Mercy Corps is a renowned global humanitarian organization working in over 40 countries to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Known for its transformative and innovative approaches in both emergency and development contexts, Mercy Corps has become a trusted ally in disaster relief, recovery, and long-term development.
In Kenya, Mercy Corps operates across multiple counties including Nairobi, Lodwar, Maralal, Wajir, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Garissa. The organization works in sectors such as food security, climate resilience, financial inclusion, youth employment, and governance. A critical backbone of these efforts is Mercy Corps’ Finance Department, which ensures the sound financial management, compliance, and accountability necessary for effective programming.
Mercy Corps is currently inviting applications for the position of Finance Intern, to be based in Nairobi. This full-time, on-site role is a valuable opportunity for recent graduates or young professionals seeking hands-on experience in a high-performing finance team supporting impactful humanitarian and development work. If you have a strong interest in financial systems, donor compliance, and non-profit operations, this internship may be the stepping stone you need for a meaningful career in finance and development.
About the Finance Department
The Finance Department is an integral support function within Mercy Corps Kenya. It is responsible for a broad range of financial tasks including accounting, banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, grant management, and ensuring compliance with donor regulations and Mercy Corps’ internal policies. The department operates in close coordination with program teams to ensure that resources are used efficiently and program activities are financially sound.
The Position: Finance Intern
As a Finance Intern, you will report directly to the Senior Finance Officer in Nairobi and work closely with other finance and grants team members across the country. Your role will be central to maintaining proper financial documentation, processing payments, and ensuring timely and accurate data entry into financial systems. You will support key functions of the finance team and gain hands-on experience in donor compliance, tax processing, audit preparation, and financial documentation.
This internship provides a dynamic learning environment with the opportunity to develop critical professional skills in financial systems, donor reporting, compliance, and cross-departmental coordination. It also aligns with Mercy Corps’ commitment to fostering ongoing learning and career development for young professionals.
Key Responsibilities
1. Financial Management
- Prepare cash payment vouchers for all relevant transactions, ensuring complete and accurate documentation as per internal controls.
- Perform daily cash counts together with the Finance Officer, Senior Finance Officer, or a designated person, maintaining high standards of accuracy and accountability.
- Record daily payment vouchers in the designated cash sub-journal aligned with the batch assigned.
- Maintain an up-to-date record of uncleared cash advances and prepare a monthly overdue advance report to assist the Finance Officer or Senior Finance Officer in tracking outstanding balances.
- Support bank and cash journal entries by accurately recording payment vouchers into the assigned financial systems.
- Collect and organize transaction documentation required for donor reporting, ensuring that all supporting materials are complete and audit-ready.
- Assist in audit processes by retrieving documents, helping with filing post-audit, and offering general support as needed.
- Support document management by scanning, copying, printing, and uploading financial records into appropriate digital folders for monthly posting and audit review.
2. Filing & Archiving
- Maintain a well-organized filing system for all cash and bank vouchers, ensuring that files are properly labelled, complete, and secure.
- Ensure all financial documents are filed in compliance with the Mercy Corps Field Finance Manual, enabling easy retrieval for audits, donor queries, or internal reviews.
- Support the sub-grant management process by organizing and maintaining sub-grant files as per donor and organizational requirements.
3. Tax Processing
- Collaborate with the Finance Officer and Senior Finance Officer to process withholding VAT and withholding tax in alignment with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) regulations.
- Ensure timely scanning and transmission of tax-related documentation to the main office each week.
4. Security and Compliance
- Comply with Mercy Corps’ security protocols and maintain a strong awareness of safety procedures as outlined by the country leadership.
- Promote and uphold financial policies and security standards within the team, ensuring that financial procedures are respected and properly documented.
5. General Responsibilities
- Undertake other responsibilities as assigned by the Senior Finance Officer or Country Finance Team.
- Participate in team meetings and learning opportunities to develop professional knowledge and contribute to team effectiveness.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- The Finance Intern does not have any direct supervisory responsibilities.
Reporting Line
- Reports Directly To: Senior Finance Officer
- Works Directly With: Country Finance Teams, Grants Teams
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
All Mercy Corps team members are expected to uphold high standards of accountability. As part of this commitment, the Finance Intern will be responsible for supporting accountability to program participants, partners, and donors by ensuring transparency, accuracy, and timeliness in all financial processes.
This includes ensuring that Mercy Corps adheres to international standards for financial management and donor reporting, and that financial practices support community ownership and engagement.
Work Environment
The Finance Intern position is based in Nairobi, Kenya. Occasional travel to field offices may be required depending on operational needs. Mercy Corps expects team members to represent the organization in a professional and culturally appropriate manner at all times, whether in the office or in the field.
Mercy Corps Kenya promotes a work culture of respect, inclusivity, and continuous improvement. Team members are encouraged to share knowledge, learn from one another, and contribute to the organization’s ongoing efforts to innovate and excel in service delivery.
Learning and Development
Mercy Corps believes that learning organizations are better equipped to adapt and serve effectively. As part of its investment in team capacity, the organization encourages all staff — including interns — to dedicate at least 5% of their time to learning and professional development activities. As a Finance Intern, you will have access to mentorship, internal training sessions, and hands-on learning opportunities that will build your confidence and professional competence.
Organizational Culture and Inclusion
At Mercy Corps, building an effective and resilient team begins with diversity. The organization is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace where everyone is respected and given equal opportunities to succeed. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Mercy Corps fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability. Team members are valued not just for what they do, but for how they do it—integrating empathy, responsibility, and ethical behavior into every aspect of their work.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Mercy Corps is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics. All qualified individuals — regardless of background — are encouraged to apply.
Ethics, Safeguarding and Protection from Harm
Mercy Corps is dedicated to safeguarding the dignity and wellbeing of all individuals who come into contact with the organization. This includes zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, exploitation, or discrimination. The Finance Intern is expected to uphold Mercy Corps’ Code of Conduct, participate in safeguarding training, and immediately report any observed violations through the appropriate channels.
Mercy Corps adheres to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and is fully committed to preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Any misconduct during the recruitment process should be reported directly to the Integrity Hotline at [email protected].
Position Requirements Summary
While specific qualifications are not mandatory for this internship, successful candidates will typically be:
- Interested in financial operations and NGO systems
- Comfortable using MS Office (especially Excel)
- Attentive to detail and capable of handling numeric data with accuracy
- Strong communicators in both written and spoken English
- Self-motivated, reliable, and professional in conduct
Why Join Mercy Corps as a Finance Intern
This internship offers a unique opportunity to gain real-world experience in financial management, learn from seasoned professionals, and contribute to impactful programming. Interns at Mercy Corps are treated as integral team members with the potential to grow, learn, and explore longer-term career pathways within the organization or the wider development and humanitarian sector.
Whether you are looking to launch a career in nonprofit finance or expand your knowledge of donor compliance and financial systems, Mercy Corps offers a supportive environment to learn and grow.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications through the official Mercy Corps career portal.
