Job Description

Role Overview:

To assist the School Director/Principal in fiscal matters regarding the schools operations, develop and maintain the financial and business operations of the school in a manner that will provide for the optimum education of students and logical future planning

RESPONSIBILITIES:

FINANCE

• Manage the schools accounting and financial services including the areas of budget, revenue collection, expenditure, reporting, banking, investment, loans, long term planning and audit.
• Develop and monitor the annual budget and the long term financial plan of the school
• Administer the fiscal affairs and budget control of the school to ensure maximum benefit from the schools financial and physical assets and ensure that all assets are controlled and safeguarded
• The Finance and Business Services Manager will work directly with support staff to operate optimally; will work successfully as a member of the Administrative team, to promote an atmosphere of friendliness, efficiency and competency
• Ensure that appropriate business systems are put in place to facilitate the efficient running of the business  
• Ensure that the school complies with all legal and regulatory requirements in its operations
• Prepare detailed financial reports for the School Director and Board of Directors
• Have oversight responsibility for payroll procedures including payments and preparation/ maintenance of all earnings
• Ensure the effective financial control of procurement, supply inventory and property/ equipment
• Supervise school accounts payable process and related procedures
• Be fully responsible for the issuing of tuition bills and the maintenance of accurate records regarding payment of student fees and the effective management of payment plans (where necessary) to eliminate/reduce defaults in payments
• Review and administer school contracts and commitments including but not limited to insurance, building or land leases, vehicles and licensing, services and construction contracts, acting with utmost fidelity with a view to protecting the schools interests
• Arrange for the annual audit of school financial records

ADMINISTRATION

• Serve as a member of the Administrative Team
• Investigate and evaluate new projects for Board approval
• Maintain liaison with government/private utility departments (water, electric, phone, etc) negotiating for maximum efficiency, minimum cost, and swift attention to problems.
• Liaison with local government ministries and officials; keep School Director and Board of Directors abreast of any new government regulations that may impact the school.
• Coordinate projects as assigned by the School Director
• Promote cooperation and pleasant working atmosphere in the school by establishing and maintaining a pleasant and aesthetically pleasing environment conducive to an educational setting

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

• Work with the custodial and maintenance teams to ensure that the school facilities and grounds are cleaned and maintained in an attractive efficient manner keeping costs as low as possible
• Ensure routine maintenance repair works of school buildings, furniture and fittings and equipment are carried out in an efficient and cost effective manner
• Coordinate any new construction to ensure that work is carried out to a high standard and in a cost effective manner.

Required Skills or Experience

REQUIRED SKILLS OR EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 7 years finance and Senior Management level experience
• Proven experience of successfully creating, operating and managing strategic financial plans in an organizational setting
• Proven experience of successfully developing and managing budgets in a similar institution of similar size
• Experience in managing contracts
• Demonstrated experience of project management. Experience working with external auditors
• Proven extensive knowledge on financial regulations in Ghana including and knowledge of operational accounting guidelines
• Proven ability of developing and managing financial systems to support accuracy of financial reporting and easy accessibility of financial data
• Demonstrated high level interpersonal skills; ability to lead collaboratively; flexible, creative thinker.
• Demonstrated proficiency in written and oral communications.

Qualifications:

• Should be a certified accountant (ICA Ghana, ACCA, CIMA)
• A relevant Master’s degree in either Finance or Business