Room to Read Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children, Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality through education. We are achieving this goal by helping children in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading, and by supporting girls as they build life skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions. We collaborate with governments and other partner organizations to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. Room to Read has benefited more than 39 million children and has worked in 23 countries and in more than 182,000 communities, providing additional support through remote solutions that facilitate learning beyond the classroom. Room to Read aims to benefit 40 million children by 2025.
Responsibilities:
- Lead, provide guidance and manage the Country Finance & Accounting Team.
- Ensure timely completion of all accounting & finance activities, such as regular accounting entries, closing the monthly & yearly accounts within deadline, monthly cash forecast, quarterly budget forecast, annual budgeting, etc.
- Ensure adequate internal controls are in place and organisational resources appropriately safeguarded.
- Train team members in Accounting Concepts, Internal Controls, RTR policies, financial analysis/reporting and country’s legal requirements.
- In collaboration with the Program Operations Director, oversee the development, approval and implementation of the CO’s annual budget and quarterly forecast in collaboration with the Country Management Team; and provide monthly updates as to actual performance vs budget.
- As a member of the Country Management Team and in coordination with the Global Office counterparts, ensure all finance and accounting activities are consistent with the global strategic plan and annual budget.
- Establish a framework for financial analysis and reporting on a regular basis that meets CO and Global Office requirements.
- Provide insightful analytics to help the Country Director and Country Management team make impactful decisions regarding program implementation opportunities.
- Establish and implement short- and long-range departmental goals, objectives, policies and operating procedures for the CO.
- Collaborate with other departments for monthly cash forecast with Implementation Calendar, streamline quarterly forecasting process and involve other departments in the development of budgets.
- Develop, analyse and make recommendations relating to global and local financial policies, procedures and controls to ensure effective and efficient financial operations.
- Maintain adequate records related to bookkeeping, expenses, funds, partnership ventures, that are accurate, substantiated, up to date, sufficiently detailed and prepared for random spot checks by internal audit functions.
- Advise the Country Director and Country Management team on all probable risk situations and implications thereof regularly.
- Ensure internal processes are adhered to before releasing of payments.
- Track and monitor program expenditures against grant funding and provide timely and accurate information to CO Programs Manager, Country Manager and GO Development Team.
- Support Peoples Operations in the areas of retirement fund, staff related insurance and other payroll related benefits.
- Review and recommend documents related to financial commitment as and when required.
- Guide the Finance and Accounting Officer to create and manage billing processes (accounts payable/receivable), make timely payment of advances and corresponding retirements.
- Process changes in Finance & Accounting Policy Manual (FAPM) every year to ensure local administrative requirements are met.
- Set up and maintain adequate in-country financial records in accordance with government regulations and/or agreements, if required.
- Comply with RtR Financial and other policies and establish reliable internal control procedures.
- Issue staff and program related reimbursements in a timely manner and in accordance with applicable internal guidelines.
- Undertake field visits to validate systems and procedures followed, comment on data integrity and train partner/community on applicable accounting and reporting skills.
- Lead and/or participate in projects that have departmental, cross-departmental, regional or global impact, such as projects on Cost Analysis, etc.
- Ensure all relevant Government Acts, Rules, and Regulations like provision of taxation, Value Added Tax etc, as applicable to Room to Read are followed. Identify and monitor risks relating to legal and statutory compliances.
- As a management team member provide inputs towards strategic decision making for the CO.
- Ensure compliance with CO agreements with the Government Authorities at various levels regarding financial matters.
- Prepare highlights of key business indicators for the organization’s annual report, if any.
- Implement relevant accounting standards, audit standards and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and maintain current knowledge and understanding of accounting and tax regulations, laws, industry trends, practices.
- Implement all Financial and Accounting Policy Manual (FAPM), Peoples Operations Resources and Administrative guidelines to the extent applicable.
- Make relevant reports to Government, Global Office and Country Director in timely and precise manner.
- Ensure compliance with OFAC & SAM regulations as it applies to RTR.
- Represent Room to Read at relevant meetings and occasionally assist in hosting key donor visits.
- Coordinate internal audits, external/statutory audits and audits of Implementing Partners where applicable.
- Collaborate with Global Field Finance and Accounting team to identify reputable audit firm and make arrangements for CO audit, if required.
- Ensure that financial issues and gaps in systems as highlighted in the internal and external audit are addressed.
- Any other Accounting and Finance related tasks as advised by the Country Director and/or Global Office.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Demonstrable financial planning and accounting skills (a written test forms part of the interview process).
- Qualified CPA, CA, CGMA, CIMA, ACCA/SAIPA/Post Graduate degree in finance or accounting.
- A minimum of seven to ten years of professional experience in the finance & accounting department, of which five years in a management position, either in a for-profit or a non-profit organisation.
- Experience in successful implementation of a wide range of responsibilities in a prior financial services position.
- Knowledge of financial, legal and tax regulations to comply with in South Africa, especially those pertaining to not-for-profit organizations.
- Must be able to see through all department cycles from processing a transaction to management reporting.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
- Working knowledge of accounting and/or financial management software and MS Office applications.
Preferred:
- Experience in developing and/or implementing standard operating procedures, staff training modules, rolling out new accounting system, internal audit and grant management & reporting.
- Strong commitment to team management approach, including good managerial, leadership, supervisory, interpersonal, and negotiating skills.
- Proven capacity to interact and negotiate with international partners, government officials, corporate partners and grassroots partners.
- Good reasoning ability and sound judgment.
- Very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
- Strong work ethic, take initiative, and require minimal direction.
- Cross-cultural management experiences.
To be successful as a member of the Room to Read team, you will also:
- Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact an up-and-coming non-profit organization.
- Be an innovative and creative thinker; you’re not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so.
- Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
- Have a strong work ethic and require minimal direction.
- Work well independently as well as part of a team.
- Thrive in a fast-paced and fun environment.
Compensation:
Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits including 13th month bonus, pension fund, medical aid and staff professional development. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is transforming the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.
Room to Read is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. Room to Read is a child-safe organization; all personnel are expected to adhere to Room to Read’s Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Code of Conduct.
Location(s): South Africa – Main – Pretoria
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