Finance Officer, ACT Project

World University Service of Canada (WUSC)

POSITION TITLE Finance Officer, ACT Project
POSITION LOCATION Lilongwe, Malawi
REPORTS TO Finance Manager
CONTRACT TERM 1 April, 2025 – 31 March 2026

Are you an experienced professional with strong financial management skills, good judgement and excellent interpersonal skills?  WUSC is currently looking for a Finance Officer to join the Program team in Malawi!  

BACKGROUND

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization focusing on three programmatic areas: Economic Opportunities, Education, and Empowerment. Our vision is a better world for all young people. It is a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world in which all young people, especially women and refugees, are empowered to secure a good quality of life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

WUSC currently works in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $45 million. Globally, we partner with a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty and community leaders that work with us to achieve our mission.

The Action for paid Childcare sector Transformation (ACT) project is a 4-year collaborative initiative that uses an innovative systems approach to drive gender transformative, locally-owned, collaborative action to transform paid childcare from a job of last resort to a vocation of choice, and for the paid childcare sector to become one of economic prosperity for women in Kenya and in Malawi. ACT aligns with Canada’s commitment made towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 (gender equality and empowerment), SDG 8 (decent work for all), Canada’s FIAP action area on growth that works for everyone.

The project will be implemented in close collaboration between WUSC and partners in

Kenya and Malawi, notably Uthabiti Africa and the Coalition of Violence Against Women

(COVAW) in Kenya, and the Women’s Legal Resources Centre (WOLREC) in Malawi.

Summary Responsibilities

The position entails a detail-oriented and committed Finance Officer to support the financial operations of WUSC. The Finance Officer will be responsible for managing daily accounting tasks, processing financial transactions, and ensuring accurate record-keeping to support our country program including specific projects such as ACT. This role requires strong organizational skills, an understanding of standard financial practices, and a dedication to maintaining transparency and accountability in the use of funds. The Finance Officer will support the management of a strong internal control environment, including segregation of duties, and the application of finance policies, processes, and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

  1. Financial Management
  •  Process accounts payable and receivable, including issuing invoices, paying vendors, and recording donations or grant income.
  • Support the management of payroll processing, ensuring timely and accurate payment to employees and compliance with tax requirements.
  • Prepare and issue advances and expense reimbursements for staff and volunteers in line with organizational policies.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date financial records using accounting software (e.g., Sage, or similar).
  • Reconcile bank statements, debit card accounts, and petty cash on a monthly basis.
  • Track restricted and unrestricted funds, ensuring proper allocation per donor or grant requirements.
  • Support in the monthly closure of accounts within required deadlines and guidelines.
  • Ensures timely preparation and reconciliation of the WUSC management accounts.
  • Assist in preparing the annual budget by compiling data and working with program teams.
  • Monitor budget adherence, flagging variances and reporting them to the Finance Manager.
  • Support the preparation of financial forecasts based on program activities and spending projections.
  • Generate regular financial reports (e.g., monthly BVA report) for review by management.
  • Assist in preparing documentation for annual audits, and donor reports.
  • Provide financial reports for donor reporting, ensuring compliance with funder requirements and deadlines.
  • Ensure all financial processes comply with organizational policies, guidelines, and applicable laws.
  • Implement and monitor internal controls to safeguard assets and prevent financial discrepancies.
  • Maintain proper documentation for all transactions and ensure audit-ready records.
  • Liaise with vendors, banks, and partners to resolve payment or account-related issues.
  • Support the Finance Manager with ad-hoc financial projects or analysis as needed.
  • Work closely with program staff to provide guidance on expense coding and budget tracking.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
  1. Qualifications
  • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. An Associate’s degree with relevant experience may be considered.
  • Experience: Minimum of 4-5 years of experience in accounting or financial administration, ideally within a nonprofit or development organization.
  1. Knowledge, Skills and Competences:
  • Familiarity with accounting principles, including fund accounting and restricted funds, is an advantage.
  • Strong knowledge of accounting software (e.g., Sage) and Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.
  • High accuracy in data entry, financial calculations, and record-keeping.
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize deadlines, and maintain orderly financial systems.
  • Clear verbal and written skills to interact with staff, vendors, and external partners.
  • Capability to identify and resolve discrepancies or issues in financial records.
  • Commitment to handling sensitive financial information with confidentiality and ethical standards.

WUSC Work Environment:

WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce.  We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference for youth around the world. We believe youth have the potential to provide for their families, build strong communities, and create positive social change for future generations.  Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, employment and empowerment.

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation or abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to undertake an enhanced criminal record check where appropriate.

How to apply:

WUSC is an equal-opportunity employer. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls, please.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their application by email attaching a one-page motivation letter and CV (maximum – 3 pages). The application email must indicate the following subject heading: WUSC Malawi – Finance Officer, ACT Project. Please send your applications to the following email address: malawi@wusc.ca

Remuneration information will be disclosed to the selected candidate. Application closing deadline is March 31, 2025 at 1700 hours CAT. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.