Finance Operations Specialist

Job Description

Summary of Key Functions

Statutory compliance

• Prepare country statutory accounts (including engaging and coordinating any statutory auditors, as required)
• Responsible for employer tax compliance and facilitation with local authorities
• File local taxes and responsible for compliance for VSO, staff and volunteers in country
• Implement appropriate balance sheet controls and perform monthly reconciliations
• Timely input/submissions for group statutory audit

Financial management / operations

• Responsible for payroll processing, payment and reporting (internal & external)
• Cash management including relationship with the bank, managing bank mandate and authorisations, bank reconciliations, petty cash and adequate control framework around cash, and cash flow forecasting
• Implement mobile phone cash when applicable
• Work in collaboration with grant specialists to ensure advances to partners, staff members and volunteers are in compliance with the policies including timely settlement
• Responsible for invoice and payment processing for non-grant related transactions
• Work in collaboration with grant specialists on creditor aging to ensure timely settlement
• Ensure system in place to ensure appropriate expenditure and payment documentation, filing and management
• Work in close collaboration with the grant specialists on debtor management when related to grants.
• Complete month close procedures within global timelines with high accuracy
• Responsible for ensuring consistent VSO financial controls are in place in country, and operating effectively; test and review these on a regular basis
• Input in organisational systems and processes reviews fostering continuous learning and improvement
• Working collaboratively with global finance team contributing to strengthen financial management system in VSO

Risk Management

• Work with Country Director and Project Implementation Lead to ensure key financial risks are identified and mitigation plans are in place
• When considered necessary, ensure relevant insurance coverage is in place to mitigate risks (either through local or coordinated group/global cover)
• Be a focal point in preparation and coordination for internal audits (scheduled or unscheduled audit requests), work with other country teams for their support
• Conduct fraud prevention and detection training of all local teams
• Ensure all suppliers, partners and donors are compliance (anti-terrorism) checked before work proceeds with those organisations

• Collaboration Build effective cross-functional working with all other teams, especially the grant specialists and project implementation team in country and the finance team globally. Ensuring professional financial service delivery in compliance with VSO policies and procedures and local laws and regulations. Working effectively with global finance teams to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Build a business partnering relationship with the country director and project implementation lead
• Provide financial expertise, guidance and strategic financial inputs to ensure country activities are financially appropriate and represent value for money.

About the Organization

VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers. Our vision is a world without poverty in which people work together to fulfil their potential. We bring people together to share skills, creativity and learning to build a fairer world. VSO welcomes volunteers from an ever increasing range of countries, backgrounds and ages. National agencies in Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands and the Philippines recruit volunteers from many different countries worldwide and this international approach allows us to combine and learn from a rich variety of perspectives. Tackling Disadvantage at "Grass Roots" Level Ours is a very individual "people to people" approach to development. Instead of sending food or money, we send women and men from a wide range of professions who want the chance to make a real difference in the fight against poverty. These volunteers work in partnership with colleagues and communities to share skills and learning and jointly achieve change. But we have to be realistic in our expectations. We commit to long-term development goals and long-term partnerships and focus on sustainable development rather than the short-term relief of certain problems. VSO also works to address the structural inequalities and barriers that prevent people from exercising their rights. We use our experience and our supporter networks to work for changes in policy and practice - rich and poor countries - that reduce disadvantage. VSO is by far the largest independent volunteer-sending agency in the world. Since 1958, we have sent out more than 29,000 volunteers to work in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific region and, more latterly, Eastern Europe in response to requests from our overseas partners. At the moment we have around 1,500 people working in placements in these regions. Shared Partnerships, Shared Benefits You only have to talk to VSO volunteers to realise that they gain from their experience, personally or professionally, as much as they contribute. Many will enthuse how fascinating it was to explore a different culture at first hand. Others will point to the friendships they have made. But many will also tell you how their professional talents have been stretched, and how they have learnt new skills that will significantly enhance their career prospects on their return home. If ever it was true that "you get out what you put in", VSO is proof positive. This experience makes volunteers passionate in challenging misconceptions about developing countries. In the current climate, it is more urgent than ever that we work to achieve a global community where people of all cultures are seen as equal, learn from each other and share a common sense of rights and responsibilities as global citizens. VSO builds on this experience and passion to support a range of global education activity. To find out more about volunteering with or supporting VSO visit our website at www.vso.org.uk