Finance Analyst at Beacongate Limited

Location: Lagos Mainland, Lagos

Job Description

• This position includes ensuring that transaction processing is being performed in accordance with Banks procurement guidelines. Monitor, review and perform analysis to ascertain that the objectives of procurement guidelines are being met in the most efficient and effective manner and ensuring compliance with Bank’s policy
• To perform analytical work involving budget planning, reporting and monitoring for better utilization of financial and other resources, reports and other guidance as necessary.
• The position requires excellent technical, analytical, systems, verbal and written communication skills, as well as knowledge sharing abilities based on sound knowledge of Microfinance Bank’s operating, fiduciary and administrative processes for resource management.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Closely analyze customer account and daily bank reconciliation.
• Monthly revenue and expenditure projection, flagging major issues concerning budget over/under runs as well as other analysis required,
• Consolidate and analyze financial data (budgets, income statement forecasts etc.) taking into account company’s goals and financial standing
• Providing creative alternatives and recommendations to reduce costs and improve financial performance
• Assembling and summarize data to structure sophisticated reports on financial status and risks,
• Monitoring commitments and accruals and ensuring compliance with Bank policy,
• Contributing to the resolution of complex vendor and invoicing issues,
• Providing supervision and advice to team assistants in reports, transaction processing and other guidance as necessary, and coordinating the integration of agreed processes,
• Helping resolve issues managers face when approving transactions; escalating issues to Budget / Finance Officer and seek assistance when necessary,
• Participating in clients team meetings. Ensuring effective back-up arrangement, and timely submission of tasks/outputs;
• Driving process improvement and policy development initiatives that impact the function,
• Reviewing the transactions processed by team members and ensuring that they are processed in line with the Bank’s procurement guidelines;
• Responsible for maintaining process documentation to ensure internal controls operate as expected and training and coaching of new staff, and
• Monitoring daily workload and ensure its completion accurately and on timely basis.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Management, Economics with minimum of six years of relevant professional experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Substantial work experience with transaction processing using integrated, automated accounting systems with a comparable level of complexity to SAP R3 enterprise resource planning system and high degree of integration.
• Ability to research, analyze, and synthesize information, interpret data, retrieve information from SAP or other databases and prepare results, which are clear and concise.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of accounting theory, concepts and principles, combined with proven practical skills in financial and cost accounting reporting, business planning, work programming, budgeting, financial management and audit.
• Demonstrated technical skills; working knowledge of Microsoft Office. Strong proficiency in advanced Excel functions required.
• Strong communication skills (in English), both written and oral, to convey complex budget and administrative financial issues concisely to management and staff.
• Strong problem solving, conceptual, and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently; organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines.
• Experience or knowledge of a Microfinance Bank.
• Exceptional spreadsheet design and manipulation skills, ability to quickly develop effective understanding of logical accounting data structures and data inter-relationships to effectively evaluate and make recommendations on process / system controls; proficiency in using Microsoft Word and Power Point presentation software.
• Proven, consistent dedication to excellence and consummate attention to detail.

Competencies:

• Deliver results for clients – Proactively addresses clients stated and unstated needs. Adds value by constantly looking for a better way to get more impactful results; sets challenging stretch goals for oneself. Immerses oneself in client experiences and perspective by asking probing questions to understand unmet needs. Identifies and proposes solutions to mitigate and manage risks
• Collaborate within teams and across boundaries – Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective and willingly receives diverse perspectives. Appropriately involves others in decision making and communicates with key stakeholders. Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches. Integrates Banks perspective into work.
• Lead and innovate – Develops innovative solutions. Contributes new insights to understand situations and develops solutions to resolve complex problems. Adapts as circumstances require and manages impact of own behavior on others in context of Bank’s values and mission. Identifies and pursues innovative approaches to resolve issues.
• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Applies knowledge across Bank to strengthen Bank’s client solutions. Leverages department's expertise and body of knowledge across the Bank to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions. Seeks to learn from more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and helps others to learn. Builds personal and professional networks inside and outside the department unit.
• Make Smart Decisions – Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward. Seeks diversity of information and inputs, researches possible solutions, and generates recommended options. Identifies and understands risks and proposes recommendations. Based on risk analysis makes decisions in a timely manner within own area of responsibility, considering the interests and concerns of stakeholders.
• Client Understanding and Advising - Looks at issues from the client’s perspective and advocates for clients within own area as well as urges others to focus on meeting client needs.
• Broad Business Thinking – Maintains an in-depth understanding of the long-term implications of decisions both for related areas within the Bank and the client’s business. Involves the key players in identifying operating needs, issues and immediate solutions. Ensures that decisions are supported by relevant stakeholders and creates the business case for investment in process and enhancements
• Project Management – Prepares and manages multi-resource plans which affect the direction of the work unit. Analyzes complex, evolving circumstances and takes corrective action to avoid resource constraints and meet deadlines. Prepares to implement plans by ensuring that mandate is clear and manageable with present resources. Foresees problems and opportunities not obvious to others and acts to address them in a timely fashion. Creates new solutions that address problems and anticipate obstacles – i.e. thinking ahead about next steps in detail.
• Analytical Thinking – Determines criteria for assessing issues and opportunities. Establishes clear goals and priorities needed to assess performance. Identifies relationships and linkages between different information sources. Anticipates issues that are not clear on the surface. Identifies root causes and effects.
• Policies and Procedures – Demonstrate thorough knowledge of policies and procedures in related fields. Provide training and guidance to junior and mid-level staff in enhancing their understanding of relevant policies and procedures. Lead by example and serve as the best practice champion in applying pertinent policies and procedures.
• Risks and Controls – Lead by example and serve as best practice champions in completing internal control procedures, including understanding impact beyond own immediate functional areas. Provide constructive inputs to the design, implementation and improvement of risk and internal control procedures for standalone end-to-end processes based on understanding of the business.
• Information Technology and Systems – Demonstrate understanding of the functions and operations of pertinent IT systems and applications. Provide training and guidance to junior staff regarding IT system structure and function related area as relevant to the functional area.
• Communication – Adapt the communication style appropriate for the intended audience. Adopt an inclusive approach to communication as is appropriate to the situation, so as to ensure adequate stakeholder participation. Present information effectively and encourage feedback.