Job Description
The Virunga Foundation is looking for a Head of Internal Control for Virunga National Park to work from its Rumangabo office in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The Virunga Foundation, a UK-registered charity, has a 25-year contract with the Congolese Wildlife Authority (“ICCN”) to manage Virunga National Park.
Key Objective:
To review all internal processes, systems and policies and make recommendations and actively assist in implementing procedures to ensure the risks to Virunga National Park are maximally mitigated.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
- Reviews and appraises the soundness, effectiveness, and proper application of accounting and financial controls, compliance procedures and controls throughout the Park.
- Conducts and directs ongoing reviews of organization controls, operating procedures, and compliance with policies and regulations
- Assesses the adequacy and extent of programs designed to safeguard organization assets
- Compiles and issues reports detailing conclusions and providing recommendations for improvements
- Recommends employee training and modifications to procedures as needed
- Analyses and concludes on effectiveness and efficiency of control environment
- Identifies control gaps and opportunities for improvement
- Identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and engage in continuous education and staff development re best practices
- Reports risk management issues and internal controls deficiencies identified directly to management and provides recommendations for improving the organisation’s operations
Skills, Experience and Attributes:
- Educated to degree level in a related field or equivalent
- At least 10 years’ experience in accounting, finance, auditing or Business Management in a rapidly growing business
- Experience in writing internal policies and procedures and process evaluation and documentation
- A demonstrated knowledge of internal controls
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Strong analytical skills. Detail oriented and ability to work and interpret figures and other financial information
- Native French speaker, fluent in English
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to address issues and effect change
- Capable of working independently, under pressure in demanding field conditions. Very regular traveling required throughout the Park’s main locations.
About the Organization
The Virunga Foundation, founded in 2005, is a dynamic and fast growing environmental conservation organization. The organisation employs over 200 FTEs in the Democratic Republic of Congo and supports over 500 park rangers (and their families). The organisation’s main program focuses on the protection of Mountain Gorillas and other critically endangered species in Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ecological, cultural and political context of the national park is one of the most challenging yet rewarding of programmes in wildlife conservation. The Virunga Foundation has initiated a major reform programme and is now focussing on ambitious financial sustainability targets in the medium term. The restoration of the park was mainly financed by the European Union and the Virunga Foundation now strives for a model with diversified sources of financing including grants from public and private source, revenue from business initiatives such as hydroelectric power and tourism as well as loans and investments.
