Finance Officer

The context:

Across the developing world, more children than ever are in school – but they are not learning. A recent study estimated that less than 1% of school children in Sub-Saharan Africa attend a school where the teaching meets basic standards of quality. At Rising Academies, we’re changing that, and we want your help.

About us:

We are a growing network of inspiring schools in West Africa. Our mission is to unleash the full potential of every student, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and character to succeed in further study, work, and day-to-day life. We support more than 250,000 students across Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ghana through a combination of low cost private schools we manage directly, and partnership schools we manage in collaboration with governments. Independent evaluations have found that Rising students make learning gains two to three times larger than their peers in comparable schools.

About the role:

The Finance Officer will be responsible for all finance related transactions for the Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP) and will work in close collaboration with the GEOP team and Finance Manager in Ghana. GEOP is a 4-year programme which aims to improve literacy and numeracy learning outcomes for students in selected basic schools across the country. Rising is one of the selected providers for this important work and our partnership schools are located in the Northern Region, specifically within the Nanton, Savelugu, Kumbungu and Tolon districts.

The Finance Assistant will:

• Ensure accuracy and completeness of all financial records/documents
• Maintain accurate general ledger for Omega School Franchise Limited
• Ensure procurement policies are adhered to and followed completely
• Maintain effective cash management system and retire all expense with proper documentation
• Maintain good relationship with Regulatory bodies - ensuring that all bills are paid and on time

Location and reporting:

This is a 4-year fixed-term, full-time post based in the Tamale region, from 2023 until 2026 with the possibility for an extension. The Finance Officer will report to the Finance Manager, Ghana.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting/Finance with 1-2 years experience
• Partly qualified (ACCA, ICA, ) would be added advantage
• IT skills, including ability to use Microsoft Excel and Word
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail

About You:

• You are a strong communicator, able to motivate, challenge and support others.
• You set high standards for yourself and others, and go the extra mile to get things done.
• You have the highest levels of integrity and trustworthiness.
• You understand the contexts in which we operate and the educational and operational challenges they pose.
• You are passionate about improving the quality of education.
• You are very well organized and have great record keeping skills.
• You have strong relationship building and interpersonal skills.
• You have the ability to learn quickly, are happy to give and receive feedback, and are interested in trying new approaches.
• You make decisions in a logical way and on the basis of good evidence/reasoning.
• You are comfortable working with basic technology.

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits:

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. We regularly benchmark our compensation against comparable businesses, social ventures and non-profits.

Rising’s goal is to be transparent about salaries at all levels of the organisation and have a standard, global pay scale for all positions that is non-negotiable.

The benefits we offer are built to have a strong added value on our staff’s well-being and we are excited to discuss this further with you in the process.

Rising is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, national origin, family or parental status, veteran or disability status.

Rising is committed to creating a culture within the organisation, and its schools, that recognises the importance of safeguarding children and prioritising their rights and needs. We strive to uphold international safeguarding standards, and keep the safety and well-being of our students at the heart of what we do. All Rising employees are expected to abide by the Child Protection Policy, and to have the same level of commitment to protect children from harm. Safeguarding questions are part of every interview process and all Rising employees undergo reference checks before joining the organisation.