The role of the Finance Manager at Crawford International School is to supervise, support, and execute all matters relating to finance, accounting, tax reporting, budgeting, and forecasting. The manager ensures these activities are handled effectively, efficiently, and reported timely and in a user and client friendly manner, maintaining appropriate controls to prevent fraud, theft, or financial error. A key overall responsibility is developing finance talent in Kenya to facilitate the independent and effective functioning of the CIS finance department.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Review and manage the company’s annual budget and any revised forecasts or budgets (both Excel and Falcon templates). Track department spending against these budgets and measure performance of Academic phases.
- Review regular cash flow forecasts.
- Work closely with all departments to ensure that accounting transactions are processed timeously and accurately in Sage, and in accordance with the month-end reporting timetable.
- Review monthly management accounts, with actuals vs budget variance analysis and performance commentary (both Excel and Falcon templates).
- Present monthly management accounts to directors and executive team inclusive of full year forecasts.
- Review other monthly management reports for schools and departments, both regular and on ad hoc requests.
- Project manage and plan new systems and processes on Sage.
- Act as Sage super user/administrator and training coordinator.
- Oversee maintenance of the Sage general ledger structure and chart of accounts.
- Review maintenance and reconciliation of all shareholder and bank loans and other group loans and current accounts.
- Review and approve reconciliation of all general ledger balance sheet accounts and review the preparation of all month-end recons and schedules.
- Prepare and/or review cost saving analyses and other financial analyses.
- Review the fixed asset register, ensure it is updated regularly and reconciles to the general ledger. Review depreciation journals and manage asset acquisitions and disposal process.
- Review preparation of half-year and year-end results/reports and coordinate annual external and internal audits.
- Overall responsibility for the coordination, development, maintenance and implementation of all financial policies and procedures.
- Manage system integrations and new technological advances, innovations and implementations within the department.
- Ensure all tax returns and payments are done on time, to avoid penalties and interest.
- Overall responsibility for treasury management including account mandates and bank related admin.
- Review and manage forex matters and foreign bank accounts.
- Management and review of Payroll with HR Manager inclusive of loading of salary file and declaration and payment of all taxes and statutory deductions.
- Petty Cash review and approval.
- Review and approve audit files.
- Review allocation and posting of daily bank statements.
- Preparation and reconciliation of billing in Sage.
- Review ad hoc billing in Sage to ensure statements are accurate and complete.
- Ensure billing have transmitted to revenue authorities through electronic tax management system.
- Review monthly billing and ensure Sage accuracy.
- Review submission of monthly withholding Tax, Import VAT, PAYE and other statutory taxes.
- Work with Tax department to ensure compliance and accuracy of tax matters.
- Review and approve journal entries driven by South Africa Loan account.
- Overall review and management of debts (including collections, debtors queries and payment allocations).
- Drive collections of debt with team and manage hand-over process with debt collectors and legal advisors.
- Review capturing of supplier invoices on Sage.
- Review Payments and ensure accurately loaded for payment.
- Review monthly GL Journals on Sage.
- Review revenue recognition Journal.
- Ensure withholding tax certificates from the bank are obtained and filed.
- Review monthly accruals in Sage.
- Other duties as outlined in the CIS Accounts Task List or assigned by the Group Finance team and/ or Regional Management team from time to time.
Qualifications, Experience & Skills
Education & Professional Certification
- Bachelor’s degree in business or accounting.
- CPA or ACCA qualification.
- Detailed knowledge and experience in implementing or working with large ERP software packages is essential.
- Advanced MS Excel knowledge and experience with MS Office.
- Generally accepted accounting and bookkeeping principles and procedures, and IFRS.
Skills
- Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others. Ensuring all targets and objectives are met on set deadlines.
- Communication and Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Clear and accurate communicator, verbally, in writing and in electronic messages.
- Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Abilities
- Leadership: Ensuring a collaborative and dynamic team environment where all team members’ inputs are valued and respected. Team members should be coached, empowered and developed.
- Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Comfortable with making quick decisions to benefit all parties involved.
- Team Player: Ability to work in a team and be an important team player. Get support from and provide support to relevant team members for task optimization and timely achievement of targets.
