About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

About the Role

The Finance Advisory Services (FAS) team is a dedicated group of in-country and global associates. We serve as trusted advisors to organizational leadership teams, specializing in financial strategy and sustainability. We guide company-wide budgeting, strategic planning, and financial reporting functions. Our ultimate aim is to ensure financial sustainability and enhance our overall impact.

As the Malawi FAS Specialist, you will collaborate with the broader Finance team to support the Malawi program on budgeting, financial reporting, and financial analysis. We are looking for someone good with numbers with a background in accounting or finance. This is a career track role where you will learn valuable skills in finance and accounting, as well as develop a management consulting toolkit. You will report to the Malawi FAS Associate.

Responsibilities

Budgeting, Monthly Budget v Actual (BVA) and Grant Reporting

• You will work with department heads to set annual budgets and manage monthly BVA process
• You will provide important assessment of all budgets and cost projections and conduct cost-benefit analyses for individual departments and the organization as a whole through examining current spending, financial forecasts, and overall goals to make recommendations and guide decisions.
• You will work with department heads to strategize ways to maximize cost efficiency at all levels without compromising quality and will roll out clear cost-saving programs with timelines and assessment goal
• You will conduct monthly marginal analysis for all Malawi business units to provide analytical support on key causes
• You will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the interdependency of cost drivers
• You will present new strategies and assessments to stakeholders in compelling arguments
• You will present monthly, quarterly and annual management account reports to the Country Director and the leadership team.
• You will prepare quarterly grant reports for active grants with strict adherence to donor reporting requirements and timelines.

Monthly Payroll Quality Check (QC)

• You will conduct a monthly payroll review of field and office (HQ) staff and explain variances compared to the previous month and compared to budget
• You will provide a high-level explanation of the variances to the Country Director (CD) before approving the payment request

Other projects as needed

Finance point of contact - You will act as a representative between Finance and program teams, and project manage a variety of finance-related projects such as external audits by working to connect our FAS, Accounting, and Treasury teams with country teams.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 4+ years of experience in accounting, finance or audit
• Strong understanding of financial concepts, including accounting principles, financial modeling, and data analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Lilongwe or Zomba, Malawi

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Contract Duration

2 Years

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Malawi.

• You will work with department heads to set annual budgets and manage monthly BVA process
• You will provide important assessment of all budgets and cost projections and conduct cost-benefit analyses for individual departments and the organization as a whole through examining current spending, financial forecasts, and overall goals to make recommendations and guide decisions.
• You will work with department heads to strategize ways to maximize cost efficiency at all levels without compromising quality and will roll out clear cost-saving programs with timelines and assessment goal
• You will conduct monthly marginal analysis for all Malawi business units to provide analytical support on key causes
• You will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the interdependency of cost drivers
• You will present new strategies and assessments to stakeholders in compelling arguments
• You will present monthly, quarterly and annual management account reports to the Country Director and the leadership team.
• You will prepare quarterly grant reports for active grants with strict adherence to donor reporting requirements and timelines.
• You will conduct a monthly payroll review of field and office (HQ) staff and explain variances compared to the previous month and compared to budget
• You will provide a high-level explanation of the variances to the Country Director (CD) before approving the payment request
• You will act as a representative between Finance and program teams, and project manage a variety of finance-related projects such as external audits by working to connect our FAS, Accounting, and Treasury teams with country teams.

• