The Senior Specialist — Finance & Accounting serves as the primary day to day operational finance lead for the Area Office, under the direction of the Finance Director. The role is responsible for the full spectrum of financial operations, from transactional processing and statutory compliance through to budgeting, donor reporting, and audit management. Acting as a trusted thought partner to the Finance Director, the incumbent drives financial discipline, strengthens internal controls, and ensures the Area Office operates in full compliance with HFHI policies, donor requirements, and applicable law. The role directly leads two staff members and plays an active role in building finance capability across the Area Office.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Accounting & Reporting
- Own the integrity of the general ledger and the month-end and year-end close cycles — including journal entries, accruals, prepayments, and balance sheet reconciliations — delivered on time against HFHI’s global financial calendar.
- Prepare annual statutory financial statements and maintain donor grant-specific account reconciliations, fund balance schedules, and intercompany entries on a monthly basis.
- Administer Workday ERP processes, including chart of accounts integrity, workflow configuration, system-generated reporting, and first-line user support.
Accounts Payable, Payroll & Treasury
- Ensure all procurement transactions are accurately budget-coded, fully documented, and processed in compliance with HFHI’s procurement and financial controls framework, working in close collaboration with the Office Operations Coordinator.
- Manage end-to-end accounts payable — from invoice verification and approval workflows through to payment scheduling and quarterly vendor statement reconciliations — ensuring full compliance with HFHI procurement standards.
- Partner with HR to ensure accurate, on-time payroll processing, timesheet approvals, and correct payroll allocation in the financial system.
- Oversee staff travel advance management, including timely liquidation, expense report review for accuracy and allowability, and maintenance of an aged advance report.
- Maintain day to day control over petty cash and Area Office liquidity, including regular cash counts, HQ cash request submissions, and active management of banking relationships to ensure timely and sufficient operational funding.
Budget Management & Financial Analysis
- Support the Area Office budgeting cycle — from annual fiscal year budget preparation through to monthly Budget vs. Actuals (BvA) reporting — providing clear variance analysis and forward-looking commentary to support management decision-making.
- Drive the forecasting process in partnership with the Finance Director, proactively identifying budget risks and recommending corrective action.
- Support the Resource Development team in developing and reviewing project proposal budgets, realignments, and cost extensions, ensuring financial accuracy and donor compliance.
Audit, Compliance & Tax
- Serve as the Area Office lead for all internal, external, and donor audits — coordinating schedules, audit document request lists, and management responses — while maintaining audit-ready documentation and tracking remediation of findings to closure.
- Manage all statutory tax obligations, including withholding tax, and corporate income tax filings, and proactively monitor legislative changes to keep internal processes current and compliant.
- Enforce the financial authority matrix across all transactions and documentation, ensuring every payment and commitment is appropriately authorised before processing.
Grants Management & National Office Support
- Lead end-to-end grants management for Area Office-administered grants, partnering with Grants Officers and the Project Lead on sub-grantee oversight, donor compliance, and financial reporting.
- Co-host monthly Budget vs. Actuals review meetings with the Project Lead to track grant performance and drive timely corrective action.
- Coordinate with the Regional Finance Manager to ensure National Office fund requests are submitted accurately and on time to HQ and Global Fundraising Network Offices.
- Provide technical grants and compliance support to National Offices, including review of financial submissions and practical guidance on donor requirements.
- Maintain a well-organised, audit-ready filing system — electronic and physical — for all grants and financial records across the Area Office.
Controls, Process Improvement & People Leadership
- Drive finance process improvements with the Finance Director and strengthen internal controls through effective SOPs, segregation of duties, and embedded anti-fraud and safeguarding practices.
- Identify, design, and implement finance process improvements in collaboration with the Finance Director, translating operational insights into more efficient and scalable ways of working.
- Build financial literacy across the Area Office by providing practical guidance and orientation to non-finance staff on policies, procedures, and compliance expectations.
- Lead, mentor, and develop the direct reports setting clear performance expectations and fostering a motivated, high-performing team.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s in finance/accounting (or equivalent), related degree.
- CPA, ACCA, or equivalent professional qualification.
- Minimum 8 years of progressive finance and accounting experience, with at least 3 years in a senior/specialist role, preferably within an international NGO or donor-funded environment.
Preferred Requirements
- Experience with ERP systems (Workday preferred).
- Prior experience in an international NGO or donor-funded environment.
- Demonstrated experience managing grants from institutional donors (e.g., UN Agencies, BMZ, Adaptation Fund, or similar).
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