Programme/Dept: Finance & Administration 

Primary report line: Senior Finance and Operations Officer (SFOO)  

Workstation: Nairobi, Kenya 

Duration: Permanent 

Who is Natural Justice? 

Natural Justice is an African non-profit organization specializing in environmental justice. As a team of pioneering lawyers and legal experts, we specialize in human rights, climate law and environmental law to pursue social, climate and environmental justice. Natural Justice has been working with communities, NGOs, and government agencies in Kenya since 2009. Natural Justice strives to enhance people’s collective rights and protect the sacred relationships Indigenous Peoples, and local communities have with nature. Our work is informed by the values, knowledge, and self-determination of the communities with whom we stand in solidarity. Through legal empowerment, research, policy influencing and litigation, and as part of coalitions and campaigns, we support communities to know the law, use the law and shape the law. Natural Justice has three main programs: the Affirming Rights Program, Defending Rights Program and Standing with Communities Program.  To learn more about the work of Natural Justice, please refer to www.naturaljustice.org 

Job Summary 

The East Africa Hub of Natural Justice (hereinafter, the Hub) seeks a full-time Finance and Administration Officer to support the implementation of operational and administrative services in line with best practices, and internal policies and procedures. The Finance and Administration Officer will support functions including but not limited to: financial operations, procurement administration, asset management and disposal processes, board support coordination, financial reporting, travel planning, audit preparation, managing relationships with suppliers, managing financial audits among others. The successful candidate will be based in Nairobi and will be expected to begin work as soon as possible.  

Key Roles and Responsibilities 

Under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Finance and Operations Officer (SFOO), and working closely with the East African team, the job holder shall perform the following duties: 

1. Office Administration and operations   

• Assist in developing and implementing administrative systems to support day-to-day operations and promote operational efficiency, including by regularly sensitizing staff on policies and ensuring adherence and compliance to financial and administrative control systems, policies and procedures. 

• Ensure the smooth administration, overall maintenance and operational running of the office, including office building renovations.  

• Coordinating cleaning services and regular functional checks like effectiveness of water and sanitation facilities, servicing, repairs, and/or replacement of equipment, etc. 

• Organize, coordinate and effectively carry out logistical arrangements for Hub meetings, workshops, conferences, learning events, and travel, including bookings, allowances and reimbursements, in liaison with the relevant officers. 

•  Monitor and restock office supplies and manage requisitions.  

• Provide general administrative support to programme staff as may be required. 

2. Front office operations  

• Act as the initial point of contact for the Nairobi office by responding to inquiries and requests and making follow-up on all incoming and outgoing correspondence. 

• Perform front office duties, ensuring that the reception is clean and always manned, manage the office phones/switchboard effectively, receive and respond to all inquiries made at the reception by providing directions, instructions, or other general information or referring such inquiries to the appropriate persons and taking messages for those absent.  

• Handle all incoming and outgoing mail including recording all incoming and outgoing mail and parcels and organize courier deliveries on behalf of staff. 

3. Procurement and asset management   

• Assist in the process of prequalification of vendors. 

• Support the Hub’s procurement process including sourcing of suppliers and maintaining an up-to-date supplier’s database, including tracking the contracting renewal dates. 

• Maintain and regularly update the supplier database.  

• Maintain service provider schedules and monitor performance (ICT, security, cleaners  etc). 

• Support the SFOO in coordinating transport.  

• Maintain an up-to-date asset register and ensure proper asset tagging and custody. 

• Support the SFOO to review the ICT needs of the Hub, ensuring that all staff have functional equipment. 

• In liaison with the SFOO, prepare contracts or LPOs for successful contractors/consultants/service providers and ensure proper filing and serialization. 

4. Payments, Record Keeping and travel management 

• Prepare payment requests and submit to SFOO for review and approval and ensure proper authorization for all payments and distribute payments as required, in line with Natural Justice’s policies and procedures. 

