CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Chief Operating Officer

OBJECTIVE

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for the smooth, efficient, and accountable operations of the CVF-V20 Secretariat. The COO leads and delivers the Secretariat’s finance, accounting, budgeting, grants management, human resources, administration, procurement, and ICT functions, consolidating under a single senior role the full scope of the Secretariat’s financial, administrative, and operational infrastructure. The COO ensures alignment with best practices and credibility with donors and Member States; oversees the donor cycle and the accountability of Secretariat funding; and maintains and further develops the policies, systems, and internal controls that enable the Secretariat’s independent and transparent operations, including the Financial Regulations and Rules, Human Resources Regulations and Rules, and travel, ICT, and insurance policies.

SCOPE OF WORK

This position requires a seasoned, proactive, and entrepreneurial leader with deep, management-level experience in grants management and administration.  The COO will have the following roles & responsibilities:

Operational & Strategic Leadership

  1. Direct and oversee all financial and administrative operations of the CVF-V20 Secretariat, ensuring smooth day-to-day functioning across finance, accounting, grants, human resources, procurement, facilities management, and IT services;
  2. Develop and implement financial and grant management strategies that align with the organization’s mission and goals;
  3. Develop and implement administrative policies and procedures to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, including maintaining the Financial Regulations and Rules, Human Resources Regulations and Rules, and travel, ICT, and insurance policies;
  4. Identify and assess financial and operational risks, developing strategies to mitigate them;
  5. Establish and enforce internal controls to safeguard the organization’s assets and ensure accurate financial reporting;
  6. Lead, mentor, and build the capacity of finance and administration staff and consultants, and conduct regular performance evaluations;
  7. Perform other organizational development and administrative tasks as requested by the Chief Executive Officer.

Finance & Accounting

  1. Oversee the financial operations of the CVF-V20, including accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting, and undertake daily finance operations and accounting functions in line with the Financial Regulations of the CVF-V20 Secretariat;
  2. Prepare and analyze monthly and annual financial statements in line with the CVF-V20 Financial Regulations and Rules and IPSAS;
  3. Ensure compliance with all applicable accounting policies, financial procedures, and regulatory reporting requirements, both internally and externally, including researching regulation changes and adjusting organizational accounting practices as necessary;
  4. Ensure timely bank reconciliations; process and reconcile Petty Cash and cash control accounts;
  5. Ensure accounts payable, account coding, data entry, and cheque preparation/wire transfers in the online Banking System;
  6. Responsible for the implementation and operation of the accounting and grants management software, including required general journal entries and generation of management reports;
  7. Lead the annual budgeting process in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer and relevant stakeholders, and prepare the organization’s annual Budget and Financial Forecasts;
  8. Lead and monitor budget implementation, including monthly actual-to-budget reconciliation and reporting, providing timely reports and recommendations to address any variances;
  9. Prepare regular financial and grant reports for the Chief Executive Officer, Board, and stakeholders, ensuring accuracy and timeliness, and maintain transparency in financial transactions with clear documentation for audits;
  10. Manage internal and external audit processes and procedures in line with the Financial Regulations of the CVF-V20 Secretariat, including preparing financial documents for the annual audit, responding to audit enquiries in a timely manner, and implementing audit recommendations.

Grants Management

  1. Manage the full donor cycle and the grants management of the CVF-V20 Secretariat’s funds received from donors and philanthropies, ensuring transparency and accountability in financial and narrative reporting;
  2. Prepare and submit due diligence responses to inquiries from potential donors, and conduct the necessary due diligence and organisational assessments of existing or new donor partners as needed;
  3. Draft/review donor partner Agreements/MoUs and identify for appropriate action any areas not aligned with CVF-V20 policy and procedures;
  4. Coordinate all Grant meetings following activation of grants support, and develop key reporting and compliance requirements/compliance checklists of potential issues;
  5. Monitor grant payment schedules and prepare monthly expense reporting and reconciliation of grants in the Sun System software, ensuring donor budget lines as per contract remain in line with the financial system;
  6. Coordinate the finalization of donor reports, ensuring consistency between narrative and financial reports and that they meet the agreed standards of both the CVF-V20 and donors;
  7. Highlight critical financial issues such as under/over spends to Budget Holders, and follow up in writing when discussed verbally.

QUALIFICATIONS

The COO shall possess the following minimum qualifications:

  1. Master’s degree or Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Management, Economics, International Relations, Public Policy, Climate Finance, or a related discipline.
  2. A professional accounting qualification (Certified Public Accountant/Chartered Accountant or its equivalent) is a strong asset.
  3. A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in international organisations, international development, climate policy, climate finance, or related fields, including senior responsibility for finance and administration functions.
  4. Demonstrated track record in designing, managing, and overseeing complex multi-stakeholder programs.
  5. Proven experience working directly with international organizations, government entities, and multilateral partners on grants management policies and strategies, engaging with donors on funds accountability, and developing grant proposals.
  6. Experience with donor compliance requirements and the management of multi-donor funds.
  7. Experience with accounting software such as the Sun System Accounting Software, and with the implementation of financial reporting systems and internal controls (IPSAS an asset).
  8. Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities, with the capacity to interpret policy landscapes and develop actionable programmatic roadmaps.
  9. Project management skills, including the ability to oversee monitoring and evaluation systems, deliver timely reports, manage budgets, and ensure accountability.
  10. Excellent organizational skills, including time management and the ability to meet deadlines.
  11. Fluency in English is required; knowledge of additional languages relevant to CVF-V20 regions is an asset.

Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae and a cover letter together with the names of two professional referees, to the CVF-V20 Secretariat at [email protected] by the submission deadline of 15 August 2026.