Development Officer Jobs
Salary: Band B.2
ActionAid UK is a member of the ActionAid Federation, an international charity that works with women and girls living in poverty. As part of the ActionAid Federation, we work with women and girls, our partners, and dedicated staff in 43 countries to end violence and fight poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want.
Are you a keen advocate of women and girls’ rights in emergencies?
Are you passionate about supporting global change and looking for a role that combines finance and social impact?
Then we'd love to hear from you!
ActionAid UK is seeking a Payments Officer to join our Finance & Procurement team. In this exciting role, you will ensure the smooth operation of our payment processes, playing a crucial part in supporting our mission to fight for the rights of women and girls around the world.
As a Payments Officer, you will handle supporter payments with precision and care, ensuring data accuracy and compliance with legal standards. You will have the chance to collaborate with various teams across the organisation, offering advice and training on payment-related matters while managing tax and payment inquiries.
This role is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys working with data and payment systems and has a strong commitment to ActionAid’s values of equality, diversity, and inclusion. You’ll also be at the forefront of ActionAid UK’s mission, contributing to our strategic goals by ensuring payments flow efficiently and effectively. With a focus on teamwork and continuous learning, you’ll engage with colleagues and supporters alike, offering guidance and support.
This is a chance to develop your skills, make a tangible impact, and work in a purpose-driven environment. If you are an enthusiastic team player with excellent attention to detail, and you’re ready to use your skills to support a globally impactful cause, this role is for you. Join us at ActionAid UK and help make a difference today!
Due to the nature of this role, the successful candidate will be asked to participate in criminal records checks at the point of offer.
Additional Information:
Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging:
Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging are key to our organisational culture. We are on a journey to become not only an anti-racist organisation but one that proudly celebrates the diversity of all applicants and employees. We look forward to you bringing your full self to work, proudly sharing your unique perspective and helping us to shape our combined future. We especially welcome applications from those from underrepresented/marginalised communities.
AAUK is a disability Confident Committed organisation and as such any candidate that declares a disability will be shortlisted for interview if they meet the essential criteria for the role.
Referencing and Safeguarding:
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include safeguarding, criminal records and terrorism finance checks. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
ActionAid UK is committed to preventing any form of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse (including child abuse and adult at-risk abuse) and responding robustly when these harms take place. We expect all ActionAid UK Staff and ActionAid UK Representatives to share this commitment. We will not tolerate our Staff or other representatives carrying out any form of sexual harassment, exploitation or abuse towards anyone we come into contact with through our work.
Working practices:
ActionAid is committed to supporting flexible working. If you would like to discuss flexible working options, including the possibility of a job share for this role, there will be space to do so during the interview process.
ActionAid UK has a hybrid working policy for many of our roles. The requirement will vary from team to team and the responsibilities of individual roles. As a minimum, all colleagues are expected to attend the office 12 days per year, plus additional time for induction, training, and “Company Connection days.” Some roles may require in-office attendance on all days and if so, these will clearly be marked as in-office roles.
Please note that ActionAid UK does not offer fully remote working options. We encourage you to discuss hybrid working expectations at interview.
101 - 500
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you believe in the power of social enterprise to create meaningful and scalable social change in disadvantaged communities, across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)? Are you looking to be involved with and help grow a movement that is backing sustainable social change across the Arab region?
ABOUT ALFANAR
Launched in 2004, Alfanar is the Arab region’s oldest venture philanthropy organisation. We are a UK-based charity with operations in Cairo, Beirut and Amman and affiliates in the US and the Netherlands. We aim to transform lives in disadvantaged communities across the Arab world by strengthening ambitious social enterprises responding to pressing needs, especially around children’s education, youth employment and women’s economic empowerment. Alfanar provides grants, repayable grants and impact investment (through a soon to be launched sister impact fund) and technical assistance to social enterprises, enabling them to scale their impact in disadvantaged communities, while increasing the sales of goods and services to achieve greater financial sustainability. Alfanar’s highly engaged venture philanthropy approach applies the principles of private sector investment to charitable giving, delivering social returns that are sustainable, scalable, and game changing. For more information about Alfanar’s venture philanthropy work, see our 2021 Annual Report and our website.
Scope of the Job
The Finance Officer at Alfanar will play a crucial role in delivering an effective and efficient finance function across the organization's group structure. Reporting to the Head of Finance, the Finance Officer will be supporting various financial tasks, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash and reserves management, accounting processes, and financial risk mitigation. The role requires a focus on continuous improvement, problem-solving, and development to ensure high-performance standards and exceptional finance services for Alfanar's teams.
Reports to: Head of Finance
Main Responsibilities
· Manage all receivables and payables following agreed processes and ensure timely payment.
