Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

World University Service of Canada - is a leading Canadian non-profit organization in international development, committed to building a more equitable and sustainable world. We work with a unique and powerful network of post-secondary institutions, private-sector partners and volunteers to provide education, employment and empowerment opportunities that imp...

Responsibilities or duties

The DREEM Senior Finance Officer, Pan-Africa supports finance functions for the DREEM Project, whose responsibilities include internal controls, accounting database management, staff training, budget and cash management functions.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Month End Close-Out:

• Lead the monthly close-out process, transaction review & data entry, reconciliations, adjusting journal entries, financial reporting and review & sign off.

Internal Controls & Compliance:

• Enforce financial control measures to safeguard WUSC assets against fraud and mismanagement.
• Ensure that all transactions and reporting meet local regulatory laws and donor/funder requirements.
• Review payments for completeness and adherence to policies and procedures.

Cashflow Management:

• Project cash flow, manage revenue, and develop budgetary projections to support Cash Transfer Requests from Headquarters.
• Develop frameworks that minimize foreign exchange risks,

Audit & Compliance:

• Support internal and external audits by organising documentation, preparing audit trails, and following up on findings.

Variance Analysis :

• Conduct regular, granular comparisons of actual expenditures versus approved budgets.
• Identify and investigate budget variances, creating financial models to forecast future funding needs

Cross-Functional Support:

• Provide technical support and financial training to non-finance staff to improve their budget-holding capabilities and internal control adherence

Financial Reporting & Accounting:

• Prepare monthly management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and financial statements.
• Ensure adherence to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Team Leadership & Cross Functional Support:

• Supervise, mentor, and build the capacity of junior finance staff while training non-finance teams on financial policies and procedures

Duties and priorities may be adjusted in line with programme needs, donor requirements, and team structure, provided they remain consistent with the role’s purpose and level.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance; a Master’s degree is preferred.

Professional Qualification:

• Professional accounting qualification such as CPA(K) or ACCA is required; membership in good standing with ICPAK is preferred.

Experience needed

Experience :

• A minimum of 5–7 years of progressive experience in accounting, auditing of financial management within an international NGO setting.

Donor Knowledge:

• Experience with institutional donors is essential

Financial Expertise:

• Proficiency in budget development, monitoring, and financial reporting, including staff salary allocation and cost-sharing

Risk Mitigation:

• Ability to identify compliance risks, conduct audits, and ensure adherence to internal policies and donor requirements.

Communication & Training:

• Strong written skills for reporting and interpersonal skills for training staff on compliance requirements.

Technical Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics, Netsuite, SAGE)
• Experience preparing for and coordinating external/internal audits.
• Fluent in English, French Language skills preferred
• Strong organizational skills, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

• Lead the monthly close-out process, transaction review & data entry, reconciliations, adjusting journal entries, financial reporting and review & sign off.
• Enforce financial control measures to safeguard WUSC assets against fraud and mismanagement.
• Ensure that all transactions and reporting meet local regulatory laws and donor/funder requirements.
• Review payments for completeness and adherence to policies and procedures.
• Project cash flow, manage revenue, and develop budgetary projections to support Cash Transfer Requests from Headquarters.
• Develop frameworks that minimize foreign exchange risks,
• Support internal and external audits by organising documentation, preparing audit trails, and following up on findings.
• Conduct regular, granular comparisons of actual expenditures versus approved budgets.
• Identify and investigate budget variances, creating financial models to forecast future funding needs
• Provide technical support and financial training to non-finance staff to improve their budget-holding capabilities and internal control adherence
• Prepare monthly management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and financial statements.
• Ensure adherence to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
• Supervise, mentor, and build the capacity of junior finance staff while training non-finance teams on financial policies and procedures

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Experience using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics, Netsuite, SAGE)
• Experience preparing for and coordinating external/internal audits.
• Fluent in English
• French Language skills preferred
• Strong organizational skills, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance; a Master’s degree is preferred.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CPA(K) or ACCA is required; membership in good standing with ICPAK is preferred.
• A minimum of 5–7 years of progressive experience in accounting, auditing of financial management within an international NGO setting.
• Experience with institutional donors is essential
• Proficiency in budget development, monitoring, and financial reporting, including staff salary allocation and cost-sharing
• Ability to identify compliance risks, conduct audits, and ensure adherence to internal policies and donor requirements.
• Strong written skills for reporting and interpersonal skills for training staff on compliance requirements.