Children of the Nations Hiring for Finance Officer Job at Belfast, Northern Ireland Full Time

MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS: Accounting, Bookkeeping, Grant Compliance, Biblical Stewardship, Training

SUMMARY:

As the Finance Officer, you will bring together Christian faith and financial expertise to support our ministry’s aims and objectives locally and internationally. You will administer the finances of Children of the Nations UK & Ireland and, as part of a dynamic International Grant Compliance team, you will ensure finance reporting from each of our international partners is complete and accurate, in accordance with the Christian principles and ethos with which the charity operates. This will involve providing training, advice and spiritual encouragement to finance staff supporting the direct care of children in Sierra Leone, Malawi, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. You will provide expertise in budgeting, reporting and procedural best practice, encouraging prayerful reliance on God for all financial resources and applying principles of Christian stewardship to those resources.

YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR…

• Ensuring international partners are maintaining agreed accounting and financial management standards – analysing reports for accuracy, getting explanations, supporting accountants to correct problems, conducting spot checks.
• Mentoring implementing partners in biblical principles of accounting, service and stewardship, praying with and for each staff member with whom you are working.
• Supporting key financial procedures such as annual budgeting and external auditing.
• Providing Quickbooks training and consultation and supporting a full transition to Quickbooks Online.
• Analysing partner reporting to identify inefficiencies and understand budget performance, communicating concerns to the rest of the Grant Compliance team.
• Making recommendations regarding improving efficiency, effectiveness and economy of services.
• Monitoring economic trends in each partner country including inflation and exchange rate changes.
• Administering the finances of COTN UK & Ireland, processing donations, gift aid, payments, international transfers, managing payroll and preparing budgets and reports.
• Representing Children of the Nations – in particular its Christian mission – to partners and at events, fundraisers and conferences, when required.

YOU MUST HAVE…

• Completed or partially completed CAI/ACCA/ACA (or equivalent).
• Experience of international Christian ministry (in a paid or voluntary capacity)
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience within an Accounting Role.
• Detailed knowledge of QuickBooks
• Detailed understanding of Biblical Stewardship and its application
• Excellent numerical skills with the ability to analyse data, statistics and review budgets and expenditure
• Ability to lead prayer meetings and pray for others one on one
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with ability to work cross-culturally with sensitivity
• Respectfully assertive, ensuring that tasks are completed to a high standard
• Ability to run face to face and remote training and to mentor international teams
• Strong computer skills, including use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Zoom
• Proven organisational skills and the ability to work on own initiative and to deadlines
• Attention to detail and drive to thoroughness
• Personal faith in Jesus and a passion for reaching the world with the Gospel
• Strong commitment to uphold the vision and mission statements of the employer
• Strong commitment to prayer
• Personal integrity and trustworthiness
• Willing to work flexibly, including evening and weekend working

IT’S AN ADDED PLUS IF YOU HAVE…

• Full driving licence (and access to a car)
• Experience working for a charity or Christian mission agency in a similar finance role
• Experience of public speaking in a church context
• Payroll experience
• Knowledge of financial legislation relating to charities
• Proficiency in French and/or Spanish
• Willingness to travel internationally if necessary

Only those applicants who appear from the information contained in the application forms to be the most suitable in terms of relevant experience and ability will be short-listed for interview. You should note that candidates who do not demonstrate how they fulfill all of the essential criteria will not be shortlisted for interview. The employer reserves the right to shortlist on the essential criteria only or on the essential and desirable criteria as identified in the Person Specification as may be appropriate. It is essential that you fully describe in each section how you meet the particular experience and qualities sought, giving examples and specifying exact dates as appropriate.

BENEFITS, PERKS, & OUR TEAM…

We have the joy of working hard to change children’s lives every day and are passionate about taking care of our teams!

Children of the Nations offers flexibility in where/when you work and we are dedicated to helping staff grow professionally and thrive in their roles. We take time for prayer and connection with one another, read books together, and enjoy having fun too!

This is a work from home position, with weekly meetings in Belfast.

We pursue excellence in all we do and strive to be:

• RESPECTFUL: We are gracious, friendly, and treat each other with honour.
• GLOBAL: We value and promote cultural diversity. We actively study and work to understand all cultures represented within the COTN Global Alliance.
• ADAPTABLE: We seek to be open-minded and see challenges as opportunities to be innovative.
• ENGAGED: We are proactive, committed and solution-driven in our work, continually seeking to improve and expand the ministry.
• COLLABORATIVE: We work together and support and learn from one another in a spirit of helpfulness.

ORGANISATIONAL OVERVIEW

We believe all children deserve the chance to reach their full potential! At Children of the Nations (COTN), we are dedicated to raising children out of poverty and hopelessness so they can become leaders who transform their nations. We currently provide care to orphans and children from the most destitute situations in Sierra Leone, Malawi, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. We work through local partners to provide long-term holistic care for children – we have a Children’s Homes Program for children who have been orphaned, Village Partnership Program for children living with destitute families or caregivers who cannot properly provide for them, and a University & Vocational Program to provide continued education and support for youth finishing secondary school…helping them reach their fullest potential! We believe true, lasting, and meaningful change to families, communities, and nations takes place when you deeply invest in children, so they are our mission. Join us and you will help children go from living on the street to graduating from college and becoming entrepreneurs, teachers, and doctors! For more information, visit cotni.org and cotnukireland.org!

Data Protection Statement

The information that you provide on your application form and that obtained from other relevant sources will be used to process your application for employment. The personal information that you give us will also be used in a confidential manner to help us monitor our recruitment process.

If you succeed in your application and take up employment, the information will be used in the administration of your employment. The employer may also use the information if there is a complaint or challenge relevant to this recruitment process.

The employer may check the information collected with third parties or with any other information held by the employer. We may also use or pass to third parties, information to prevent or detect crime, to protect public funds, or in other ways as permitted by law.

By submitting an application it will be assumed that you agree to the processing of sensitive personal data (as described above), in accordance with the principles set out in Data Protection Legislation.