Finance Officer job at Educate

Position Overview

The Finance Officer plays a key role in maintaining accurate and transparent financial records that enable Educate!’s programs to operate effectively. This role ensures that financial transactions are recorded accurately, supporting documentation is complete and organized, and staff accountabilities are tracked and reconciled in a timely manner. By strengthening financial records and internal controls, the Finance Officer helps ensure that Educate!’s resources are managed responsibly and that the organization remains accountable to its partners, donors, and the youth it serves.

What You’ll Do

Payment Processing (35%)

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of payments in compliance with internal financial policies, audit requirements, and regulatory standards
• Compile and review vendor payment documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with internal financial policies, audit requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Coordinate with Admin to secure timely submission of invoices and supporting documents.
• Prepare payment requests (bills) in ApprovalMax within two working days of receiving complete paperwork from stakeholders, ensuring accuracy of entries and proper attachment of all supporting documents.
• Respond promptly to queries from approvers and stakeholders regarding payment requests.
• Follow up with approvers and the Finance team to ensure vendor payments are processed within contractual timelines.
• Maintain and update the payments tracker in real time to ensure accurate monitoring and reporting.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement in payment workflows and recommend solutions.

General Ledger Control & Compliance (35%)

• Maintain accurate and timely financial records in the accounting system to support reliable financial reporting and strong financial controls.
• Review bank statements to identify deposits, flexi pay charges and prepare the corresponding journal vouchers for posting.
• Reconcile ledger accounts regularly and review the audit trail to ensure the accuracy and completeness of financial records.
• Ensure all general ledger entries are completed by the 3rd working day of the following month to support timely financial reporting.
• Maintain detailed and traceable records of supporting documentation for all payment transactions.
• Maintain weekly reconciliations and update the weekly bank feeds tracker.
• Ensure all staff accountabilities comply with the updated Common Cost guidelines.
• Confirm that all payments are fully supported by the required documentation prior to filing.
• Identify and flag any policy compliance issues to the Finance Manager for timely resolution.

Accounts Receivable & Staff Accountabilities (20%)

• Ensure accurate tracking and reconciliation of staff advances and accountabilities to maintain clean receivable balances and reliable financial records.
• Manage staff accounts receivable in QuickBooks by reviewing accountabilities and reconciling advances.
• Follow up on outstanding receivables to ensure they are cleared before the monthly report is finalized.
• Reconcile accountabilities against advances before posting to prevent partial or inaccurate accounting.
• Track balances returned from staff and ensure all funds are properly banked and recorded.
• Provide regular status updates to staff on outstanding accountabilities to support timely resolution.

Finance Training & Support (10%)

• Strengthen financial compliance across the organization by building staff understanding of finance procedures and documentation requirements.
• Train staff on finance procedures, forms, and accountability processes to ensure adherence to organizational policies.
• Support onboarding of new staff by orienting them on finance procedures and financial documentation requirements.
• Facilitate feedback sessions with both field and office teams to continuously improve finance processes and support.

Who You Are

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or Commerce. Level 1 CPA or ACCA is an added advantage.
• 1 – 2 years’ experience working in accounting or finance.
• Strong proficiency in Excel and accounting software such as QuickBooks.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• High integrity and ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Fits our Five Culture Tenets (see What is Educate! About? below); Learn more by looking at Educate!’s culture deck here

What We Offer

• A vibrant, mission-driven environment with a supportive and fun team.
• Competitive salary based on experience.
• Learning & growth opportunities

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of payments in compliance with internal financial policies, audit requirements, and regulatory standards
• Compile and review vendor payment documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with internal financial policies, audit requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Coordinate with Admin to secure timely submission of invoices and supporting documents.
• Prepare payment requests (bills) in ApprovalMax within two working days of receiving complete paperwork from stakeholders, ensuring accuracy of entries and proper attachment of all supporting documents.
• Respond promptly to queries from approvers and stakeholders regarding payment requests.
• Follow up with approvers and the Finance team to ensure vendor payments are processed within contractual timelines.
• Maintain and update the payments tracker in real time to ensure accurate monitoring and reporting.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement in payment workflows and recommend solutions.
• Maintain accurate and timely financial records in the accounting system to support reliable financial reporting and strong financial controls.
• Review bank statements to identify deposits, flexi pay charges and prepare the corresponding journal vouchers for posting.
• Reconcile ledger accounts regularly and review the audit trail to ensure the accuracy and completeness of financial records.
• Ensure all general ledger entries are completed by the 3rd working day of the following month to support timely financial reporting.
• Maintain detailed and traceable records of supporting documentation for all payment transactions.
• Maintain weekly reconciliations and update the weekly bank feeds tracker.
• Ensure all staff accountabilities comply with the updated Common Cost guidelines.
• Confirm that all payments are fully supported by the required documentation prior to filing.
• Identify and flag any policy compliance issues to the Finance Manager for timely resolution.
• Ensure accurate tracking and reconciliation of staff advances and accountabilities to maintain clean receivable balances and reliable financial records.
• Manage staff accounts receivable in QuickBooks by reviewing accountabilities and reconciling advances.
• Follow up on outstanding receivables to ensure they are cleared before the monthly report is finalized.
• Reconcile accountabilities against advances before posting to prevent partial or inaccurate accounting.
• Track balances returned from staff and ensure all funds are properly banked and recorded.
• Provide regular status updates to staff on outstanding accountabilities to support timely resolution.
• Strengthen financial compliance across the organization by building staff understanding of finance procedures and documentation requirements.
• Train staff on finance procedures, forms, and accountability processes to ensure adherence to organizational policies.
• Support onboarding of new staff by orienting them on finance procedures and financial documentation requirements.
• Facilitate feedback sessions with both field and office teams to continuously improve finance processes and support.

• Excel
• QuickBooks
• analytical
• organizational
• communication

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or Commerce.
• Level 1 CPA or ACCA is an added advantage.
• High integrity
• ability to work collaboratively in a team environment