Senior Finance Associate at Teaching at the Right Level Africa

Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa is a new high-profile initiative jointly led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and the Indian Education NGO Pratham. TaRL Africa works to improve basic reading and arithmetic skills of children on the African continent and aims to reach 3 million children in the next five years. Key countries of operation include Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Zambia.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Process accounts payable including invoices, RFPs, and travel expense reports.
• Interact with vendors to answer questions and resolve issues.
• Assist Country Managers and Operations Director with assembling annual budgets and forecasts in accordance with the annual planning cycle for country and central offices.
• Consolidate finances and produce monthly, quarterly, and annual financial management information and reports across all TaRL Africa offices.
• Monitor and organize spending and reporting for external donors. Possibly provide support in developing grant budgets.
• Monitor cash position including preparation of remittance requests on a timely basis.
• Prepare monthly payroll and mid-month payments.
• Coordinate internal and external audits and ensure that audit recommendations are implemented.
• Assist with planning travel, securing venues, ordering catering, and working closely with event organizers for domestic and international events and travel.
• Support the Operations Director in analysis of finances, managing procurement, and logistics services across all TaRL Africa offices to maintain operational efficiency.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• A Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Management, or related field preferred.
• Must be a holder of CPA (K) or ACCA or equivalent.
• 5 years of total accounting or finance experience.
• Significant experience working with external auditors, internal controls and compliance-related issues in a non-profit setting.
• At least three years’ experience in a similar position in an international non-profit organisation in financial management, receiving revenue from donors such as government agencies, private foundations, and corporations.

Required Minimum Skills and Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to collaborate and work with others, create trusted client relationships and move between senior stakeholders and more tactical operations.
• Excellent business writing and communication skills; can effectively communicate and be comfortable both in the academic world and in a dynamic fast-growing implementing organization. Proficiency in French is a plus.
• Ability to think critically and analytically, identify and troubleshoot potential issues.
• Proven ability to anticipate, plan, prioritize, and meet tight deadlines; demonstrated ability to efficiently organize and manage a high volume of work.
• Excellent Excel skills and working knowledge of Salesforce, or equivalent financial systems.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to maintain high quality output with absolute accuracy.
• Interest in children’s learning and education.
• Experience working internationally; Africa experience is an added advantage.