• Processing and paying staff expense claims, travel advances and per diems, follow up for liquidation of all expense claims, advances, and reimbursements, while ensuring that all expenses are fully supported by receipts. 

• Keep proper records/ filing all copies of the relevant supporting documents and contracts. 

• Provide payroll support by filing of statutory returns, payment of other payroll deductions to the relevant bodies (KRA, NSSF, SHA, HELB, Pensioners, etc.), in an accurate and timely manner and following up to ensure Natural Justice’s records are well reconciled and updated by these institutions. 

• Support the SFOO in recording financial transactions in the accounting system. 

5. Reporting, Audits and budgeting 

• Ensure that expenses are coded correctly and charged to the correct project codes. 

• Liaise with program officers to monitor the spend rate for projects expenditures and provide an update the SFOO. 

• Provide support during annual external audits and projects compliance audits as required. 

• Prepare reports as may be requested from time to time. 

• Support the timely submission of monthly and annual financial reports and maintenance of proper books of accounts. 

• Support the SFOO with bank and vendor reconciliations processes as and when required. 

• Assist in development of institutional and grant proposal budgets. 

6. Knowledge Management, partnerships and communications 

• Manage SharePoint folders for finance and admin, ensuring information is current and accessible. 

• Maintain filing systems for administration and procurement documentation. 

• Maintain conference room/boardroom bookings for meetings and ensure meeting requirements are met and coordinate staff meetings, including diarizing the meeting dates, taking minutes of staff meetings and keeping a record of the minutes on SharePoint folders. 

• Maintain and regularly update and share internally, the organization’s contacts database, including beneficiaries, consultants, partners etc., and ensure dissemination of information to the relevant parties at the earliest time. 

• Proactively support the office in dissemination of information. 

• Support the development of partnership documents (MOUs, proposals, etc.) where necessary. 

7. Board Support and Compliance 

• Coordinate logistics for board meetings – scheduling, preparing board packs, taking minutes, and record keeping. 

• Maintain records of board resolutions and compliance filings under guidance of the SFOO. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE  

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in finance, Commerce, Business Administration, or related field from a recognized University. 

• Relevant professional qualifications (CPA(K), ACCA) will be an added advantage. 

• At least 3 years of relevant work experience – 1 of which should have been gained in a busy NGO. 

• Demonstrated experience in administration, costing and cost control; cash management; taxation; financial reporting; budgeting; and budgetary control and procurement.   

• Prior experience with accounting software is required. 

• Proficiency in MS Office and data systems. 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 

• Citizen of Kenya or have authorization to work in Kenya. 

COMPETENCIES: The desirable traits and attributes include: 

• A person of high integrity that will model Natural Justice’s core values. 

• Highly motivated, pro-active individual able to work under minimal supervision.  

• Ability to prioritize, act on initiative and meet deadlines. 

• Reliability and attention to detail. 

• Strong analytical, critical, statistical and problem-solving skills. 

• Honest, diligent and trustworthy. 

• Professionalism, strong work ethic, and personal initiative (“a self-starter”). 

• Ability to balance priorities and co-ordinate work effectively in order to meet deadlines and handle the workload.  

• Willingness and ability to travel in Kenya and regionally as necessary. 

APPLICATIONS PROCESS: 

Share your applications combining the cover letter and CV as one PDF document to recruit@platinumadvisory.co.ke, with ‘’Finance and Administration Officer” as the subject line.  Do not attach your testimonials or certificates.  

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, until the position is filled. The successful candidate will be expected to begin work as soon as possible. 

Safeguarding, Inclusivity and Equality: All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic that has no bearing on the ability to perform the required job duties.  

Data Protection: By submitting your application, you confirm that the submitted information is true and authorize Natural Justice to use your personal data, to further process your engagement for lawful purposes related to the organization’s vision, including conducting background checks.  

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates who qualify for the next recruitment stage will be contacted.  

Disclaimer: Please note that NJ does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process.