Finance Assistant at Centre for Newborn Health Research and Innovation (CeNHRI)

Purpose of the Role

The Finance Assistant will support the effective financial and grants management of CeNHRI’s programmes and organisational operations. The role will support day-to-day financial processes, assist with budgeting and expenditure tracking, maintain grant financial records, and contribute to the timely preparation of financial reports under the guidance of the Finance and Grant Manager.

The Finance Assistant will work closely with the Finance and Grant Manager and relevant programme and operational teams to support the proper management of CeNHRI’s financial resources and compliance with grant requirements.

Scope of the Role

The role covers:

• Financial administration and accounting support.
• Budget and expenditure tracking.
• Grant financial administration and compliance.
• Financial reporting, reconciliation and audit support.
• Financial administrative support to programme planning and management.

Authority

The Finance Assistant will:

• Review financial documents for completeness prior to submission for processing.
• Maintain and update financial and grant records under the guidance of the Finance and Grant Manager.
• Flag discrepancies in financial documentation for the Finance and Grant Manager’s review.
• Follow up on outstanding financial documentation and requirements, as assigned.
• Escalate significant financial or grant-related issues to the Finance and Grant Manager.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Administration

• Maintain accurate records of day-to-day financial transactions.
• Prepare payment requests and compile supporting documentation in line with approved procedures.
• Support routine bank, cash and other financial reconciliations.
• Maintain the financial filing system and ensure records are readily accessible.
• Support cash-flow monitoring by compiling information required for routine financial management.
• Identify routine discrepancies in financial records and refer them to the Finance and Grant Manager.

Deliverables

• Accurate financial records.
• Completed reconciliations.
• Properly processed payment documentation.
• Up-to-date financial files and transaction records.

Budget and Expenditure Management

Responsibilities

• Support the preparation and compilation of organisational and programme budget inputs.
• Track expenditure against approved budgets.
• Prepare draft budget utilisation and variance summaries for the Finance and Grant Manager’s review.
• Flag potential underspend, overspend or other budget pressures to the Finance and Grant Manager.
• Support financial forecasting by compiling expenditure data.
• Maintain records of approved budget revisions and reallocations.

Deliverables

• Budget tracking sheets/reports.
• Draft expenditure and variance summaries.
• Forecasting data inputs.
• Updated budget revision records.

Financial Management

Responsibilities

• Maintain financial information for CeNHRI’s funded programmes.
• Track budgets, expenditure, reporting deadlines and financial obligations.
• Support the preparation and compilation of donor financial reports and supporting schedules.
• Coordinate the collection of financial information from programme teams and partners, as assigned.
• Provide administrative support for budget revisions.

Deliverables

• Draft donor financial reports and supporting schedules.
• Administrative inputs to budget revisions.

Compliance, Audit and Financial Controls

Responsibilities

• Support compliance with CeNHRI’s financial policies and applicable grant requirements.

• Maintain appropriate audit trails for financial transactions.
• Compile financial records and schedules required for internal and external audits.
• Track routine audit and compliance queries and support responses under guidance.
• Support the implementation and monitoring of financial controls.
• Identify potential control gaps or compliance issues and report them to the Finance and Grant Manager.

Deliverables

• Audit schedules and supporting records.
• Compliance documentation.
• Audit and compliance action trackers.
• Financial control monitoring updates.

Programme and Administrative Support

Responsibilities

• Provide financial administrative inputs to programme workplans, proposals and concept notes, as assigned.
• Support programme teams with routine financial documentation requirements.
• Compile financial information to support the Finance and Grant Manager’s analysis and reporting.
• Participate in programme planning and review meetings where financial administrative support is required.
• Provide financial documentation support to the Finance and Grant Manager for programme and organisational reporting.
• Support process improvements in CeNHRI’s finance and grants administration.

Deliverables

• Financial inputs to proposals and workplans.
• Compiled financial data and summaries.
• Financial documentation support to programme teams.
• Suggestions for improving finance administrative processes.

Reporting Lines

The Finance Assistant reports directly to the Finance and Grant Manager, who is responsible for overall supervision, performance management and review of deliverables. The role works closely with programme, research, MEL, operations and other relevant teams on routine financial administrative matters, as directed by the Finance and Grant Manager.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration or a related field.
• Professional accounting qualification or progress toward a recognised qualification such as ICAN, ACCA or equivalent will be an added advantage.

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience in finance, accounting, grants administration or a related field.
• Experience working in an NGO, development organisation, research institution or other mission-driven organisation will be an advantage.
• Exposure to donor-funded programmes or grant financial administration will be an advantage.
• Experience with basic bookkeeping, reconciliation and financial record-keeping.
• Experience in expenditure monitoring, reconciliation and financial reporting.
• Experience supporting audits and compliance processes.

Skills and Competencies

• Basic understanding of accounting and financial administration principles.
• Experience with budgeting, expenditure tracking and grants administration.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and basic financial reporting tools.
• Strong organisational and documentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of integrity, accountability and confidentiality.
• Ability to work effectively across programme and operational teams, under guidance.