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field with thorough knowledge of computerized accounting systems. 

Experience: At least 5-7 years of relevant working experience is mandatory including demonstrated engagement in donor reporting and proven experience of international organization working closely with government in managing bi-lateral/multilateral projects implemented under Government of Nepal’s Line Ministry Budget Information System (LMBIS) and sound knowledge on Public Financial Management including Annual Budgeting, Procurement Act/Rules (PPA/PPR), fund disbursement processes, Auditing and compliance administration. Experience of working in national GEF Projects will be an added advantage.

Skills and Abilities:

• This position requires attention to detail, the ability to keep accurate financial records and the ability to effectively prioritize and work accurately under time constraints.
• Knowledge of public financial management is desirable.
• Good coordination and English language skills and should be a self-starter.
• Strong interpersonal and team-player skills are essential.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office Package.
• Sound knowledge of computerized accounting systems and financial reporting tools.

Interested applicants are requested to apply for the position by 17:00 hours on March 5, 2026.  Only shortlisted candidates will be informed. 

For more information and to apply, visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/WorldWildlifeFundInc1/nepal  

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

WWF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please join us in our mission to save life on Earth.