Finance & Operations Officer job at Spica Financial Group

Spica Financial Group is seeking a self-driven, adaptable professional eager to learn, take initiative, and thrive in a fast-paced start-up environment.

The Finance and Operations Officer ensures sound financial management, accurate fund accounting, and efficient day-to-day operations for the Company and the collective investment schemes it manages. The role combines corporate accounting, scheme administration support, regulatory reporting, and operational oversight. It maintains accurate, auditable records, safeguards client and scheme assets, and meets Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and IFRS requirements. Key areas include capital adequacy, NAV support, subscriptions and redemptions, settlement, procurement, and administration.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management and Corporate Accounting

Maintain complete accrual-based books including the general ledger, cash book, journals and fixed asset register; process properly authorised and documented payments/receipts; prepare monthly management accounts and support IFRS annual financial statements; monitor cash flow, liquidity and working capital and escalate concerns to the CEO/Board and maintain delegated authority controls over expenditure.

Fund and Scheme Accounting Support

Support daily scheme NAV calculation/publication with the fund administrator and custodian; independently verify unit prices and reconcile scheme records and the unit-holder register; process subscriptions, redemptions and switches and related settlements; keep scheme accounting separate from Company records and compute/record management and other scheme/discretionary-client fees.

Regulatory Compliance and Reporting

Prepare and submit CMA returns on time, including monthly net capital, quarterly AUM and annual audited financial statements; monitor capital adequacy/net capital and immediately report actual or anticipated breaches to the CEO, Board and CMA; maintain the statutory/regulatory compliance calendar, support licence renewals and regulator notifications and remit PAYE, NSSF and Local Service Tax on time.

Internal Controls, Reconciliations and Asset Protection

Perform monthly bank and periodic cash/asset reconciliations and resolve variances; maintain segregation of duties across authorisation, recording, custody and reconciliation; retain complete transaction support and inspection-ready records; strictly segregate Company funds from client/scheme monies, maintain separate accounting/bank records, reconcile assets to custodian records and prevent commingling, misuse or unauthorised use while accurately identifying all client/scheme accounts.

Operations and Administration

Oversee office operations, procurement, vendors and administration; support trade settlement and accurate trade/valuation records; maintain the fixed asset register and annual physical verification; administer confidential payroll and support business continuity, disaster recovery and secure data backup.

Risk, Audit and AML Support

Support identification, monitoring and reporting of financial, operational and compliance risks; facilitate internal/external audits and corrective actions and support AML, customer due diligence and KYC requirements, including record keeping and escalation to the Compliance Officer.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce, Economics or a related field.
• Professional qualification or significant progress towards ACCA, CPA or CFA. Relevant securities or capital markets certification is an added advantage.
• At least three years of relevant experience in finance, accounting or operations. Experience within an audit or accounting firm, fund management, asset management, banking or another regulated financial services environment is preferred.
• Sound working knowledge of IFRS and Ugandan financial, tax and regulatory requirements.
• Proficiency in accounting software, spreadsheets and financial modelling.

Desirable

• Familiarity with the CMA framework and reporting requirements for fund managers/collective investment schemes; understanding of NAV calculation, fund administration and custody arrangements and AML/KYC obligations applicable to fund managers.

Key Competencies and Attributes

High integrity, confidentiality and professional ethics; strong attention to detail and source-record accuracy; analytical/problem-solving capability; ability to manage multiple priorities and strict regulatory deadlines; strong written/verbal communication and a proactive, organised approach with capacity to work independently and in a small team.

Reporting and Key Relationships

Reports to the Chief Executive Officer, with a functional line to the Board Audit and Risk Committee on financial reporting, internal control and compliance. Works with Compliance, external auditors, custodian, trustee and fund administrator and engages regulators including the CMA and Uganda Revenue Authority.

