Job Title: Head of Finance
No. of Positions: 1
Sector: Finance
Employment Category: Fixed Term
Employment Type: Full-Time
Contract Duration: One year, renewable
Open to Expatriates: No (Ghana nationals only)
Reports to: Executive Director
Start Date: October 2023, negotiable
Location: Accra, Ghana
Travel Requirement: Less than 10%
About us:
Youth Opportunity & Transformation in Africa (YOTA) is an ECOSOC-accredited NGO at the forefront of youth development policy, practice and research in Ghana. For more than 15 years, we have delivered tailored skills to young people, leading to improvements in their leadership, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and life planning skills. Through our service delivery, we have provided education, skills training, and technical support to thousands of youth and helped them transition to self and wage employment. Our research has contributed to filling the gap in youth data and the evidence base for public policy. And, we continue to use our national appeal and grassroots constituency, through our Voices of Youth Coalition, to advocate and campaign for youth-inclusive policies at all levels.
Purpose of the role:
As the Head of Finance, you will be a key member of the Senior Management Team at YOTA, leading on the financial administration function, and ensuring that the organisation’s financial management system is transparent, accountable and able to mitigate risks as it moves forward. The role will involve maintaining oversight of our income, cashflow, controls, and financial practices across donor funded projects and internally generated resources in compliance with national statutory requirements and international financial reporting standards. You will maintain oversight of financial planning and decision making, producing user friendly management and partner reports, and playing an active role in fundraising and proposal development with the aim of achieving long-term sustainability. With the support of a talented team of finance colleagues, you will also work closely with the programmes team to ensure that high quality project budgets are developed and managed in pursuit of maximising the organisation’s results-based focus.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee all finance management and accounting activities, including designing and implementing systems of financial control, budgeting and forecasting, management reporting, and donor reporting throughout the organisation;
- Oversee the effective performance and control of all financial management functions, including cash receipts, billing & accounts receivable, cash disbursements & accounts payable, payroll, general ledger, grant/contract invoicing, bank reconciliations, cashflow, and preparation of financial statements;
- Produce routine management reports, including financials and key metrics, to the Senior Management Team and Board of Directors, including other reporting as may be required,
- Develop systems for timely and accurate donor reporting that meet both donor and YOTA reporting requirements;
- Provide regular, timely and accessible information to the Senior Management Team to guide management decision making;
- Ensure that optimal prices are achieved for the procurement of all goods and services and take overall responsibility for stock control and cost controls across the organisation;
- Oversee the preparation of internal and external audits, review of audit reports, and implementation of audit recommendations;
- Ensure the timely and accurate fulfilment of all statutory reporting requirements, including audit, tax and company filing requirements, keeping up to date with relevant changes in statutory regulations, and making sure that these are incorporated into YOTA’s policies and procedures;
- Ensure that the highest levels of internal controls are in place, minimising the potential risk to YOTA’s assets by continuously monitoring standards and the adherence to them, and acting to improve internal controls as necessary; report serious or inconsistent anomalies;
- Provide guidance, coaching and mentoring to the finance team in the setting and achieving team goals; oversee team performance planning and appraisals;
- Perform other duties that may be required from time to time, including responsibilities which require work on weekends and holidays for which time off in lieu (TOIL) may be taken.
Person specification:
Education and Experience
- Must be a chartered accountant with relevant academic and professional qualifications;
- Minimum five years experience in a similar role, preferably within a not-for-profit organisation;
- Proven experience managing assets of more than GHS ¢2 million;
- Proven experience implementing relevant legislation and regulations related to taxation and pensions, as well as internationally accepted accounting standards;
- Proven experience preparing budgets and financial reports for international donor agencies and other development partners;
- Proven experience leading grants support, goods procurement, and contracts management, preferably in a not-for-profit environment;
- Proven experience with computerised accounting, and knowledge of QuickBooks multi-currency accounting software;
- Ability to support cross-organisational projects;
- Proven experience leading an effective finance team;
- Fluency in English required; working knowledge of local languages desired;
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications, and electronic communications.
Personal Attributes
- High integrity and strong attention to detail
- Strong financial, analytical and/or evaluative skills
- Proven ability to establish priorities and to plan, organise, coordinate and monitor own work plan and provide advice and supervision to others
- Resourcefulness, sound judgment and decision-making skills; demonstrated sound judgment in resolving issues/problems
- Excellent and effective communication and interpersonal skills, including ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with staff, project participants and partners, as well as others in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity
- High level of professional, people management and human relations skills
- Ability to initiate and complete assignments and to work under demanding circumstances with minimal supervision
- Independent working style, highly motivated and well-organised with the ability to work manage multiple tasks and projects at a time
- Professional demeanour; able to present a professional image of the organisation at all times.
Salary & benefits:
- Competitive salary structure
- Accra Cost of Living allowance
- 13th month salary
- Pension contributions
- Medical and dental cover
- Group Personal Accident cover
- Time off in lieu (TOIL)
- Annual leave
- Sick leave
- Parental leave (maternal and paternal)
- 2 weeks Christmas and New Year break
- Professional development initiatives
If you meet the aforementioned minimum requirements. You will be required to upload your updated CV and a cover letter. Be sure to highlight in the motivation letter how specifically you meet the qualifications, skills and experience requirements for this role. Due to capacity constraints, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
