FINANCE MANAGER, GHANA
The Luminos Fund, an international nonprofit bringing education opportunities to the world’s most marginalized children, seeks a Finance Manager, Ghana, to lead its financial operations in Ghana.
The Finance Manager, Ghana, will play a central role in Luminos’ financial operations and management in Ghana and across our global offices. The successful candidate will have strong technical accounting knowledge and experience, be an excellent communicator and collaborator, have exceptional attention to detail, and be adept at building capacity and providing training to both internal team members and external partners.
We are looking for someone who is self-motivated, curious, and ready to problem-solve creatively and independently, with a keen ability to maintain the highest level of confidentiality and professionalism.
This full-time position will be based in our Accra office and will report directly to the Associate Director of Finance, with a secondary reporting line to the Country Manager, Ghana. The candidate will need to have the appropriate work authorization to work in Ghana.
ABOUT LUMINOS FUND
Luminos Fund (www.luminosfund.org) provides transformative education programs to thousands of out-of-school children, helping them to catch up to grade level, reintegrate into government schools, and prepare for lifelong learning. Working in partnership with community-based organizations, Luminos is scaling up its accelerated learning program to ensure all children have equal access to joyful, foundational learning, especially those shut out of education by crisis, poverty, or discrimination. To date, Luminos has helped over 377,407 children secure a second chance to learn. A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States, Luminos is working in Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Liberia, and The Gambia.
Luminos is supported by a range of funding partners, including Cartier Philanthropy, the Gates Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation, and UNICEF. Luminos has been recognized for its achievements globally, receiving the 2022 Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prize, the Library of Congress International Literacy Award, the Lipman Family Prize, the WISE Award, and the HundrED Global Innovation Award for the last seven years.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Global Finance
• In partnership with the Associate Director of Finance, manage the overall accounting and bookkeeping for the Ghana office, including banking, revenue recognition, accounts receivable, accounts payable, tax withholding, payroll, employment-related withholdings, and employee benefits for the Luminos Fund (Ghana) entity.
• Manage the annual financial audits, annual report filing, tax filing, and any other nonprofit reporting requirements for the Luminos Fund (Ghana) entity.
• Support the development of the annual budget for the Luminos Fund (Ghana) entity.
• Ensure that all Luminos financial policies are implemented with the highest levels of integrity.
• Provide ongoing financial capacity building for internal team members and external partners.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with trusted vendors and service providers.
• Support the day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping for the global organization.
• Lead the accounts payable function, support and vet all vendors and review all payments and reimbursements for all Luminos offices.
• Support the review of financial transactions prepared by other in-country finance teams.
• Perform other ad hoc projects as assigned.
Administration
• In partnership with the U.S. Finance team, manage financial compliance, including in-country registration, accreditation, and tax compliance.
• In consultation with the U.S. Finance team and senior leadership, review and revise organization policies on an annual basis.
• Support compliance and due diligence processes for donors, partners, and service providers.
• Support the implementation of procurement policies and processes, including monitoring local market rates to ensure operational cost effectiveness.
Grant Management
• Support the budgeting and contracting processes with implementing partners.
• Support the development of financial reporting templates and training materials for implementing partners.
• Review budget utilization reports from implementing partners to ensure proper documentation and reporting.
• Support the timely preparation of grant financial reports to donors.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Skills and Experience
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Accounting, or Finance. Chartered Accountant (CA) designation strongly preferred.
• 5+ years’ financial management experience in a corporate or non-profit setting with international operations.
• Proficient in non-profit IFRS and U.S. GAAP accounting.
• Proficient in the English language.
• Experience managing annual audits in compliance with IFRS, U.S. GAAP, and local requirements of the Ghana authorities.
• Advanced skills and experience in Sage Intacct, MS Excel, Word, SharePoint, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work remotely and cross-culturally with international teams with compassion, understanding, and respect.
• Superb attention to detail, time management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to juggle multiple assignments under deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex information to and build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with donor reporting on multiple grants, including restricted funding, strongly preferred.
• Experience in a startup environment and building something from nothing strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of and existing relationships with key regulatory bodies in Ghana is desired.
LUMINOS CORE BELIEFS AND VALUES
1. We believe that every child is capable of learning a remarkable amount in a short period of time, if given the chance.
2. We keep children’s joy and well-being at the heart of everything we do.
3. We embrace assessment as a key component of effective teaching and learning.
4. We celebrate and empower local leadership throughout our work with partner communities and governments.
5. We use research, program data, and skilled classroom observation in the tenacious pursuit of excellence.
6. We celebrate the unique contexts and cultures of the communities we serve in our curricula and pedagogy.
7. We act with the highest standards of integrity and care, ensuring mutual accountability among colleagues and partners.
8. We take the initiative to solve problems where we find them, managing details large and small, with urgency.
9. We act deliberately to ensure that our organization is inclusive for people of different genders, racial backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, abilities, and other sources of diversity.
10. We build deep, authentic relationships with our supporters in celebration of the mutually transformative power of giving.
To apply for this role, please complete the online application with your resume or CV and a cover letter describing why you are a good match for this position.
We often receive hundreds of applications for our roles, and many applicants submit cover letters generated by AI tools. We are looking for personal cover letters written by you, about you. We want to understand your interests, experience, and enthusiasm for the role. Cover letters written with AI support tend to be generic and do not give us enough insight into your unique profile.
You will be asked to confirm the following information as part of your application:
• Permanent and present address (if different), e-mail address, and telephone number
• Disclosure of any existing personal relationships with current Luminos Fund employees or Implementing Partners (IPs)
After your application, you will be sent a brief assessment vis e-mail to complete. We anticipate this assessment to take approximately 9 minutes.
Luminos Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.