British Council Nigeria Recruiting for Financial Controller

The British Council is the world's leading cultural relations organization and creates opportunities for people in the UK and worldwide to understand each other, to work together and learn from one another. We see this as crucial to building secure, more prosperous and sustainable futures for us all. We build trust and understanding between different countries and cultures and develop strong international links that are of benefit to people in Britain and the rest of the world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Financial Controller - West Africa

Location: Nigeria
Pay Band: PB7 - F
Reports to: Regional Financial Controller
Duration of Job: Indefinite

Role Purpose

• This role supports the Regional Financial Controller with the end to end accounting process across the operation; including month and year end close, and ensures consistent, accurate and robust financial accounting processes in line with accounting practices and corporate policies. This is a key role in the new organisational structure emerging from the Financial Transparency recommendations. 
• The role will manage a team (size will vary by region) of accountants which may be based in multiple locations.

Main Accountabilities
The post-holder will:

• Manage the financial month end process, being accountable to the Regional Financial Controller for the pre-closing and month end closing steps, including maintenance of accounting records.
• As part of this the role will also be responsible for review and monitoring all accounting transactions and adjustments (accruals, deferrals and provisions), including Inter-company accounting, ensuring appropriate use of these in line with accounting rules
• Review all manual journals and off-system payments to ensure accuracy and compliance with relevant policies
• Perform reconciliation of all relevant accounts and ensure that this is completed to corporate standards
• Ensure that local external accounting requirements are adhered to. This may include managing local providers such as tax accountants or auditors
• Submission of local Tax and other statutory returns to Regional Financial Controller for approval
• Provide an advisory function to cluster operations on technical accounting issues, and liaise with other specialist finance functions such as Tax and Treasury as needed
• Identify issues and resolution in relation to financial accounting matters
• Ensure that requests for new Master Data items (Profit Centre, Cost Centre, WBS, etc.) are compliant and that the integrity of finances is maintained
• Produce periodic reports relating to financial accounting for cluster as requested by Regional Financial Controller
• Monitor the cost allocation ratios for the cluster operations to ensure that they are based in accurate accounting rationale 
• Ensure that the cluster operation fully complies with Travel & Expenses policy and that claims are submitted promptly and accurately with relevant documentation
• Manage the creation of billing documents once the process has been initiated by the cluster operation and monitors debt levels
• Manage the process of Income in kind submissions
• Manage with Regional Financial Controller the service level agreement(s) with SSC
• Co-ordinate at cluster level provision of information to internal / external auditors
• Implement audit recommendations at cluster level
• Supporting cluster country going through a Tax and Status change project
• Supporting subsidiaries in cluster on post-stabilisation phase
• Responsible for cluster management of:
  • Banking relationship
  • Capital assets additions, disposals and depreciation
  • Compliance with treasury policy
  • Capital markets and funding o Financial risk management/FX management 

Team Leadership and Management:

• Demonstrate effective leadership of the cluster Financial Controlling and Accounting team and ensure that line management of staff is to British Council standards
• Coach and support individuals and teams
• Ensure that capability and capacity in the Financial Controlling and Accounting team is fit-for purpose and able to respond flexibly to changes in the portfolio and operating context
• Ensure financial training for members of the team
• Ensure Performance Management process in undertaken to meet corporate requirements
• Actively support equality and diversity and work to the British Council’s EDI policy at all times.

Key Relationships:
Internal

• Country Directors & Cluster Leads
• Regional Finance Director
• FP&A Leads
• Risk and Compliance Lead
• Shared Services Centre
• Corporate Finance External
• Bank relationship manager

Person Specification
Qualification:

• Qualified Accountant - ACCA or CFA - with at least 3 years of experience post-qualification.

Role Specific Knowledge & Experience:

• Excellent leadership and communication skills 
• Able to relay complex financial information in an easy-to-understand way 
• Highly organised and deadline oriented. 
• Minimum of 3 years of qualified experience in a relevant managerial post.
• Experience of managing a diverse team or group of stakeholders in multiple locations.         
• Experience of an ERP system.

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in written and spoken English:
  • Shortlisted candidates will either demonstrate they have met the required standard through presentation of an agreed English language certificate, or will be required to take the APTIS test and demonstrate a B2 level of English proficiency.

Application Closing Date
22nd May, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here to download job details (pdf)

Click here to download BC Behaviour (pdf)

Click here to download BC Core skills (pdf)