Proforest is a non-profit organisation with a global presence. Our head office is in the UK with regional offices in Malaysia, Ghana and Brazil. Proforest has established itself as a leader in the development and implementation of sustainable production and sourcing of natural resources, including timber and a range of agricultural commodities (eg. palm oil, soy, sugar etc), helping companies, governments, non-governmental and civil society organisations to achieve sustainable use of the world’s natural resources.

Proforest provides practical support to producers, processors, purchasers and investors to help them meet their sustainability commitments. We work at every stage of the supply chain, from production and processing, through to purchasing and investment. Our experience covers the management of forests, oil palm, soy, sugarcane, rubber, beef and cotton at a range of scales that includes smallholders, communities and forest-dependent people through to multinational businesses.

Proforest is made up of a non-profit (charitable) arm which focuses on long-term support for small producers and wider capacity building, particularly in developing countries and a consultancy arm which provides direct support and services to the private sector companies.

Job Description

The Proforest Africa Regional office seeks a newly qualified accountant with experience in NGOs to provide financial support to programmes and project implementation, ensuring that policies, procedures and minimum standards of accounting are complied with.

Position summary
This position is an exciting opportunity to take on a senior role within the Proforest Africa finance team to support, maintain and improve the office’s financial systems and controls. The role will specifically focus on Proforest Initiative Africa (the non- profit arm) and provide support to the Proforest Limited (the profitable arm) when the need arises. Based at the Africa Regional office in Accra, the post will involve interacting with all staff and working directly with finance team members to ensure a high level of operational delivery of financial activities.

The role of the Senior Finance Officer- Programmes is to maintain the accounting records for Proforest Initiative Africa. This will include ensuring compliance with donor/ grant agreement, grant management, preparing donor finance reports, partner finance management and producing monthly finance reports.

Responsibilities

• Ensure timely recording of all financial transactions.
• Examine financial documents to ensure the completeness, accuracy, and validity of financial data before payments are made
• Monitor advances and ensure that no advances are outstanding beyond the approved timelines
• Prepare bank and cash reconciliations
• Maintain the integrity of data within the ledgers
• Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations
• Support Proforest finance and grants operations, policies and procedures
• Manage the various grants to ensure accurate spending, tracking expenditures and variances, using Budget versus Actuals.
• Work closely with programme teams to monitor funds, ensuring up to date records of expenditures in compliance with budget allocations and donor requirements.
• Work closely with partner organizations to ensure effective management of sub-grants as well as timely and accurate reporting.
• Ensure the timely and accurate preparation of monthly reports as well as donor financial reports in line with grant agreements
• Support with annual budget preparation and the budget for new proposals
• Ensure proper filing systems are in place, both in-office and electronically
• Liaise with donors, partners and vendors as needed
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements relating to Proforest Initiative Africa
• Provide support to Proforest Limited as and when required
• Perform other related duties as required

Required Skills or Experience

• Fully qualified with a recognized accounting body
• A minimum of three years’ experience, working in an NGO
• Strong sense of responsibility including high level of accuracy, attention to detail, excellent time-management, problem solving and organisational abilities
• Ability to manage competing tasks; ability to prioritise and produce high level output consistently.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Experience in the use of accounting systems (SAGE 50) and advanced Excel
• Highly developed interpersonal and team working skills, as well as a proven ability to operate in a confidential environment
• Excellent communication skills in a variety of settings (formal/informal, financial and non-financial)
• Strong sense of honesty and integrity and personal commitment to the goals of Proforest

Highly desirable:

Practical experience working in an international non-profit environment and involvement with annual statutory audits
Practical experience in working with partners and donors

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