Finance Officer

Lindii Peace Foundation (LPF) is a Non-Profit and Non-governmental Organization in Nigeria which was registered as a corporate body with the Corporate Affairs Commission on the Eleventh (11th) day of July, 2014.Contract Duration: 11 months ABOUT THE ROLE Lindii Peace Foundation (LPF) is seeking a qualified, detail-oriented, and experienced Finance Officer to support the effective financial management of the organization and its programmes. The Finance Officer will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, processing and reviewing financial transactions, supporting budgeting and expenditure monitoring, preparing financial reports, maintaining appropriate financial controls, and ensuring compliance with LPF policies, donor requirements, applicable statutory requirements, and recognized accounting standards. The position will work closely with the Finance Manager, Programme teams, Procurement, Administration, HR, and other relevant functions to ensure that financial transactions are properly authorized, accurately recorded, adequately supported, and reported on time. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Financial Accounting and Record Keeping Maintain accurate and up-to-date accounting records in accordance with LPF financial procedures and applicable accounting standards. Record financial transactions accurately and within established reporting timelines. Ensure all transactions are supported by appropriate and complete documentation. Maintain proper filing and organization of financial records, vouchers, receipts, invoices, and supporting documents. Assist with maintaining the organization\'s accounting system and financial databases. Payment Processing and Financial Transactions Review payment requests and supporting documentation for completeness and compliance before processing. Process approved payments, advances, reimbursements, and other financial transactions in accordance with established procedures. Verify calculations, coding, budget lines, and supporting documentation before transactions are submitted for approval. Ensure appropriate authorization and segregation of duties are maintained. Follow up on incomplete or unsupported payment documentation. Cash and Bank Management Support Support the management and reconciliation of cash and bank transactions. Maintain accurate records of cash movements, bank transactions, and advances. Prepare or support bank reconciliation processes and investigate outstanding or unusual items. Monitor staff advances and support timely retirement of outstanding balances. Report discrepancies, unusual transactions, or control concerns to the Finance Manager. Budget Monitoring and Expenditure Control Support programme and departmental budget monitoring. Review expenditures against approved budgets and identify potential variances. Provide timely information on budget utilization and expenditure trends. Support preparation of budget-versus-actual reports. Escalate potential overspending, under-utilization, or unauthorized expenditure to the Finance Manager and relevant programme staff. Programme and Project Finance Support Provide finance support to programme teams in relation to approved activities and expenditures. Review programme expenditure documentation for compliance with approved budgets and donor requirements. Support project expenditure tracking and financial forecasting. Work with programme staff to clarify financial requirements and resolve routine documentation issues. Support timely financial information for programme planning and decision-making. Donor Financial Compliance Ensure financial transactions comply with applicable donor rules, LPF policies, approved budgets, and grant agreements. Maintain appropriate supporting documentation for donor-funded expenditures. Support preparation of donor financial reports and expenditure schedules. Track donor-specific financial requirements and reporting timelines. Immediately escalate potential ineligible, unsupported, or non-compliant expenditure. Financial Reporting Prepare routine financial schedules, summaries, reconciliations, and reports as assigned. Support monthly, quarterly, project, and annual financial reporting processes. Provide accurate financial information to the Finance Manager and relevant management staff. Assist with analysis of expenditure trends, budget utilization, advances, and outstanding balances. Ensure financial reports are supported by accurate underlying records. Payroll and Staff-Related Financial Support Support payroll preparation by providing accurate and verified financial information as required. Review approved staff-related payments and supporting documentation. Support reconciliation of payroll-related accounts and deductions. Work with HR to resolve routine payroll documentation or financial discrepancies. Maintain confidentiality of payroll and staff financial information. Procurement and Financial Coordination Work closely with Procurement to ensure procurement-related financial transactions are properly documented and authorized. Review purchase requests, invoices, purchase orders, and payment documentation from a financial compliance perspective. Support verification of supplier payment documentation. Ensure payments are processed only after required approvals and supporting documents are available. Maintain appropriate segregation between procurement, verification, approval, and payment functions. Accounts Payable and Receivable Maintain accurate records of outstanding payables and receivables. Process supplier and service-provider payments in accordance with approved procedures. Monitor outstanding balances and follow up on unresolved items. Support reconciliation of supplier accounts and other relevant balances. Escalate long-outstanding or disputed balances to the Finance Manager. Advances and Retirement Management Maintain accurate records of staff, programme, travel, and operational advances. Monitor outstanding advances and follow up for timely retirement. Review retirement documents for completeness and accuracy. Ensure unsupported or unretired amounts are appropriately escalated. Maintain an updated advances tracker. Financial Controls and Compliance Apply LPF financial policies, procedures, approval requirements, and internal controls consistently. Support implementation of appropriate financial checks and controls. Identify control weaknesses, irregularities, or unusual transactions and report them promptly. Ensure transactions are properly coded, authorized, documented, and recorded. Support efforts to prevent fraud, misuse of funds, financial errors, and unauthorized expenditure. Statutory and Regulatory Compliance Support compliance with applicable Nigerian statutory financial and tax requirements. Maintain appropriate records required for statutory reporting and compliance. Support preparation of information required for tax, regulatory, or other statutory submissions. Coordinate with the Finance Manager and relevant external advisers where required. Ensure statutory documentation is properly filed and readily accessible. Audit and Financial Review Support Support internal and external audits, financial reviews, spot checks, and donor verification exercises. Provide requested financial documents and supporting schedules within agreed timelines. Ensure financial records are organized and easily retrievable. Support follow-up on audit findings and agreed corrective actions. Maintain confidentiality and integrity of audit-related information. Financial Risk Management Identify and report financial risks, control weaknesses, unusual transactions, and potential compliance concerns. Support implementation of corrective