Financial Accounting & Reporting Manager

Farm Africa are pleased to be exclusively partnering with Robertson Bell in search of a new Financial Accounting & Reporting Manager to join our team on a permanent basis. Farm Africa works with farmers and communities in eastern Africa to reduce poverty by helping them to increase their incomes by growing and selling more whilst adapting to climate change and protecting the environment.

Reporting to the Head of Finance and managing one Finance Officer, this role will be responsible for ensuring the efficient and accurate processing of financial transactions for our UK operations, in addition to ensuring the integrity of financial information on Farm Africa’s group accounting system. They will manage the inter-country re-charging process and coordinate the month-end process with the countries.

The organisation:

Farm Africa works in DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural areas. We work closely with local communities, who actively participate in all the decisions about our work. Typically, our staff are from the local area, can speak the local language and have a deep understanding of the local context.

Farm Africa has an ambitious strategy and growth plan. To achieve our goals, we need to push boundaries, be creative with new and old solutions, and work flexibly, taking advantage of the most effective solutions with communities, private sector, civil society, and governments. This, in turn, is likely to lead to an increase in organisational complexity and the need for an ambitious, flexible and expert Finance team that can support it.

The role:

• Ensure timely and accurate accounting for all UK fundraising income, and all UK restricted grant income received in the UK.
• Manage the UK payments process, ensuring appropriate approval and accurate accounting for all expenditure.
• Ensure all balance sheet accounting is completed accurately, including posting accruals and prepayments, fixed asset depreciation, bank interest, and foreign exchange re-valuation of balance sheet accounts.
• Ensure full control of all balance sheet accounts – for UK accounts perform monthly reconciliations and ensure control accounts are cleared; for country accounts ensure that reconciliations have been completed satisfactorily by country Finance Managers.
• Manage the “month-end close” process and timetable, up to the point where all period postings are complete and the period is closed for countries.
• Ensure Farm Africa’s VAT accounting is accurate and that the organisation is maximising potential reclaimable VAT.
• Work as the co-lead with the Head of Finance for the annual audit and production of annual accounts.
• Manage the inter-country recharging process between the UK and countries.

The successful candidate will have:

• A full CCAB / CIMA Qualification is preferred. Part-qualified with significant experience as a Financial Accounting Manager will also be considered.  
• Experience working in the charity sector.
• Demonstrable experience of high-level MS Excel skills.
• Experience of line managing or supervising staff (Desirable).
• Sound knowledge of accounting principles, intercompany management and control.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to be effectively organised and deal with a demanding workload and conflicting priorities.
• Evidence of building strong working relationships with virtual teams and across cultural boundaries.

This position will be based officially at the head office in central London however flexible working will be on offer with two days a week required in the office. The closing date for applications is 20^th November, with first stage interviews taking place the week commencing 27^th November.

Applications will be under constant review before the closing date, so please submit your application to our exclusive search agent, Robertson Bell. Apply now to be considered!