Accounting & Finance Manager, Zambia
Organization Profile:
Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.
We are non-governmental, non-religious and work with many local NGOs and community based organizations to implement our programs. We currently work in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia – countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. Since our inception, Room to Read’s worldwide team has impacted over 5 million children by constructing more than 1,400 schools, establishing over 11,000 libraries, publishing 550 new children’s book titles in 22 local languages, and putting over 10,000 girls onto long-term, holistic scholarships.
Room to Read has an annual budget of approximately US$38 million and our global staff numbers over 420. Our global headquarters is located in San Francisco, and we have smaller fundraising offices in Delhi, New York, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Sydney, and Tokyo. We have an Asia Regional Office located in New Delhi, a Southern Africa Regional Office in Pretoria, and program offices in Colombo, Dhaka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kathmandu, Lusaka, New Delhi, Pretoria, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and we are setting up operations and hiring staff for a new office in Tanzania.
Position Overview:
The AFM will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the organization’s finances and accounting initiatives. The position will report directly to the Country Director and will have regular interactions with all staff.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
- Work with the Country Director and Program Director to create, implement and analyze financial budgets and forecasts, ensuring alignment with program strategies and headquarter requirements
- Maintain adequate records related to bookkeeping, expenses, funds, partnership ventures, that are at all times accurate, substantiated, up to date, sufficiently detailed and prepared for random spot checks by internal audit functions
- Prepare and submit all financial reporting documents required in a precise and timely manner for eg. forecasting cash needs on a monthly basis, maintaining required bank balances, processing wire transfers, completing detailed expense reports, completing monthly accounting report, etc.
- Support the Country Management Team (CMT) & program department in the management, analysis and implication of financial and relevant program data based on available records and reports.
- Advise the Country Director and CMT on all probable risk situations and implications thereof regularly.
- Legal matters and related responsibilities.
- Coordinate internal audits, external audits and audits of Partners where applicable. And also hire auditors where necessary.
- To review and recommend documents related financial commitment.
- Ensure timely closure of all audit observations.
- Guide the Accounting Associate to create and manage billing processes (accounts payable/receivable).
- Develop deviation to Finance & Accounting Policy Manual (FAPM) in line with local administrative requirements as needed.
- Set up and maintain adequate in-country financial reporting in accordance with government regulations if required.
- Manage Room to Read’s legal compliance in Zambia; navigate procedures for expansion and complying with all applicable statutes, governmental standards, requirements, and regulations
- Prepare relevant financial reports as and when necessary
- 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. Discharge responsibility in coordination with RO/GO teams
- Line Manage and Supervise the Country Finance Team and train the Accounting Associates in Accounting Concepts, Internal Controls, & RTR policies.
- Undertake field visits (e.g. those related to construction and partner NGO’s that we fund to do our work) to validate systems and procedures followed, comment on data integrity and train partner/community on applicable accounting and reporting skills.
- Any other Accounting and Finance related tasks as advised by the Country Director.
Qualifications:
Required:
- Post Graduate/Advance degree in finance or accounting
- A minimum of five years of professional experience in a financial management position
- Experience in successful implementation of a wide range of responsibilities in a prior financial services position
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
Preferred:
- CIMA/ACCA/CPA/CA qualified
- 3-5 years related accounting experience in a managerial position, preferably in an INGO
- Experience developing and/or implementing large-scale literacy initiatives
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 a dynamic nonprofit 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. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, fun, and rapidly growing organization that is changing the world through literacy and gender equality in education.
Application Procedure:
Interested and suitably qualified candidates must be Zambian Nationals and need to send their CVs and letters of motivation by e-mail to constance.pola@roomtoread.org. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by Room to Read. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.
Room to Read is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing
the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds.