With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!
Key Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Regional Finance and Support Services Director, the SARO Finance and Accounting Lead is responsible for the end-to-end management of finance and accounting operations at the Southern Africa Regional Office (SARO). This includes oversight of journal processing, accounts receivable and payable, and select administrative functions through financial technology platforms. The role provides strategic leadership in budget development working closely with People and Culture as well as regional leadership, financial management, reporting, and compliance - ensuring timely, accurate, and value-adding financial data for decision-making aligned with SARO and Global Centre (GC) objectives. It works closely with Shared Services, GC Corporate Accounting, and host entities to ensure the integrity of the SARO General Ledger (GL), accurate reconciliations, and adherence to WV and international accounting standards.
The position also coordinates with Global Treasury on cash flow forecasting, funding, and hedging; ensures compliance with South African financial and tax regulations through professional engagement; and leads audit readiness to achieve clean internal and external outcomes. Guided by SARO’s values of trust, service, and transformation, the role fosters ethical stewardship, inclusive collaboration, and principled financial leadership across teams.
Shared Services (SS) Coordination and Management
Shared Services (SS) is an accounting services provider, responsible for day-to-day accounting processes, while SARO Finance and Accounting Lead (FAL) is accountable for the process.
The SARO Finance and Accounting Lead will:
- Foster respectful, responsive, and trust-based work relationships with SS, and ensure correct and accurate data is being captured by staff, Supply Chain, department leads, field offices hosting SARO staff, Global Centre (GC) Corporate Accounting, and processed by SS.
- Ensure all necessary balance sheet account allocations and reconciliations are completed accurately and uploaded to the FFR database by SS.
- Ensure any new regional or global centre financial/accounting policy has been shared and socialized to the entire regional team, with awareness or training provided to staff, and its implementation properly coordinated with Shared Services.
- Ensure any concerns, challenges, or complaints from regional staff, department leads, field offices hosting SARO staff, and GC, in relation to data or processes captured by SS, are addressed and resolved in a timely and adequate manner.
- Manage and coordinate local banking processes in relation to SS staff responsible for bank payment releases on the banking platform (Kariba).
Financial Planning, Management, and Reporting
- Manage the SARO budgeting process by developing the annual operating budget in accordance with Regional and Global Centre budget guidelines, WVI International Staff Policies, as well as Local Benefits Policies, and submit to Global Finance Solutions (GFS).
- Ensure effective cross-functional collaboration with People & Culture and SARO leadership, specifically on developing, reviewing, and reporting on the budget, promoting transparency and ensuring accuracy throughout the process.
- Using available technology, ensure timely, accurate, and value-adding financial reports that guide decision-making and comply with Global Centre guidelines.
- Ensure financial transactions adhere to GAAP, IFRS, World Vision Finance Policies and Procedures (FPP), the South African Tax Act, internal control protocols, budget allocations, WV account coding, data integrity, and the true and fair disclosure of financial activities.
- Manage the year-end closing processes, ensuring compliance with WVI guidelines, accounting concepts, and fund accounting principles.
- Ensure computations of PAYE, VAT, and annual tax returns for International and local staff are completed per the South African Companies Act and VAT Act.
- Closely collaborate with tax consultants for the submission of tax returns to SARS.
Balance Sheet Review
- Review the SARO balance sheet report and ensure there are no unreconciled, long-outstanding, unallocated, or unresolved account balances.
- Consult and collaborate with Global Finance Solutions to identify, validate, report, and write off long-outstanding items on the balance sheet, particularly those related to revaluations.
- Ensure the Concur expenses system is appropriately used in SARO, and confirm that the finance team has adequate capacity to support this process
SARO Strategy alignment
- Ensure the Regional Office finance function is aligned with the finance strategies of both SAR and the Global Centre, and is in line with the strategies of other support services departments.
