Finance Officer

About the position

The successful candidate will be a finance professional with experience of working in an international setting. Strong interpersonal skills, attention to detail, flexibility and team playing are essential requirements as the post holder will offer broad support across various finance tasks – including in relation to internal financial reporting, donor reporting and financial monitoring of grants to partners.  This is an exciting opportunity to become part of a growing, highly regarded organisation doing incredible work around the world.

Responsibilities 

Program Finance – supporting the Program Finance Manager to:

• Monitor financial aspects of Freedom Fund grants to partners.

• Assist in commissioning and reviewing partner due diligence assessments.

• Support with monitoring the completion of actions resulting from due diligence assessments of new partners.

• Assist in reviewing partners budgets.

• Review quarterly partner finance reports to ensure these are completed accurately and are compliant with Freedom Fund reporting requirements.

• Prepare and post the journal for partner expenditure into FF finance system (Microsoft Business Central).

• Reconcile partner expenditure balance sheet accounts.

• Maintain program finance information in the grant management system (currently held in Access, transitioning soon to Salesforce). 

• Assist in commissioning and reviewing partner financial reviews.

• Participate in coordination meetings between Finance and Programs teams. 

• Support the assessment of partner financial risk, including maintaining the partner risk summary table and dashboard.

Compliance and Reporting – supporting the Senior Financial Reporting and Compliance Manager to:

• Help monitor compliance with internal policies and procedures across the organisation.

• Help build the capacity of partners in relation to their understanding of Freedom Fund and donor standards/grant conditions (particularly US Government)

• Help to build the capacity of the staff, increasing awareness of key compliance requirements and embedding compliance within organisational culture.

• Ensure the accurate recording of restricted funding within the accounting system.

• Help produce donor budgets and reports. 

• Help produce Freedom Fund departmental budgets and management accounts. 

Other Support for the Finance team 

• Design and implement ad-hoc reports as required

• Assist with donor and year end statutory audits.

• Perform monthly reconciliations between the grant management system (Salesforce) and the accounting system (Microsoft Business Central)

• Assist with month-end balance sheets reconciliations and other related month end tasks

• Help develop and maintain financial guidelines, templates, systems, and procedures as required. 

• Help ensure a strong financial control environment, ensuring accounting records are complete and accurate

• Provide cover for other Finance team members, as required.

• Any other duties commensurate with the post as requested by the Senior Financial Reporting and Compliance Manager.

Qualifications and experience

Essential

• Advanced Excel skills and strong general IT skills.

• Experience working in the Finance department of an International NGO or local NGO funded by international grants.

• Excellent verbal and written communication in English.

• Experience working with multiple currencies.

Personal attributes

Essential

• Thoroughness and strong attention to detail.

• Proven ability to produce work with a high degree of accuracy.

• Flexible, “can-do” attitude.

• Demonstrates confidence and tenacity in interactions with people in other teams and/or organisations.

• Willing to suggest improvements in current processes that will increase efficiency and/or effectiveness.

• Ability to work independently, displaying strong initiative and tenacity in solving day-to-day problems.

• Strong organisational skills and efficient time management, ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.

• Team player committed to the Freedom Fund’s values.

• Ability to build relationships with a wide range of individuals from diverse backgrounds