Programme Finance Accountant

Job Title: Programme Finance Accountant

Company: Self Help Africa

Location: Based in Dublin with an element of overseas travel

Contract type: Permanent (full-time)

Hours: 37.5 hours Monday – Friday

Reports to: Programme Finance Global Coordinator

Organisation overview:

About Self Help Africa & United Purpose

In late 2021 Self Help Africa (SHA) and United Purpose (UP) merged. The two organisations – one headquartered in Ireland and the other in Wales – implement projects to end extreme hunger and poverty.

This merger doubled our size and reach – and means that in 2022 we are implementing poverty eradication projects in 17 countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Collectively, we are also part of a group that includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, TruTrade and Cumo Microfinance.

In 2022 our work will reach more than six million people and invest upwards of €45m in more than 100 development programmes designed to improve food systems, facilitate access to markets and financial services, combat climate change, gender inequality, and improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

This is an exciting time to join us as we unite two like-minded and entrepreneurial organisations seeking to tackle the global challenges in progressive and innovative ways.

Job Purpose:

The Programme Finance Accountant will provide financial oversight and support to country offices that they has responsibility for. They will also work closely with the Programme Finance Global Coordinator to improve the quality of systems of financial control and reporting in the Organisation’s country offices by identifying and taking steps to improve current weaknesses while capacity building local finance staff in the performance of their responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support and train country office finance staff including, but not limited to, areas such as:
  • Preparation of management accounts
  • Filing systems & documentation
  • Risk registers, fixed asset registers
  • Year End procedures and preparation for audit
  • Compliance with the Organisation’s procedures & policies
  • Compliance with donor procedures & policies
  • Use of accounting software and Salesforce
  • Donor reporting
• Review of monthly management accounts and cash requests in conjunction with relevant Programme Support Officer including review call with heads of finance and head of programmes.
• Review and approval of all financial reporting to donors
• Review of proposal budgets ensuring cost recovery guidelines and donor rules are adhered to.
• Maintenance of master data and budget data in ERP
• Assist in the update of standard finance procedures.
• Ensure ERP user guide is kept up to date and circulated to all finance staff.
• Assist in identifying training needs of finance staff.
• Provide training to finance staff in partner oversight procedures, including internal control audit, transaction testing.
• Assist in the development of finance functions within Salesforce.
• Provide ad hoc assistance to the Programme Finance Global Coordinator and Global Financial Controller as required.

Key Relationships:

Internal

• Programme Finance Global Coordinator
• Global Financial Controller
• Heads of Finance and Administration
• CFOO and Finance team
• Programme team, HQ and country office

External

• Auditors
• Donors
• Partner organisations – finance and management teams

Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements

Essential

• Minimum six years practical experience, of which three years is at a senior level, preferably in a mid to large international NGO
• Internationally recognised Accounting Qualification (CA, ACA, CIMA, CPA)
• Strong technical skills and up to date knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
• Experience in project accounting, planning, budgeting and writing financial reports.
• Experience in audit, cost control and financial decision making.
• Ability and willingness to travel overseas.

Desirable

• Experience of working with and accounting for donor funds, such as USAID, EU, DFID, ECHO, GIZ
• Exposure to humanitarian work
• Experience working in the NGO sector an advantage, but not essential