· Prepare monthly payroll and set up salary payments
· Reconcile bank accounts on a monthly basis
· Producing Monthly Management Accounts with the help of the finance system and Excel templates.
· Review donor reports prepared by the country office for accuracy and cost allocation
· Claim gift aid on a regular basis
· Support organisation budget and proposal budget process.
· Support organisational audit process.
· Any other duties as agreed by the Head of Finance.
Financial accounting
· Be an integral part of ensuring effective and efficient financial control environment across Alfanar’s group structure
· Operate key financial controls including balance sheet schedules, intercompany and income reconciliations
· Support the continuing develop of effective financial management procedures, increasing automation and efficiency
· Ensure accurate and complete records for restricted funds
· Active involvement in payroll to ensure an accurate and up to date payroll
· Manage the payments process using Xero financial software ,review and set up payments at the bank
· Support Head of Finance in developing and implementing Finance processes across the Alfanar group.
· Ensure Alfanar is up to date and compliant with its statutory duties relating to Payroll, Pensions, VAT , Corporation Tax and other statutory submissions.
Reporting
● Support Head of Finance with the preparation of annual accounts in line with financial reporting standards, including consolidation of future group entities, ready for Audit.
● Support Head of Finance during organisation’s external audit
● Liaise with external accountants, including on all filing requirements
● Prepare financial information for the trustees annual report and liaise with the communications function on presentation
Financial management reporting and finance business partnering
● Support budgeting and reforecasting process led by Head of Finance. Ensure relevant team members receive guidance notes and documentation in relation to the budget and forecast processes and templates
● Manage the month end close procedure, including preparing journals to record the required accruals and fund transfers
● Prepare, review and analyse management accounts, seek variance explanations, prepare commentary and summaries based on budget holder responses, and ensure management understand any required actions.
● Continue to develop monthly management reports and budget Vs actual reports for budget holders.
● Work with the fundraising team to ensure that income data flows are documented, and finance and fundraising metrics are clearly defined and accurately calculated and reported
Tax, cash, risk and reserves management and group operations
● Working with the Head of Finance, manage, review and improve Alfanar’s (online) banking arrangements and relationships, across the group structure
● Prepare monthly cash flow forecasts and requirements and ensure appropriate cash management and transfers across the group structure.
● Should it be required, support with Alfanar’s registration for VAT, set up and operate the required changes to the accounting systems, and prepare and file VAT returns, including other entities within the VAT group
Qualifications & Experience
Essential
● Experience of supporting in accounting, payments, transaction processing, financial reporting, tax, and cash management with international operations ideally in a growing group.
● Experience of automating financial processes and developing reporting functionality from accounting systems
● Knowledge and experience of using Xero or other cloud-based accounting software.
● Experience of providing financial management support/business partnering to managers/budget holders, who may not have a financial background.
● Qualified affiliate accountant or working towards a qualification (UK ACA, CIMA, ACCA ,AAT or equivalent)
● Knowledge of data protection legislation, risk management and other governance regulations including confidentiality.
Desired
● Bachelor or Master's degree in accounting or finance.
● Experience in Finance Function in a not-for-profit setting, whether gained in a paid or voluntary capacity
Experience of working with high volume payment processing supplier systems and integrating the associated data flows into internal databases
● Knowledge of UK requirements for accounting for restricted funds
● Interest in social enterprise development and impact investment
● Willingness to travel to the MENA region, if needed
Skills & Abilities
● Excellent policy and process development skills
● Clear thinking and excellent logic skills, able to unpick and simplify complexity
● Self-motivated and self-organised, with good problem-solving skills
● Able to work flexibly as part of a team
● Able to contribute from a Finance perspective in a multi-disciplinary team
● Able to work and produce deliverables in a timely manner, and to manage priorities, communicating timeline changes clearly to line manager and team
● Flexibility and adaptability in your attitude and approach to work, with a willingness to ‘get involved’ and support the team with whatever might arise, working towards a common objective
● Excellent and clear communicator in English, face to face, in writing and over the telephone/ Zoom
Self-confident and able to take initiative but also to work effectively within a formal governance structure
Personal qualities
● Honesty, reliability, attention to detail
● Excellent interpersonal skills
● Exemplary organisational and time management skills
● Ability to present information concisely and effectively, both verbally and in writing
● Ability to work on your own initiative and in shifting environments
● Passionate about organisational mission and values
SUCCESS FACTORS
The successful candidate will be capable of multitasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence. S/he will be committed to empowering and strengthening high impact, sustainable social enterprises in the Arab world. An ability to work independently and prioritize different deliverables with strict deadlines is going to be paramount in making a success of this opportunity. Working with a diverse team across different locations will mean an ability to work effectively online with people in multiple time zones is a must. This is an exciting opportunity to join a committed and growing team at a pivotal point in our growth.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.