The Alliance Française de Nairobi is a not-for-profit language and cultural relations organisation.
It is one of the largest in Africa offering French language courses to thousands of students
annually.
It is the only accredited institution in Kenya for international and professional French language certification, and for certified translation services.
The institution offers a rich program of annual activities, encouraging creativity and exchanges, showcasing local and international Arts, and promoting cultural diversity.
Alliance Française seeks to recruit a Head of Accounts and Finance for the Finance Department.
The ideal candidate, to be recruited on a full-time basis, should fulfil the criteria detailed below.
Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership and direction to the finance team.
- Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement within the finance department, promoting teamwork, professional development, and excellence in performance.
- Oversee all financial operations, cash flow management, manage the annual budgeting process, working closely with department heads to develop and review budgets, forecasts, and financial plans.
- Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial statements, reports, and disclosures in accordance with accounting principles, regulatory requirements, and internal policies.
- Coordinate and liaise with external auditors, tax authorities, and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with financial reporting and tax obligations. Stay updated with regulatory changes affecting the financial operations and performance.
- Develop and maintain effective internal controls, policies, and procedures to safeguard assets (asset management), mitigate risks, and ensure integrity and accuracy in financial reporting and operations.
- Assess and manage financial risks, including currency exchange risk, interest rate risk, and market risk, and implement strategies to mitigate and manage these risks effectively.
- Provide financial insights and guidance to the Board of Directors, presenting financial performance, forecasts, and recommendations at meetings and presentations.
- Monitor financial performance against budget, forecast, and key performance indicators (KPIs), analysing variances and trends and providing insights and recommendations to improve financial results.
- Review and manage accounts payable and receivable, and making payments.
- Reconcile bank and card accounts in a timely manner, and keep up-to-date records.
- Ensure timely and accurate payment of invoices and collection of receivables
- Compute taxes and prepare tax returns and other statutories.
- Follow up with bank matters to ensure smooth operations.
Requirements:
- Leadership qualities, including vision, integrity, strategic thinking, and the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve excellence.
- Proven track record of success in financial management, strategic planning, and business performance improvement.
- Knowledge of financial principles, accounting standards, taxation, and regulatory requirements applicable to the organization’s industry and geographic location.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyse complex financial data, identify trends and insights, and develop actionable recommendations.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate financial concepts and insights effectively.
- Experience in collaborating with stakeholders at all levels of the organization, including management and the Board.
- Proficiency in financial analysis tools, modelling techniques, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as Sage, SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics.
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA)
- Professional certification, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is required
- Knowledge of French Language at A2 level minimum
Deadline to submit application with three references by the 14th February 2025 to the following email: [email protected]
