Mastercard Foundation is a global foundation based in Toronto, Canada with several offices in Africa. Our programs promote financial inclusion and advance education and learning in Africa, primarily for young people, and in Canada for Indigenous youth. The Foundation was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. From inception, the Foundation was designed to be a separate entity and independent from Mastercard. Our policies, operations, and funding decisions are made by our President and Board of Directors.

The Foundation believes that youth employment is key to unlocking prosperity, both for youth and their societies. Enabling young women and men from disadvantaged communities to secure dignified and fulfilling work will ensure inclusive development and economic growth in Africa.

Values are timeless, they transcend and rise above all. They guide everything we do, as employees of the Foundation. We share a common vision of a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. We make mistakes, we reflect, and we grow so that we can impact our world – it’s why we are here. We are ambitious and driven. We encourage you to bring your bold ideas, curiosity, and expertise to your work. We laugh at ourselves and with each other. We are a team. Our journey together makes our impact even more meaningful.

We have entered a very exciting time at the Foundation as we scale up our operations across Africa to realize our Young Africa Works strategy. If you are an experienced Accounting professional ready to build something new and increase your impact, read on!

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Accounting Lead based in Toronto, with a day to day reporting to the Head of Finance & Accounting in the regional office, the Accountant will work closely with the Accounting team as well as with other departments within the Foundation to support the day to day activities as well as aspects of month-end and year-end closing. A key aspect of this role will be to improve the efficiency of the Accounting team’s processes using technology.

In addition to supporting day to day accounting activities, this role will also support the Head of Finance and Accounting with building the accounting and operations infrastructure in the regional hub as part of a multi-year growth strategy. This will include supporting the development of our systems, procedures and internal processes and helping to manage our relationships with external parties such as our bank and the local tax authorities.

As the scope and scale of our work in Africa grows, the Accounting team structure and processes will also change. Your ability to be flexible and adaptable, and your willingness to support wherever needed, are critical to our joint success.

Ways You Can Contribute

• Record accounts payable transactions.
• Review and process staff expense reports.
• Train new staff in how to submit invoices and prepare expense reports.
• Engage in all aspects of month-end and year-end closing processes including preparing and reviewing general ledger journal entries, account analysis and management reporting.
• Assist in development and implementation of new processes and internal control policies.
• Support external audits including preparation of working papers.
• Assist in compilation of working papers for tax compliance including statutory direct and indirect tax filings and audits.
• Support other departments with financial and accounting issues.
• Work closely with team members to advance team goals and help meet deliverables.
• Perform ad hoc projects and/or duties as required.

Who You Are

• Degree or diploma in Accounting.
• Minimum three (3) years of post-graduate experience in an Accounting role.
• Working knowledge of technical accounting practices and experience in developing reports.
• Solid understanding of accounting and reporting software. Experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP, Prophix, and Concur would be an asset.
• High level of proficiency with current technology including; Microsoft Office, with an emphasis on Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Excellent business and financial analytical skills.
• Excellent planning, prioritization and time management skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to be flexible and adaptable.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Proactive, engaged and a self-starter.
• Detail-oriented and process-driven with a demonstrated ability to consistently and effectively produce high quality work.
• Strong written and spoken communication skills in English required.
• Professional demeanor, sensitivity with different cultures and impeccable integrity.
• Excellent initiative and possess a “take charge” attitude and sense of ownership.
• You are flexible, adaptable, and able to execute a range of job duties and changing priorities.
• You possess excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate information to a variety of constituents across cultures.
• You possess professional maturity, sensitivity with different cultures, and impeccable integrity that exemplify the Foundation’s values.