measures within assigned responsibilities. Maintain awareness of risks relating to cash handling, advances, payments, procurement, documentation, and financial reporting. Escalate suspected fraud, financial misconduct, or serious irregularities through established channels. Support a strong culture of accountability and responsible financial management. Financial Data and Analysis Maintain accurate financial data and supporting records. Assist with financial analysis, expenditure trends, budget utilization, and forecasting. Prepare financial schedules and analysis requested by the Finance Manager or management. Verify financial data before reports are submitted. Support management decision-making by providing timely and reliable financial information. Asset and Inventory Financial Support Support financial records relating to organizational assets and inventory where required. Assist with reconciliation of asset records with financial records. Support periodic verification and documentation of organizational assets. Report discrepancies, losses, damage, or unexplained movements through established procedures. Coordinate with Administration, Logistics, and Procurement on relevant financial records. Financial Systems and Process Improvement Ensure appropriate use of LPF accounting and financial management systems. Maintain accurate and complete electronic and physical financial records. Identify routine process gaps and recommend practical improvements to the Finance Manager. Support implementation of improved financial procedures, templates, trackers, and controls. Maintain organized and secure financial information systems. Capacity Building and Financial Support to Staff Provide routine guidance to programme and support staff on financial documentation and procedures within the scope of the role. Support staff understanding of financial requirements for advances, retirements, payments, and activity documentation. Participate in finance-related orientation and refresher sessions. Promote compliance with LPF financial procedures across departments. Escalate technical or policy matters requiring management interpretation. Financial Close-Out and Transition Support Support financial close-out of projects, grants, programmes, and operational activities. Ensure outstanding advances, commitments, payables, receivables, and supporting documents are appropriately addressed. Assist with preparation of project financial close-out schedules and documentation. Support reconciliation and archiving of project financial records. Ensure close-out activities are completed within agreed timelines. Coordination and Teamwork Maintain effective working relationships with Finance, Programme, Procurement, HR, Administration, Logistics, MEAL, and other relevant teams. Participate in relevant coordination meetings and financial review discussions. Respond professionally and promptly to finance-related requests. Support a collaborative approach to resolving financial and operational issues. Maintain clear communication with supervisors and colleagues. Other Responsibilities Participate in organizational meetings, trainings, reviews, audits, assessments, and other activities as assigned. Maintain confidentiality of organizational, staff, supplier, donor, and financial information. Comply with LPF policies, Code of Conduct, safeguarding, PSEA, anti-fraud, and other relevant requirements. Perform other reasonable finance-related duties consistent with the position and level of responsibility. KEY DELIVERABLES Accurate and timely recording of financial transactions. Complete, properly authorized, and well-organized financial documentation. Timely processing of approved payments and financial transactions. Accurate bank, cash, advance, supplier, and other assigned reconciliations. Regular and reliable budget monitoring and expenditure information. Compliance with LPF financial policies and applicable donor requirements. Timely support to financial and donor reporting. Effective monitoring and retirement of staff and programme advances. Timely identification and escalation of financial risks, discrepancies, and control weaknesses. Well-maintained records that support audits, reviews, and donor verification. Effective financial support to programme and support functions. Timely contribution to project and organizational financial close-out processes. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE Minimum Qualifications Bachelor\'s degree or HND in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field. Professional accounting qualification or progress toward a recognized professional qualification such as ICAN, ANAN, ACCA, or equivalent is an advantage. Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience in finance, accounting, grants finance, or financial management. Experience in transaction processing, reconciliations, financial reporting, budget monitoring, and financial documentation. Good understanding of accounting principles, financial controls, and financial reporting requirements. Experience supporting donor-funded projects or programmes is highly desirable. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other relevant financial or accounting systems. Strong numerical, analytical, organizational, and documentation skills. Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive financial information. Strong attention to detail and accuracy. Desirable Experience Previous experience with an NGO, INGO, UN agency, or donor-funded organization. Experience working with donors such as UNICEF, ECHO, NHF, FCDO, USAID, or similar institutional donors. Experience working in humanitarian, development, or conflict-affected environments. Experience with accounting software such as QuickBooks, Sage, Dynamics, or other recognized financial management systems. Experience supporting audits, donor financial reviews, spot checks, or compliance assessments. Knowledge of Nigerian tax, statutory, and regulatory requirements. Experience supporting multiple projects or funding streams. CORE COMPETENCIES Financial accounting and transaction management. Budget monitoring and expenditure control. Bank and account reconciliation. Financial reporting and analysis. Donor financial compliance. Strong Excel and financial data management skills. Financial controls and risk awareness. High level of accuracy and attention to detail. Strong organization and time management. Problem-solving and analytical thinking. Clear written and verbal communication. Ability to work effectively with programme and support teams. Ability to work under pressure and meet reporting deadlines. Integrity and professional accountability. Confidentiality and sound professional judgment. Commitment to safeguarding, PSEA, anti-fraud, and ethical conduct. SAFEGUARDING, CODE OF CONDUCT AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES LPF is committed to safeguarding children, vulnerable adults, programme participants, staff, and community members. The successful candidate will be expected to: Comply with LPF\'s Code of Conduct, safeguarding, PSEA, anti-fraud, and other relevant policies. Maintain confidentiality of financial, staff, supplier, donor, and organizational information. Demonstrate integrity and refuse to participate in fraudulent, corrupt, or unauthorized financial practices. Report suspected fraud, financial misconduct, safeguarding concerns, or other serious violations through established channels. Maintain appropriate professional boundaries in all working relationships. Promote accountability, transparency, respect, teamwork, and professionalism. Exercise appropriate care and diligence when handling organizational funds and financial records.