Senior Associate, Finance and Operations, Nature Capital Business (NCB)

About Palladium:

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 4,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities. 

This Opportunity:

Palladium’s Nature Capital Business (NCB) is a growing team with staff members in 7 countries (Brazil, USA, UK, Spain, Kenya, the Netherlands and Australia). We are looking for a new Finance and Operations Senior Associate to join our team. The role will be a mixture of supporting the NCB Operations and Management Lead to manage the portfolio at corporate level and providing operational excellence to impactful natural capital projects around the world.

Location

This position is based in Palladium’s London or Bristol offices.

You and Your Career:

If you are a problem-solver, collaborator, and doer, and you have expertise in financial reporting systems, we are interested in hearing from you. 

We are a learning organization and provide growth opportunities from the start.  We pride ourselves on giving you the freedom, resources, and guidance to chart a fulfilling career!

Reporting Lines

While the Finance and Operations Senior Associate will primarily work with UK based colleagues, they will also need to work closely with colleagues around the world and need to learn how Palladium’s other hub offices (Brazil, USA, etc.) operate. A critical success factor of this role will be for someone to demonstrate willingness to learn various countries processes and practices and be proactive in translating these across Palladium systems and teams.

The Finance and Operations Senior Associate will need to work closely with Palladium’s wider corporate functions, such as our contract and compliance team, Human Resources, Financial Management, and ICT teams.

Primary Roles and Responsibilities: 

Corporate Financial Management 

Supports the Finance and Operations Lead in drafting the annual financial forecast for the wider NCB portfolio. Leads monthly financial forecasting and system uploads, identifies and corrects errors (budget forecast and Cobra, financial analysis using Costpoint and PM Compass). Financial forecasting is done in close collaboration and with input from the Operations and Management Lead and project teams.  By using multiple data sources, provides monthly analysis of NCB’s financial using multiple data points of actual vs forecast variance, and prepares various documents (e.g. monthly NCB Operations meetings, monthly Board packs) that explains variances, trends and recommended adjustments. Lead on accruals, compiling finance section of internal reports, internal spot checks and audit preparation.   Management of portfolio project and indirect codes assignment and permissions in collaboration with the financial management team. Reviews and processes invoices from corporate related consultants, subcontractors, and vendors in timely and accurate submission in accordance with project requirements and Palladium procedures.   Review and process corporate related payment for reimbursable expenses and payment approval forms.  Manages the NCB corporate credit card remittance
Develops commercial and a cost models for new work and proposals.
Provides coaching support to any team members regarding the use and interpretation of financial management information.

Project Financial Management 

The Finance and Operations Senior Associate will lead or support on a number of projects across the wider NCB portfolio.

Setting up and maintenance of project account codes.  Lead financial forecasting and system uploads, identifies and corrects errors (budget forecast and Cobra, financial analysis using Costpoint and PM Compass). Financial forecasting is done in close collaboration and with input from the project team.  Lead on the preparation, review and approval of client’s invoices.  Reviews and processes invoices from consultants, subcontractors, and vendors for timely and accurate submission in accordance with project requirements and Palladium procedures.   Review and process payment for reimbursable expenses and payment approval forms.  Review weekly field vouchers.  Oversee payroll and Fund Transfer requests.  Lead on accruals, compiling finance section of internal reports, internal spot check spot checks and audit preparation.   Prepare financial analysis and trends for the NCB Operations and Management Lead and project teams. 

Corporate and Project Operations Management

Under the supervision of the NCB Operations and Management Lead and/or Project Manager, ensure a smooth running of the operations of the portfolio and projects. This includes training project team on Palladium and project specific policy, procedures and tools.  Oversee compliance for proposals and project work, including supporting in-country registration, establishing compliant templates & requirements for hiring staff and contractors, navigating applicable taxes, and setting up bank accounts. Research trends and identify opportunities for operational improvements. Lead on compliance tasks such as due diligence, timesheet, project specific policy and procedure developed in alignment with project-related compliance.  Oversee assets management and disposal.  Leads on HR updates, including drafting or revising contracts and ensuring the internal systems remain up to date.

Essential Criteria:

Knowledgeable and experienced in using financial reporting systems (ideally CostPoint, Cobra and PM Compass) 
Strong financial background/skills.
Strong project management, planning and organisational skills
Ability to manage competing priorities and be adaptable
Ability to learn and apply programme procedures with exceptional attention to detail
Proven ability to train people on new processes
Experience quality assuring other’s work
Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse staff, clients, partners and consultants
Demonstrated ability to work as an effective team member in a complex and fast-paced environment
Sound problem solving and decision-making skills
Excellent written and oral communications skills
Interest in nature or nature-based solutions

Desirable Criteria:

Fluency in other languages (Spanish, Portuguese or French) desirable Experience as a trained accountant desirable

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status. 

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made during the recruitment process (due to disability, neurodiversity, or for any other circumstance), please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.