Context

This role supports our field teams to provide opportunities to some of the most vulnerable people in the world. You will work closely with the Finance Manager to manage the finances of the Enterprise and its subsidiaries and ensure the Enterprise is compliant with external and internal financial requirements.

The ideal candidate will be an intrinsically motivated, experienced bookkeeper or accountant with an eye for detail and a preference for autonomously managing their work. Experience with Xero and all the basics of operating a medium sized organisation’s finances is an essential requirement.  

This is a full-time role, you can live where you like and some international travel may be required.

Seefar values its relationship with the consultants who help us reach our social impact goals. High performers who align well with our organisational values are frequently offered extended or additional opportunities with us. This role could lead to further contracts,  including chances to contribute to organisational strategy and development, subject to financing and performance; we therefore particularly welcome applicants who have an interest in engaging with us for longer than the advertised period.

Job Description

We are a dynamic non-profit driven social enterprise with a mission to work with vulnerable people to build a better future. We specialise in justice, migration and social inclusion. Our expertise is in strategic communications, counselling, consulting, monitoring and evaluation, and research. We work in East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, North Africa, the Sahel and Europe. For more information about us, please visit https://seefar.org/about-us 

The Finance Officer will help the Enterprise manage its finances and financial systems, thereby ensuring that all personnel are supported to deliver our long-term vision and impact. 

Responsibilities

The following are the primary responsibilities of the role, with estimated allocations of time and attention.

Deliver: Financial Support to the Enterprise 

Approximately 70% of your time and attention:

• Operate Xero and other supporting applications and banking portals for day-to-day transactions and reports.
• Assist the Finance Manager with the delivery of monthly payments to all personnel, paying particular attention to project consultants and any changes to their payment parameters.
• Manage monthly reconciliations of all accounts and subsidiaries
• Manage expense claim processing and supplier payments
• Assist with maintaining required financial records and documents, including the fixed asset register, contracts, and benefits.
• Manage the billing and invoicing of project-related activities.
• Follow up on overdue invoices and outstanding advances with project teams.
• Add new suppliers to our financial systems and review bank information of personnel.
• Assist Project Managers with updating their  project budgets and assist with updating internal cashflow forecasts and enterprise budgets.
• Assist project teams to provide donors with project-related financial reporting and other insights.
• Contribute to project contract and HR management.
• Troubleshoot problems across our financial systems.
• Contribute to project startup, termination and coordination of project information feeding into our corporate reporting.
• Contribute to corporate, regulatory and governmental reporting as required by project funders and donors.
• Perform other tasks as required.

Deliver: Administrative Support to the Subsidiary Office

Approximately 20% of your time and attention:

• Assist in the administration and business functions of the subsidiary office, including overseeing and/or processing any forms and paperwork.
• Maintain required financial records and documents of the subsidiary office.
• Assist in overseeing, monitor, and reconcile accounts of the subsidiary office, update the Country Manager and Finance Manager on status as required.

Develop: Capabilities and Improvements to Financial Systems

Approximately 10% of your time and attention:

• Use your knowledge of the Enterprise’s operations and experience of administering financial services to recommend and implement improvements to our processes.

Lead: Global Management

• Represent and demonstrate the Enterprise’s values
• Cooperate with and support other areas of the Enterprise.

Working with Seefar

Current and former consultants have noted the points below as positive features of Seefar’s work environment and culture:

• The Enterprise combines entrepreneurialism with a focus on social impact.
• You work with highly diverse people and across a diversity of contexts.
• There is a high level of trust that supports you to work autonomously.
• The people in the Enterprise encourage innovation and experimentation.
• Achieving results is prioritised over rigid structures and workflows.
• You are never bored and always challenged.

Current and former consultants have noted the points below as negative features of Seefar’s work environment and culture:

• Collaborating with geographically dispersed teams requires flexibility and patience.
• Working remotely can make you feel isolated and so requires you to invest time in communication.
• Travel schedules can sometimes be heavy.
• A high-growth phase means problem-solving as the Enterprise’s systems evolve quickly.

An Excellent Candidate

To excel in this role, you will have the following experience and capacities:

• Extensive experience with Xero
• Able to manage the basics of all the financial and accounting processes of a medium sized organisation
• A desire to work autonomously and manage your own workload
• Complete fluency in English
• An educational background in financial administration and/or accounting. 
• A track record of working with, and supporting others, effectively. 
• Motivated by an Enterprise performance framework focused on social impact.
• Engage in sharing new ideas to improve current processes.

To Apply for this Role

On or before 31 July 2021, complete our online application form. Before you start, you should do the following:

Confirm you meet these minimum requirements:

1. Extensive experience with Xero
2. Able to manage the basics of all the financial and accounting processes of a medium sized organisation
3. An educational background in financial administration and/or accounting. 
4. Complete oral and written fluency English. 

Prepare a CV in Word or PDF format. You will upload this in our online application form.

In Word or PDF format, prepare an introductory letter that includes only the following. You will upload this in our online application form:

1. One paragraph explaining your motivation in applying for this role, and how your skills and experience are suited to the role. 
2. One paragraph outlining the key challenges in financial administration that a small-medium organisation is likely to face as it grows rapidly.You
3. Your salary expectation for this role