- Work closely with the Regional Finance Director (RFD) to ensure that all RO and GC finance initiatives are efficiently and effectively rolled out and that appropriate resources are allocated.
- In liaison with the RFD, ensure all key strategic initiatives or decisions are reflected in the way financial resources are allocated for SARO, and that appropriate justifications are submitted to the Global Centre or Support Offices.
- Provide financial advice to departmental heads and leadership to support strategic decision-making, particularly on key initiatives.
Risk Management and Internal Controls
- Establish and maintain appropriate internal controls to govern the finance function, provide adequate levels of security, and safeguard the organization’s financial resources, thereby minimizing risk exposure.
- Lead and coordinate audit processes (internal and external statutory audits), minimize findings, provide management responses, and ensure the implementation of audit recommendations.
Manage SARO Cash Forecast and Liquidity
- Ensure core budget requirements and projects are funded within the approved amounts in PBAS.
- Ensure SARO complies with the Target Low Policy.
- Coordinate monthly funding and hedging with Shared Services and Global Treasury.
- Ensure monthly funding requests are posted and approved on the Global Treasury mandated system (Kariba).
Ethics Point
- Follow up on SARO Ethics Point financial-related cases to ensure timely resolution.
- Ensure ongoing engagement with the SARO team to raise awareness about ethics, risk, and incident management processes.
- Work with the SARO team to address reported finance incidents in full compliance with GC requirements.
- Provide support and guidance during investigations of reported cases.
SARO Administration and Coordination
- Work closely with the Supply Chain team to ensure robust internal controls over SARO asset management, including adequate insurance coverage.
- Collaborate with the Supply Chain team to conduct annual asset inventories and maintain an asset and inventory register reflecting accurate records and correct asset values.
Required Professional Experience
- Minimum of 5 years of accounting and finance experience in development or International NGOs /Humanitarian sector organizations at the level of finance manager
- Proven track record of building cross-functional trust and fostering transparent communication in finance leadership
- Solid knowledge of Generally Acceptable Accounting Principles (GAAP), IFRS and practical knowledge of financial systems and internal financial control and procedures
- High level of computer literacy and knowledge of spreadsheets with extensive appreciation of Vision Excel and Vision Executive Design and Query Analysis financial reporting tools.
- Exceptional presentation, communication, facilitation, and coordination abilities across diverse audiences using Microsoft packages such as PowerPoint, Word, etc.
- Skilled in negotiation, networking, and diplomacy, with a proven ability to foster cross-cultural collaboration and engagement, especially within Southern Africa region
- Alignment with World Vision’s mission and values, with an understanding of its holistic development principles
- Demonstrated resilience and ability to perform effectively under pressure, while promoting a balanced and sustainable work approach
- Knowledge of government regulations, South African Revenue Services (SARS) tax regulations, companies act and international taxation
Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Data science/analytics, Business or any related qualification
- Possession of an accounting professional designation preferably ACCA, CIMA, CIA or other finance, accounting or banking professional qualifications.
- Sun system certified
- PowerBI or other related reporting tools certification
- Data science or Analysis certification
Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration/Leadership an added advantage
- Grants accounting certification is an added advantage
- Good working knowledge for Sun system 426 and 6
- Grants accounting knowledge and experience
- Background in computing, Data science and Analytics will be preferred.
- Appreciation of international banking, treasury management, international finance and foreign exchange markets
- Experience in dealing with multi country projects and intercompany financial transactions
Travel and/or Work Environment Requirement
- Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 5% of the time, which may involve long hours and varying conditions, including the potential use of small aircraft.
- Ability to navigate airport procedures and adhere to safety regulations.
- Virtual/hybrid work environment.
Physical Requirements
Extended computer work: Ability to remain seated for long periods while working on financial systems, spreadsheets, and administrative tasks
Language Requirements
- Fluency in written and spoken English, required.
- Fluency in written and spoken French and/or Portuguese desired.
Applicant Types Accepted:
Local Applicants Only
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