Regional Finance & Compliance Officer

Wetlands International Eastern Africa is seeking an experienced and strategic Regional Finance & Compliance Officer to anchor its financial governance across Eastern Africa. This is a senior leadership role that calls for a finance professional who is equally at home designing robust internal controls as they are navigating complex multi-donor compliance environments. You will serve as the financial steward of a mission-driven international conservation organisation, ensuring that every shilling of donor funding is managed with the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Reporting to senior management, you will provide strategic oversight of the organisation's financial health, drive budgeting and planning cycles, manage grant portfolios, lead audit processes, and continuously strengthen financial systems that support programme delivery across multiple Eastern African countries. This role is critical to the organisation's ability to deliver impactful conservation and wetlands restoration programmes at scale.

• Provide strategic financial leadership and oversight across all regional operations in Eastern Africa, ensuring alignment with organisational and donor requirements.
• Lead the development, monitoring, and review of annual budgets, forecasts, and multi-year financial plans for the regional office and country programmes.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of accurate, timely financial reports to internal management and external donors in line with agreed reporting schedules.
• Manage the full grants lifecycle — from budget development at proposal stage through implementation, financial tracking, donor reporting, and close-out.
• Ensure compliance with donor financial regulations, organisational policies, statutory requirements, and applicable local laws across all jurisdictions of operation.
• Lead and coordinate internal and external audit processes, including audit preparation, response to audit findings, and implementation of corrective action plans.
• Design, implement, and continuously strengthen internal financial controls, policies, and procedures to safeguard organisational assets and minimise risk.
• Conduct risk assessments and maintain a regional finance risk register, proactively identifying and mitigating financial and compliance risks.
• Build the financial management capacity of programme and country-level staff through training, mentorship, and the development of user-friendly financial tools and guidelines.
• Support programme teams with financial analysis, budget realignments, and cost-effectiveness reviews to inform decision-making and programme design.
• Maintain relationships with banks, auditors, legal advisors, and donor finance representatives to ensure smooth financial operations.
• Oversee payroll processes, statutory deductions, and regulatory submissions across the regional office and affiliated country offices.

• Ability to lead strategic financial planning and translate complex financial data into actionable insights for senior management and non-finance programme staff.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and report on multiple donor-funded grants simultaneously, ensuring full compliance with varied donor rules (e.g. EU, USAID, GEF, bilateral donors).
• Proven track record of designing and operationalising internal control frameworks in a multi-country NGO or INGO environment.
• Ability to lead and coordinate external audit processes from preparation through to closure of management letter recommendations.
• Experience conducting financial risk assessments and embedding risk management practices into day-to-day financial operations.
• Demonstrated ability to build financial management capacity among non-finance staff through hands-on training and mentorship.
• Proficiency in accounting software (e.g. QuickBooks, Sun Systems, Sage, or similar ERP platforms) and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple countries and cultures, managing competing priorities under tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare high-quality financial reports and present findings to diverse stakeholders.
• Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
• CPA(K), ACCA, or equivalent professional accounting qualification.
• 8–10 years of progressive experience in finance and compliance, including at least 2 years in a senior regional or multi-country finance leadership role within an international NGO.

Wetlands International offers a competitive remuneration package commensurate with the seniority of the role and the candidate's experience. Based on Kenyan INGO market benchmarks for a senior regional finance leadership position, the estimated monthly gross salary range is KES 250,000 – KES 380,000. The organisation also provides a comprehensive benefits package typical of international NGOs operating in the region, which may include medical cover, annual leave, and professional development support. Specific package details will be confirmed during the selection process.

This role is ideal for a seasoned finance professional with deep NGO experience who thrives in complex, multi-country environments and is passionate about conservation and sustainable development. You are a strategic thinker with a hands-on approach — equally capable of setting financial strategy and rolling up your sleeves to resolve compliance issues. You are a natural capacity builder who invests in the financial literacy of those around you, and you hold yourself to the highest standards of integrity and donor accountability.

Please do not apply if you have fewer than 8 years of relevant finance experience, have not previously worked in an international NGO or donor-funded project environment, do not hold CPA(K), ACCA, or an equivalent professional qualification, or are not comfortable operating in a multi-country, multi-currency, and multi-donor reporting environment. Applications that do not meet the minimum qualification thresholds will not be considered.

To apply for this position, please follow the steps below:

• Prepare an updated CV (maximum 4 pages) clearly highlighting your relevant experience in NGO finance, grants management, and compliance.
• Write a tailored cover letter (maximum 1 page) addressing how your experience aligns with the key responsibilities and required skills outlined in this posting.
• Submit your application through the Wetlands International official recruitment portal or the application channel specified in the original vacancy notice on the Wetlands International Eastern Africa website.
• Ensure your application is submitted before the stated closing date. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessment.
• Candidates invited for interviews should be prepared to demonstrate their technical finance competencies through a written assessment or case study exercise.