We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.
We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.
Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.
British Council Pay band 4-H
Location: Ethiopia
Department: Finance
Contract type : Fixed Term 12 Months (Renewable)
Closing Date : Thursday 25th July 2024 at 23:59 UK time
You must have the legal right to work in Ethiopia at the time of application and t here is no relocation or sponsorship support.
British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.
Role purpose
This role supports the financial accounting activities for the British Council and works closely with the Managed Service Provider (MSP) to ensure the financial accounts are completed correctly and in a timely manner, and numbers are reported accurately.
The role provides effective financial support services for a local business unit/country, within agreed timescales. This includes finance administration and coordination/ logistical support. They will support communication across operational areas and with the MSP and will work closely with the British Council Controllership teams to ensure the effective provision of financial accounting, reporting and control activities.
The position holder applies authoritative understanding of systems and processes to overcome day-to-day problems and ensure things run smoothly.
New arrangements for Finance Accounting activities are being introduced as part of the transformation of Professional Services and the global finance team within British Council, moving much of the transactional finance processes to an external MSP.
Successful candidate will work closely with local business managers and the MSP to ensure that local financial accounting activities are accurate and comply with standards and corporate processes.
They will report into senior colleagues within the In Country Controllership teams.
Stakeholders that the role interacts with regularly include:
1. Local business unit managers and teams
2. Managed Service Provider
3. Internal customers and suppliers
4. Finance colleagues, Controllers and Finance Business Partners
5. Internal and External Financial Control and Compliance and Audit Leads
6. Treasury and banking vendors
7. Tax and local tax authorities.
Main accountabilities include but not limited to:
Finance and Resource Management
8. Work closely with the MSP and British Council controllership teams to support the delivery of retained financial processes, ensuring consistent, accurate and robust financial accounting in line with accounting practices and corporate policies. Maintain financial records as per corporate policy and internal audit.
9. Complete all financial accounting and reporting tasks required for the financial month-end and year-end pre-closing steps and provide support as required for the financial month-end and year-end closing steps.
10. Process customer transactions and income collection accurately and in a timely manner. Complete daily cash reconciliations. Responsible for ensuring integrity of cash collection process. Responsible for ensuring integrity of customers refund process. Ensure compliance with treasury policy. Submit relevant documents to local bank as requested including bank mandates updates.
11. Provide support as required on accounting transactions, adjustments (accruals, deferrals, and provisions), and reconciliations, including Intercompany accounting. Provide support as required with manual journals and off-system payments requests ensuring accuracy and compliance with relevant policies.
12. Support the production of financial reports/returns and extraction of data from SAP. Contribute to statutory reporting, tax review/filing, cashflow reporting and debtor management controls. Assist with preparation of local Tax submissions and other statutory returns.
13. Assist with provision of information to internal / external auditors and assist the implementation of audit recommendations. Complete Travel & Expenses audits as per policy addressing issues in a prompt manner. Identify issues and bring them to the attention of senior members in the team for resolution in relation to financial accounting matters.
14. Assist Management Accounting tasks and the production of management reports as required. Support the administration of local databases/customised software, providing advice and training to line managers and colleagues as required.
Payroll management for Ethiopia
15. Processing Payroll: Ensuring compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and company policies regarding payroll processing. Timely and accurately processing payroll to ensure employees are paid on time and in accordance with their employment contracts.
16. Maintaining Payroll Records: Keeping accurate and up-to-date records of employee earnings, deductions, and tax withholdings. Generating payroll reports for management and regulatory compliance purposes. Maintaining confidentiality and security of payroll data and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
17. Resolving Payroll Issues: Addressing and resolving payroll-related inquiries and issues from employees, managers, and other stakeholders. Investigating discrepancies or errors in payroll processing and implementing corrective actions. Collaborating with HR, finance, and other departments to ensure payroll-related processes are efficient and effective.
Customer support
18. Receives and responds to enquiries from/to customers and be specific point of reference as required. Identifies where more complex issues or incidents require resolution by others and refers them on accordingly.
Relationship and Stakeholder Management
19. Proactively communicate and liaise with others (inside and outside the British Council) to ensure effective coordination and delivery of events, services, and activities. Build an understanding of who’s who within the wider department, unit, or region to enable effective resolution of issues when they arise.
Managing self and others
20. Plan and prioritise own activities, respond to changing and at times competing requirements to ensure effective delivery of responsibilities over set reporting timescales. Provide a good standard of financial administration and financial discipline. Tasks and coordinates others (e.g., internal customers, colleagues, or third-party suppliers) to complete activities in accordance with agreed financial procedures.
Role specific knowledge and experience:
Essential
21. Knowledge of statutory accounting principles and practices, including accruals and the impact of financial transactions.
22. Proven accounting experience.
23. Advanced experience of Excel.
24. SAP experience.
Desirable
25. Experience of working in an international organisation and/or relevant employer.
26. Good level of understanding of relevant software
27. Financial analytical experience.
28. Experience of managing high value debtors.
Role Specific Skills
29. Organised, disciplined and methodical approach to work. Ability to work under pressure. Good time management and data management.
30. Very good IT skills, particularly on Excel and Word.
31. Good literacy and numeracy skills, able to understand profit and loss calculations and basic finance, e.g., deprecation, capital and revenue expenditure, cash-flow, overheads, etc.
32. Excellent written and spoken communication skills. Ability to explain complex financial data to non-finance people, using non-technical language.
33. Working in virtual teams.
Education
34. Higher Education
35. Degree level relevant education. Studying for a recognised accounting qualification desirable.
Language Requirements
The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in local language and English is required.
Additional job requirements
Proof of Identity requirements/right to work in country
Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based. Given that our offices have different legal status depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. Only at its discretion will the British Council provide support so please check first whether visa support is offered.
Background Checks
Initial and continuing employment with the British Council is subject to an annual background check. The job undertaken defines the nature of check(s) and assessment applied.
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Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement