Finance and Accounts Officer at FasTrack Schools

About the Role

We are seeking a highly organised, analytical, and commercially minded Finance & Operations Manager to oversee the financial management and selected operational activities of both the School and Pharmacy business.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Business Directors and Management to ensure accurate financial reporting, effective budgeting, proper payroll administration, timely statutory compliance, efficient vendor payments, strong cash flow management, and effective inventory management for the pharmacy.

The role requires someone who is comfortable working across both day-to-day accounting responsibilities and higher-level financial planning, while maintaining strong financial controls and accountability across both business.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Management & Accounting: Manage the day-to-day financial operations of the school and pharmacy, including maintaining accurate financial records, reconciliations, expense tracking, and financial reporting.
• Budgeting & Financial Planning: Prepare and manage annual and termly budgets for the school and pharmacy, monitor performance against budgets, and provide financial forecasts and recommendations to Management.
• Payroll Management: Compute and process monthly salaries for all staff across the school and pharmacy, including allowances, deductions, taxes, pensions, and other payroll-related obligations.
• Statutory & Regulatory Compliance: Ensure timely computation, payment, and filing of statutory obligations, including PAYE, pension, NSITF, taxes, and other applicable regulatory deductions and filings.
• Pharmacy Inventory Management: Oversee stockkeeping and stocktaking for the pharmacy, maintain accurate inventory records, monitor stock movement and levels, reconcile physical stock with records, and identify variances, losses, and expired products.
• Vendor & Supplier Payments: Manage payments to vendors and suppliers, verify invoices and supporting documentation, maintain payment schedules, and ensure approved obligations are settled accurately and on time.
• Cash Flow Management: Monitor cash inflows and outflows across both businesses, prepare cash flow forecasts, manage liquidity, and optimise the timing and allocation of payments and collections.
• Financial Controls & Risk Management: Establish and maintain effective financial controls, monitor transactions and expenditures, identify financial risks or leakages, and recommend measures to improve accountability and financial efficiency.
• Management Reporting & Analysis: Prepare regular financial and management reports, including revenue, expenses, profitability, cash flow, inventory, and budget performance, while providing insights to support Management's decision-making.
• Business Planning & Advisory: Work closely with the Business Directors and Management to support financial and operational planning, evaluate business opportunities, identify cost-saving opportunities, and provide financial guidance for the school and pharmacy.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Professional accounting qualification such as ICAN, ACCA, or equivalent is an advantage.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of relevant experience in accounting, finance management, or a similar role.
• Experience managing finances for multiple business units or locations is an advantage.
• Experience with payroll, statutory compliance, budgeting, cash flow management, and financial reporting.
• Experience with inventory/stock management, preferably in a pharmacy, retail, healthcare, or FMCG environment, is an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of Nigerian tax, pension, NSITF, and other applicable statutory requirements.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Strong numerical, analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills.

Core Competencies

• Financial management and analysis
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Cash flow management
• Payroll administration
• Tax and statutory compliance
• Inventory and stock management
• Financial reporting
• Vendor management
• Attention to detail
• Integrity and confidentiality
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Strong communication and stakeholder management
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities