Senior Management Accountant

At Save the Children we pride ourselves on our will to embrace change and mould our programs to suit the ever-changing needs of communities across PNG and the Pacific. As a member of the extended Senior Management Team, you will provide leadership in communication and advocacy initiatives aimed at changing practices for betterment of children’s lives at community and national levels. We don’t shy from new ideas; we need you to stir things up.

Save the Children is no ordinary not-for-profit.

We’re ambitious, creative and outspoken. We stand up for children’s rights. We want all children to be educated, healthy and live a life free from violence. We run programs in PNG, Pacific, Australia and overseas and, if there’s a disaster - like an earthquake, drought or conflict – we are there on the ground.

Where you come in:

You will Provide effective and efficient interface between the Country Office Operational team and Finance to ensure finance activities are properly discharged. You will work under the Senior Finance Manager in PNG, with a dotted line to the Finance Business Partner for the Pacific Region of Save the Children, providing finance support and information to the Country Director and Senior Management Team. You will work closely with Save the Children Australia’s Financial Control Team, to ensure high levels of financial and operational controls are provided and maintained across systems and in collaboration with other departments as relevant (e.g., operations, supply chain, People and Culture).

You will make an impact by:

• Leading the day-to-day management accounting operations for the PNG Country Office, including accurate processing of financial transactions, perform month end close procedures, prepare, and analyse accurate monthly financial and management reports, including income statement and balance sheet.
• Supporting the Senior Finance Manager with budget, forecast, and outlook processes for the PNG Country Office.
• Working closely with Program Managers, Field Office leads and Senior Management Team with the development and ongoing tracking of budgets for proposals and tenders for new programs.
• Ensuring that all donor financial reports are prepared, reviewed, and approved in a timely manner in line with reporting timelines
• Preparing business performance reports for the Country Director and Regional Leadership Team on a monthly basis, including progress against approved Key Performance Indicators, insightful analysis and commentary on performance.
• Supporting the Senior Management Team and Program Managers with ongoing support of information quality and alignment to the Award Management System (AMS).
• Leading the donor acquittals process, including any donor audits required/supported by the Financial Control Team.

Does this sound like you?

You have the ability to multitask, work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines, responsive to external requests and a strong team player. You have experience in leadership roles and managing large scale development projects. You will be the voice of the Pacific Country Office customer within Finance to ensure that the quality and useability of performance reports, processes, and systems are continuously assessed and improved.

Comply with relevant Save the Children Policies and Procedures. You will drive improvement in financial literacy and understanding of key financial drivers across all stakeholder groups.

You have strong financial management and budgeting skills. You have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Proficiency in English; knowledge of Tok Pisin is an advantage

This role requires:

• Graduate degree in Accounting or other business-related degree
• Studying towards (or already qualified) with a relevant accounting body CA/CPA
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience – preferably with NGOs – of cost accounting and reporting, including grant reporting
• Excellent knowledge of budgeting and forecasting
• Experience in financial risk analysis
• Experience in business performance analysis and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to develop relationships across the organisation.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills, comfortable holding others to account.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High levels of attention to detail and commitment to producing quality, accurate work.
• Strong Excel and data extraction skills, including experience developing reports in or from an ERP system or Business Intelligence Tool.
• Proven success in embedding continuous improvement in the workplace.
• Strong time management and organisational skills with an ability to manage competing priorities.
• Excellent writing and verbal skills in English. Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner. Proficiency in Tok Pisin.
• Experience in providing insight and support to senior management.
• Advanced Excel knowledge.
• Business Intelligence tool (Power BI or equivalent).

Working at Save the Children is more than just a job.

It’s the feeling of knowing that your work is contributing to making the world a better place for children and working with others who feel the same. In addition to a connection to social causes, you will have access to:

• Opportunity to work on additional projects alongside business as usual
• Individual learning plans to assist in your career development
• Internal employment and development opportunities
• Support for workplace wellness, including access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Competitive salary + super

Sound interesting?

We’d love to hear from you. Submit your cover letter and resume to:

The Hiring Manager

Save the Children

CHM Corporate Park One Building

Level 1, Suite 6 - 7

P O Box 503, Boroko

National Capital District

Applications close Wednesday 30^th April 2025.

For more information about this position, please contact [email protected]

Position Description

BACKGROUND

Save the Children is the world’s largest independent child rights development organization, making a difference to children’s lives in more than 120 countries. From emergency relief to long-term development, Save the Children secures a child’s right to health, education, and protection. With the increasing frequency and severity of emergencies world-wide, the organisation is increasing its capacity to support programs in both sudden onset and chronic emergency situations.

Save the Children in Papua New Guinea (SCiPNG) is committed to be a platform for transformative and lasting change for children their families, and their communities. SCiPNG prides itself in being a child safe organization. For more information, please visit: www.savethechildren.org.au.

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Finance Manager, the Senior Management Accountant is responsible for the production of timely and accurate financial and management reports for the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Country Office’s financial performance. The role oversees processing, review and reporting of income and expenditure to ensure this is carried out in a timely and accurate manner, working with the program staff to have all the financial information required to deliver programs and monitor/executetheir budgets at Save the Children. The role also manages important stakeholder relationships with donors and supports the PNG Country Office and Pacific Regional leadership with correspondence between Save the Children Australia (SCA) and these donors. The role will report to the Senior Finance Manager in PNG, , with a dotted line to the Finance Business Partner for the Pacific Region of Save the Children, providing finance support and information to the Country Director and Senior Management Team. This role also works closely with Save the Children Australia’s Financial Control Team, to ensure high levels of financial and operational controls are provided and maintained across systems and in collaboration with other departments as relevant (e.g., operations, supply chain, People and Culture).

The Senior Management Accountant will drive continuous improvements in finance processes and help to build capability of all staff to utilise finance and operational systems and processes effectively and efficiently.

Key Areas of Accountability

• Lead all day-to-day management accounting operations for the PNG Country Office, including accurate processing of financial transactions, perform month end close procedures, prepare, and analyse accurate monthly financial and management reports, including income statement and balance sheet.
• Support the Senior Finance Manager with budget, forecast, and outlook processes for the PNG Country Office.
• Work closely with Program Managers, Field Office leads and Senior Management Team with the development and ongoing tracking of budgets for proposals and tenders for new programs.
• Ensure that all donor financial reports are prepared, reviewed, and approved in a timely manner in line with reporting timelines.
• Prepare business performance reports for the Country Director and Regional Leadership Team on a monthly basis, including progress against approved Key Performance Indicators, insightful analysis and commentary on performance.
• Prepare reports and commentary that feed into the Pacific Regional group financial reporting, monthly, and ad hoc as needed by the Senior Finance Manager and Pacific Finance Business Partner.
• Support the Senior Management Team and Program Managers with ongoing support of information quality and alignment to the Award Management System (AMS).
• Lead the donor acquittals process, including any donor audits required/supported by the Financial Control Team.
• Drive continuous development and improvement in financial processes, including:
  • Train and induct new staff.
  • Work with the program operations teams to adopt and utilise effective tools to monitor budget performance against forecast, variances and arising issues.
  • Monitor workflows.
  • Follow up on monthly tasks.
  • Provide ongoing feedback to the central finance staff regarding additional support and feed into process improvement initiatives.
• In coordination with the central Finance Business Partnering team, provide commercial finance support and value-added advice to the Region and Country Office teams.
• Support the Senior Finance Manager and Senior Management Team to strengthen and maintain strong financial control systems in all PNG offices and areas of operation.
• Work with other departments and programs to identify potential risks and strengthen cross-departmental and systemic measures to mitigate these risks.
• Perform ad hoc tasks to support Country and Regional Directors/Managers and the Finance teams.
• Ensure delivery of exceptional customer service by the Finance Team, both internally and externally.
• Drive improvement in financial literacy and understanding of key financial drivers across all stakeholder groups.
• Provide effective and efficient interface between the Country Office Operational team and Finance to ensure finance activities are properly discharged.
• Be the voice of the Pacific Country Office customer within Finance to ensure that the quality and useability of performance reports, processes, and systems are continuously assessed and improved.
• Comply with relevant Save the Children Policies and Procedures.

General

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Embody the Save the Children values in practice of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity, and Integrity. Work according to Save the Children’s mandate and child focus.
• Work according to any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Mandatory Qualifications and Qualifications

• Graduate degree in Accounting or other business-related degree
• Studying towards (or already qualified) with a relevant accounting body CA/CPA
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience – preferably with NGOs – of cost accounting and reporting, including grant reporting
• Excellent knowledge of budgeting and forecasting
• Experience in financial risk analysis
• Experience in business performance analysis and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to develop relationships across the organisation.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills, comfortable holding others to account.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High levels of attention to detail and commitment to producing quality, accurate work.
• Strong Excel and data extraction skills, including experience developing reports in or from an ERP system or Business Intelligence Tool.
• Proven success in embedding continuous improvement in the workplace.
• Strong time management and organisational skills with an ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines within a fast paced and changing environment.
• Excellent writing and verbal skills in English. Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner. Proficiency in Tok Pisin.

Desirable knowledge or experience

• Experience in providing insight and support to senior management.
• Advanced Excel knowledge.
• Business Intelligence tool (Power BI or equivalent).

CHILD SAFEGUARDING

This position may require the post holder to have regular contact with children or access to children and young people either frequently or intensively. S/he may have access to children directly through their data or direct visits. The holder will undergo a National Police Record Check and, where required, a Working with Children Check. Employees must sign on to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.