Country: India
Closing date: 16 Dec 2019
This role will assist the Finance Officer in managing the finances of Seefar’s Indian operations and projects. Your administrative support will ensure that we maximise our social impact.
You must be a dynamic person with an eye for detail who can manage your time and competing priorities effectively and independently. You are someone who is intrinsically motivated and interested in problem-solving. You speak English and at least one Indian language.
This is a full-time consultancy, you can live where you like in India.
Seefar values its relationship with the consultants who help us reach our social impact goals. High performers who align well with our organisational values are frequently offered extended or additional opportunities with us. This role could lead to further contracts, including chances to contribute to organisational strategy and development, subject to financing and performance; we therefore particularly welcome applicants who have an interest in engaging with us for longer than the advertised period.
The expected salary for this position is between 400-550 USD per month, depending on the successful candidate’s experience and skill level.
Seefar encourages applicants from a variety of backgrounds and locations, including those in developing countries, displaced persons, and/or those with physical disabilities.
Job Description
We are a social enterprise with a vision for a world where vulnerable people have more opportunities to advance themselves. We specialise in justice, migration and social inclusion. Our expertise is in strategic communications, counselling, consulting, monitoring and evaluation, and research. We work in East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, North Africa, the Sahel and Europe. For more information about us, please visit http://seefar.org/about-us.
The Finance Assistant will perform an important function of managing the finances and financial systems of the organisation’s India entity on a daily basis, thereby ensuring that all personnel are supported to deliver our long-term vision and impact. This will include responsibilities such as:
- Managing our online financial systems
- Bookkeeping
- Financial reporting and compliance
- Vendor management, invoicing, accounts payable/receivable
- Enterprise and project budgeting
- Contributing to HR and contract management
RESPONSIBILITIES
The following are the primary responsibilities of the role, with estimated allocations of time and attention.
DELIVER: FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO SEEFAR’S INDIAN OFFICE
Approximately 70% of your time and attention:
- Utilise online accounting software and banking portals for day-to-day transactions and reports, including addressing payment issues
- Assist the Finance Officer with the delivery of monthly payments to all personnel in the India Subsidiary, paying particular attention to project consultants and any changes to their payment parameters.
- Assist the Finance Officer with the monthly reconciliation of all accounts
- Assist with claiming of expenses and paying suppliers for project-specific activities
- Assist with maintaining required financial records and documents to comply with donor requirement, including the fixed asset register, contracts, and benefits.
- Manage the billing and invoicing of project-related activities
- Follow up on overdue invoices and outstanding advances with project teams.
- Add new suppliers to our financial systems and review bank information of consultants and personnel.
- Assist with the updating of project and budgets by making sure the budgets provide accurate information.
- Assist project financial reporting to donor as directed.
Troubleshoot problems across our financial systems, particularly in the systems that manage project finances.
Contribute to corporate, regulatory and governmental reporting as required by project funders and donors.
DELIVER: ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE SUBSIDIARY OFFICE
Approximately 20% of your time and attention:
- Assist in the administration and business functions of the India Subsidiary, including overseeing and/or processing any forms and paperwork.
- Maintain required financial records and documents of the India Subsidiary.
- Assist in oversee, monitor, and reconcile accounts of the India Subsidiary, and update the Country Manager on status as required.
DEVELOP: CAPABILITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO FINANCIAL SYSTEMS
Approximately 10% of your time and attention:
- Use your knowledge of Seefar’s operations and experience of administering financial services, recommend and implement improvements to our processes.
DIRECT: GLOBAL MANAGEMENT
- Represent and demonstrate the Enterprise’s values.
Working with Seefar
Current and former consultants have noted the points below as positive features of Seefar’s work environment and culture:
- The Enterprise combines entrepreneurialism with a focus on social impact.
- You work with highly diverse people and across a diversity of contexts.
- There is a high level of trust that supports you to work autonomously.
- The people in the Enterprise encourage innovation and experimentation.
- Achieving results is prioritised over rigid structures and workflows.
- You are never bored and always challenged.
Current and former consultants have noted the points below as negative features of Seefar’s work environment and culture:
- Collaborating with geographically dispersed teams requires flexibility and patience.
- Working remotely can make you feel isolated and so requires you to invest time in communication.
- Travel schedules can sometimes be heavy.
- A high-growth phase means problem-solving as the Enterprise’s systems evolve quickly.
An Excellent Candidate
To excel in this role, you will have the following experience and capacities:
- Adapt to changes in your project or job, staying productive and keeping focused on goals.
- Ability to prioritise your work independently
- More than 3 years of experience in financial administration.
- Experience in managing online databases, and financial and accounting software.
- An educational background in financial administration and accounting.
- A track record of working with, and supporting others, effectively.
- Motivated by an Enterprise performance framework focused on social impact.
- Engage in sharing new ideas to improve current processes.
Confirm you meet these minimum requirements
- At least 3-5 years of experience in financial administration.
- The right to live and work in India
- Motivation to contribute to a growing Enterprise focused on social impact.
- Fluency in oral and written English and at least one Indian language, especially in financial and accounting terminology.
How to apply:
On or before 16 December 2019, complete our online application form. Please, do not include your name or your photo in your CV or letter. Before you start, you should do the following:
Prepare a CV in Word or PDF format. You will upload this in our online application form
In Word or PDF format, prepare an introductory letter that includes only the following. You will upload this in our online application form:
One paragraph explaining your motivation in applying for this role, and how your skills and experience are suited to the role.
One paragraph outlining the key challenges in financial administration that a small-medium organisation is likely to face as it grows rapidly.