Finance and Operations Manager

We are looking to recruit our first full-time finance and operations manager in Ghana to provide outstanding financial support to our growing operations across Ghana. The selected candidate will be a trained accountant, and have high levels of professionalism, proficiency and efficiency.

About EduSpots

EduSpots is an innovative, dynamic, and community-orientated UK and Ghanaian registered charity which connects, trains, and equips grassroots voluntary educators (named ‘Catalysts’) to drive community-led change through education spaces named ‘Spots’. Our vision is of a world in which communities unite to create the futures they want to see, through education.

Since 2016, through collaborating with over 400 local voluntary community educators and actors – named ‘Catalysts’ – who take a central leadership role in the development of the network, we have supported 50 communities in creating and running community-led and owned education spaces named ‘Spots’’. Together, we are developing a model for a community-led education space with accompanying network engagement that could have global relevance. Read our model of change document here.

Our Ghana-based team creates collaborative learning opportunities through three leadership programmes for Catalysts which are increasingly facilitated by the EduSpots app: the Ignite, Catalyse and Inspire Mentoring Programmes. These enable the Catalysts to lead EduKidz (early years education), DigLit (digital literacy), EcoSTEM (STEM and environmental education) and Ignite Equity (gender equity) clubs for learners typically aged 3-16, alongside locally designed education projects, reaching over 10,000 learners of all ages annually. Read our 2023 Annual Report here and our recent independent evaluation here.

We are in an exciting period of our development, having more than doubled our income, programme breadth and reach in the two years, with a recent independent evaluation by Expectation State offering further evidence in support of our model’s outcomes. We have been recently selected for two accelerator programmes, who are supporting us as we consider the scaling potential of our model. In the period, we are aiming to double our network reach, bringing an additional 50 Spots into the network.

We won the Tes International Award in 2018 and the Big Give Supporters’ Choice Award in 2022, and we were recently selected as a finalist for the 2023 Their World Scale-Up Innovation Prize. In 2021, our Founder was a Finalist in UNESCO-backed The Varkey Foundation’s $1 million Global Teacher Prize.

We are excited by our future. Do visit www.eduspots.org for further information.

About this role

Location: Remote working (home-based in Ghana, with some travel)

Reporting to: CEO

Hours: Full-time

Salary: Competitive, in line with experience

The Finance and Operations is responsible for the full finance function in Ghana. This includes implementation and monitoring of all aspects of the financial transactions and administrative process related to Ghana including financial management functions i.e. management reporting, financial data analysis, donor reporting, etc.

The Finance and Operations Manager will initially report directly to the CEO, working closely with the Head of Operations (Ghana), Heads of Programmes (Ghana), the Head of Philanthropy (Global). They will liaise closely with the Director in Ghana with finance responsibility (Ghana/Global), and the Global Trustee with responsibility for finance.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

Accounting

• Manage the accounting processing and related work processes related to transactions in Ghana using Quickbooks in this process.
• Ensuring complete & accurate records of receipts and invoices for all payments.
• Monitoring the charity’s bank account working directly with the CEO and Board of Directors
• Conducting monthly reconciliation of accounts and filing of records liaising with the CEO and Ghana Directors.
• Ensuring all taxes are paid correctly and in a timely manner
• Managing payroll and all statutory payments required for this
• Assure adherence to all legal obligations, such as audit, tax, and financial regulations.
• Prepare monthly financial reporting and bank reconciliations to the CEO and Directors.
• Liaise with the Head of Operations on procurement, logistics, travel, and program activity preparation, organization and management.

Budgeting & Financial Management

• Provide financial management advice and assistance to the CEO and wider team, including assistance in the preparation and monitoring of organisational budgets.
• To support the development of funding bids, as required, in respect of the financial aspects of the application.
• Develop and implement financial plans and projections while analyzing financial data to identify financial risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• To develop and maintain financial systems, policies, procedures, and protocols to ensure they are fit for purpose and compliant with financial requirements.
• ?Assist the CEO and Head of Operations in improving these processes over time

Community grants

• Lead on the development and delivery of a robust approach to community grants application, distribution, monitoring and reporting, working with the Heads of Programmes.
• Supporting with the development of the EduSpots app as a tool to effectively manage community level grants.

Financial reporting

• To produce timely and accurate financial reports to the Board of Directors, the UK Charity, and others as appropriate, including quarterly management accounts, annual budgets, project budgets, income & expenditure forecasts, cashflow etc.
• To ensure all annual and other financial and organisational reporting requirements, as set out in Ghanaian legislation, are met.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and internal rules.
• To compile all end of year financial accounts and reports as required.
• Provide ad hoc reporting requirements as needed.

Capacity Development

• Provide capacity development support with budgeting and financial management and understanding of financial policies and procedures across the staff, peer mentors and Catalyst teams
• Support with delegated operational and administrative tasks as needs determine across the areas of HR, operations and governance.

Operations

• To support with designated tasks across operations, HR, recruitment and governance, as needs determined by the organsiation.

Other

• ?Ensure organisation wide compliance with financial processes and policies
• To carry out all other duties as reasonably required under the job role, supporting the wider work of the organisation.
• To act at all times in line with the expectations of staff as set out in the Staff & Volunteers Handbook, and other relevant policies and procedures.

Personal Specification 

Qualifications and Experience:

• Member of recognised accounting professional body, such as Institute of Management Accountants or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline.
• At least 5 years post study experience in a financial/accounting capacity.
• Experience of working with an NGO, preferably including experience of meeting international reporting requirements and working as part of an international organization.

Competencies:

• Proficient with accounting software, including QuickBooks.
• Strong accounting and financial management acumen
• Strong administration and organisational skills, excellent time management and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent numeracy and financial skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy
• High level IT proficiency, competent user of Microsoft Office (includingMicrosoft Excel, Word and Google Drive)
• An ability to work independently and as part of a wider team, supporting team members across multiple locations
• High levels of critical thinking and problem solving.
• Focused and versatile team player that is comfortable under pressure
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to work on own and within various teams

Other:

• Impeccable professionalism exhibited at all times.
• A strong personal affinity with EduSpots’ mission, vision and values (community leadership, play, care, passion, teamwork and sustainable impact) with a genuine passion for educational equity and community-led development, with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse grassroots volunteers who are the leaders of our network.
• Appointment will be subject to a police check and reference checks and strong understanding of our Keeping Spots Safe principles.

How to apply:

Please send a tailored covering letter and updated CV addressed to the CEO, Cat Davison at recruitment@eduspots.org by the 12th September with a hope to meet shortlisted candidates for a first-round interview shortly afterwards, aiming towards a start date in October. For further information please see www.eduspots.org or contact us. Also follow us on social media – @eduspots on Twitter and Facebook

This job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment or modification at any  time in consultation with the post holder. It is not a comprehensive statement of procedures and tasks but sets out the main expectations of the role. EduSpots is committed to the safeguarding of children.