SENIOR FINANCE MANAGER

Established in 1999, groundWork, Friends of the Earth South Africa is a principles driven non-profit environmental justice organisation working towards a just transition and open democracy in South Africa and beyond. Its vision is that  people live well with each other and with the earth.  To realise this vision, groundWork partners with affected communities to resist dirty energy and toxic production, building solidarity and local alliances that advocate for open debate and democratic control over resources such as energy, waste and health towards a viable future. groundWork works with community organisations, peoples’ movements, and other civil society actors to hold government and corporates to account, and challenge environmental racism and injustice on the ground. It works to support and link people’s struggles to realise their constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being. And it helps people organise to secure their livelihoods. groundWork does this work through five key campaigns including Climate and Energy Justice, the end of Coal and Fossil Fuel extraction, Zero Waste, Healthy Hospitals and Environmental Health. Over the past 10 years groundWork has run Environmental Justice Activist Schools for our constituent communities from across South Africa and Africa. groundWork has a strong communications and research focus working with community and academic/NGO researchers. 

Based in Pietermaritzburg, groundWork seeks to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced

SENIOR FINANCE MANAGER

The Senior Finance Manager, with at least 15-years’ experience in working with multiple funders and accounts, will deliver on the organisation’s financial management and reporting requirements and provide leadership and management of groundWork’s Finance Team. The Senior Finance Manager will support the achievement of strategic and political objectives of the organization and its partners. Ideally, the candidate should reflect a commitment to groundWork’s vision, mission and values. 

The Senior Finance Manager  will be responsible for (but not limited to) the following duties:

1. Report to and be accountable to the groundWork Executive Team and the Board of Trustees;
2. Provide leadership of the Finance Team comprising an accountant and bookkeepers;
3. Provide support to groundWork and its partners to deliver finance and accounting functions, management, compliance and reporting requirements;
4. Maintain financial accountability and manage the financial functions of the organisation including procurement processes, salary schedules and audit processes;
5. Ensure statutory compliance and best practice, including but not limited to: VAT, Taxation, The King Report, NPO/NPC registration and the groundWork Trust Deed, where applicable;
6. Monitor funds, manage expenditure, ensure accuracy of processes and data and report on the status of contracts including deadlines and re-applications to the Executive Team;
7. Liaise with funders and prepare funding schedules, applications, budgets, and work with funder contracts and agreements, and respond promptly to funding related queries and audit requirements;
8. Improve the performance of the Finance Team by applying performance improvements to close existing or anticipated gaps in performance;
9. Work with the Executive Team to provide strategic financial direction of the organization;
10. Provide support to the Executive Team in preparation for board meetings with the required organisational financial management reports;
11. Exercise effective financial leadership through support, direction, and teamwork;
12. Apply extensive knowledge of existing or new technology (hard- and software) and an understanding of performance support systems;
13. Supporting Senior Campaigners in ensuring financial policies and procedures are met, including reviewing and updating financial policies and procedures to align with legal compliance requirements and suitability for groundWork and all staff; and
14. Support and guide the Finance Team in their engagement with groundWork staff and campaigns, including understanding budgets, budget vs expenditure and audit requirements.

The Senior Finance Manager must meet the following criteria:

1. Relevant undergraduate and post graduate qualifications in Commerce, Accounting, Finance or Economics. Chartered Accountant Registration with SAICA is preferred;
2. At least 15 years’ experience in financial management and accounting including forecasting and budgeting, preparation and review of management accounts, audits, and financial risk management;
3. Experience in the non-profit sector.
4. Experience in working with multiple funders and accounts;
5. Demonstrated skill in leading a Finance Team, as well as, recognising training and development needs;
6. Accountability for daily planning, implementation, managing and controlling of finance related activities;
7. Experience in reporting and presenting financial plans and reports to organisational management, funders, and the Board of Trustees in accordance with accounting principles, procedures, and systems;
8. Experienced at managing finances including across multiple countries;
9. Experience with IFRS Accounting Standards and International Standards on Auditing (ISAs), and required reporting formats, particularly Log Frame Analyses (LFA);
10. Demonstrated ability to use administrative and financial computer packages - Pastel Accounting and Pastel Payroll in particular;
11. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; fluency in another South African language, particularly isiZulu, may be considered an advantage;
12. Strong work organising skills that ensure high quality, time-bound deliveries will be met;
13. Excellent interpersonal skills over digital platforms (Zoom and Teams), telephonically and in person;
14. A commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and transformation;
15. Cultural sensitivity, the ability to work with colleagues in different locations, and a demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies;
16. Being willing to work as part of a diverse and dynamic team;
17. Demonstrated computer literacy, including Microsoft’s office, web-based systems such as SharePoint, Google drive, Teamwork; and
18. A current driving license (Code 8).

groundWork is committed to diversity, inclusion, equity and transformation. The post will begin on 1 February 2025. View the full job description and application instructions on the Vacancies page at www.actionappointments.co.za and email your application by Monday, 4^th November 2024 to  tracy@actionappointments.co.za