Finance and Administration Officer

Job Description

Job Title Finance and Administration Manager
Project Name Pathways to Peace: Building Inclusive Governance and Social Cohesion
Job type Full-time employee
Location of Position Colombo, Sri Lanka
Reporting to Field Director
Remuneration In line with market rates.
Citizenship Sri Lankan residents
Language Requirements Fluent in English and one of Sri Lanka’s official languages (Tamil or Sinhala). Preference will be given to candidates who have general professional proficiency in more than one of the official languages.
Application Deadline August 15, 2025

Application Instructions:
1. A cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should effectively align your skills and experiences with the specific job responsibilities outlined in the position’s description, demonstrating your aptitude and enthusiasm for the role, your monthly gross salary expectation and current availability.
2. Click the “Apply now” link to up load your cover letter and CV (Curriculum Vitae).
3. Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.

Alinea is an international development consultancy providing technical and management expertise that helps people improve their lives. We work with governments, investors, companies, and communities to create lasting change. Over 38 years, Alinea has successfully delivered more than 1000 projects worldwide. alineainternational.com

Alinea International does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment and hiring process. All offers of employment or job opportunities with Alinea International that include any form of a request for payment of fees or collect information on bank accounts are fraudulent. Any requests for such payment or information should be refused and reported to your local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action and to Alinea International.

At Alinea International we value diversity, equity, inclusivity, accessibility and belonging in everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer opposed to all forms of discrimination. We actively seek and encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds recognizing that an inclusive workforce enriches our organization and achieves smarter, more innovative results.

Alinea is committed to the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Due to the nature of our work, all candidates will be subject to due diligence checks and extensive background checks where appropriate.

About the Project
Pathways to Peace: Building Inclusive Governance and Social Cohesion is a project funded by Global Affairs Canada (2024 – 2029) aimed at strengthening peace and reconciliation among and within religious, ethnic, and linguistic communities, particularly women and girls, facing systemic power imbalances driving conflict, fragility and insecurity in Sri Lanka. The project operates within
Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and supports the Government of Sri Lanka’s (GoSL) policies on inclusive governance and official languages as well as the country’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

The project consists of 3 intermediate outcomes as described below:
1100 Improved delivery of gender-responsive, inclusive, equitable and accountable public services that respond to the differential needs of women and girls, men and boys, and non-binary persons from diverse communities including LGBTQI+ persons; religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities; and persons with disabilities;
1200 Improved leadership and participation of women and women’s rights organizations in addressing conflict, fragility, and insecurity aligned with the United Nations’ WPS agenda; and
1300 Increased empowerment of civil society, communities and individuals, particularly women and girls and LGBTQI+ persons, to demand inclusive, equitable and accountable public services.

The Role
Based in Colombo, the Finance and Administration Manager (FAM) will report directly to the Field Director. The FAM will be responsible for the day-to-day financial management of the Project, and for administration of the project office under the supervision of the Field Director.

Functional Responsibilities:
Establish and maintain efficient Project office administrative systems such as information technology, communications, filing, travel, insurance and maintenance, staff attendance and leave administration, safety and security of employees and other personnel as per Alinea management guidelines and in consultation with the Field Director.

• Undertake procurement/purchasing activities for goods, equipment and services of technical experts, and ensuring all said experts have complied with the Alinea’s due diligence checks, comply with supplier selection procedures, purchasing process, equipment log maintenance, maintain all procurement files, and facilitate equipment hand-over process.
• Assist contracting process of the services of technical experts/sub-contractors and recruitment of local employees, ensuring fees and salaries reflect local market rates and value for money.
• Manage and coordinate maintenance of the office premises/ office equipment.
• Support and assist HQ to develop, document and implement financial systems in relation to the project office and project funds, in compliance with donor guidelines and internal policies established by Alinea.
• Manage Alinea’s local bank account and local registration requirements.
• Verify that project expenditures correspond with approved activities and budgets in Annual Work Plans.
• Prepare and submit monthly Financial Ledgers/Statements to HQ in a timely manner in approved formats; provide input to the preparation of other financial reports as required.
• Verify and pay supplier invoices, pay-roll, statutory/tax payments as per established internal controls and Sri Lankan tax laws.
• Audit all bank/cash payment vouchers including supporting documents as per company financial procedures.
• Calculate and pay monthly salaries of local staff and remit all statutory deductions.
• Maintain all financial operations related files including statutory obligations/payments and pay-roll related files and monthly, quarterly and annual returns.
• Report deviation of financial plans/ budgets, or other circumstances that may jeopardize the financial health of the Project with appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Support annual work planning and development of annual project budgets.
• Verify that annual and periodic budgets are realistic and that they comply with the Project approval documents, PIP, Annual Work plans, etc.
• Assist with preparation of annual and mid-year program budgets and budget tracking.
• Prepare monthly cash forecasts and request fund transfers from HQ and ensure sufficient funds are available in bank any given time.
• Prepare Budget Variance Reports/ Pipeline Analysis Reports etc (quarterly and annual) for internal management decision making, if required and requested.
• Manage Petty Cash funds according to Alinea’s procedures.
• Anticipate and identify risks and issues and address them with the Field Director in a timely and effective manner.
• Any other related responsibilities required to implement the project.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills Required

• University-level degree in commerce, finance, accounting, economics, business administration or a similar field.
• Preference given for a Master’s degree in one of the above-mentioned fields. Further training or certification in the field of auditing, accounting, financial software platforms, etc. is considered an asset.

Minimum Experience and Skills

• Minimum 10 years in financial management for international development projects.
• Proven experience in implementation of financial systems and management of budgets of at least 1 million Canadian dollars per year for donor-funded programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of international development finance requirements and accounting and financial reporting processes.
• Supervised and controlled expenditures, including accurate monthly and quarterly cash flow forecasts and account reconciliations.
• Development of financial and operational documents (templates, manuals, policy procedures, service contracts, etc.).
• Strong procurement skills and experience in coordination of calls, such as calls for proposals, calls for services, calls for grants or calls for technical experts.
• Experience working with donors such as Global Affairs Canada (GAC), USAID, FCDO, etc.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to handle complex situations requiring prioritization and timely delivery of services in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced English writing skills.
• Strong skills in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other IT tools such as SharePoint.