Key Deliverables and Reporting Cadence

Daily: scheme NAV support, cash monitoring and prior-day transaction reconciliation. Weekly: outstanding reconciling items, settlement status and cash-flow forecasting. Monthly: management accounts, CMA net capital computation, bank reconciliations, payroll and statutory remittances. Quarterly: CMA AUM report and Audit & Risk Committee schedules. Annually: audited financial statements, annual budget, physical asset verification and licence-renewal support.

Fit and Proper Requirements

The post holder must continuously meet CMA fit-and-proper criteria, including honesty, integrity, good reputation, competence/capability and financial soundness and promptly disclose any matter affecting that standing, including criminal charge/conviction, bankruptcy/insolvency, regulatory action or disqualification.

Authority and Limitations

Authority is limited by the Company’s schedule of delegated authority and Finance and Accounting Manual. The post holder may not authorise expenditure, movement of client/scheme funds or accounting entries beyond approved limits or perform incompatible functions that undermine segregation of duties. Transactions outside authority require escalation and approval under Company policy.

General

This JD states the principal duties and is not exhaustive. Responsibilities may be updated for evolving Company needs or regulatory changes and the post holder may undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the role.

• Maintain complete accrual-based books including the general ledger, cash book, journals and fixed asset register; process properly authorised and documented payments/receipts; prepare monthly management accounts and support IFRS annual financial statements; monitor cash flow, liquidity and working capital and escalate concerns to the CEO/Board and maintain delegated authority controls over expenditure.
• Support daily scheme NAV calculation/publication with the fund administrator and custodian; independently verify unit prices and reconcile scheme records and the unit-holder register; process subscriptions, redemptions and switches and related settlements; keep scheme accounting separate from Company records and compute/record management and other scheme/discretionary-client fees.
• Prepare and submit CMA returns on time, including monthly net capital, quarterly AUM and annual audited financial statements; monitor capital adequacy/net capital and immediately report actual or anticipated breaches to the CEO, Board and CMA; maintain the statutory/regulatory compliance calendar, support licence renewals and regulator notifications and remit PAYE, NSSF and Local Service Tax on time.
• Perform monthly bank and periodic cash/asset reconciliations and resolve variances; maintain segregation of duties across authorisation, recording, custody and reconciliation; retain complete transaction support and inspection-ready records; strictly segregate Company funds from client/scheme monies, maintain separate accounting/bank records, reconcile assets to custodian records and prevent commingling, misuse or unauthorised use while accurately identifying all client/scheme accounts.
• Oversee office operations, procurement, vendors and administration; support trade settlement and accurate trade/valuation records; maintain the fixed asset register and annual physical verification; administer confidential payroll and support business continuity, disaster recovery and secure data backup.
• Support identification, monitoring and reporting of financial, operational and compliance risks; facilitate internal/external audits and corrective actions and support AML, customer due diligence and KYC requirements, including record keeping and escalation to the Compliance Officer.

• Proficiency in accounting software
• Proficiency in spreadsheets
• Proficiency in financial modelling
• High integrity
• Confidentiality
• Professional ethics
• Strong attention to detail
• Source-record accuracy
• Analytical/problem-solving capability
• Ability to manage multiple priorities
• Ability to meet strict regulatory deadlines
• Strong written communication
• Strong verbal communication
• Proactive approach
• Organised approach
• Capacity to work independently
• Capacity to work in a small team

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce, Economics or a related field.
• Professional qualification or significant progress towards ACCA, CPA or CFA.
• Relevant securities or capital markets certification is an added advantage.
• At least three years of relevant experience in finance, accounting or operations.
• Experience within an audit or accounting firm, fund management, asset management, banking or another regulated financial services environment is preferred.
• Sound working knowledge of IFRS and Ugandan financial, tax and regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with the CMA framework and reporting requirements for fund managers/collective investment schemes
• Understanding of NAV calculation, fund administration and custody arrangements
• Understanding of AML/KYC obligations applicable to fund managers.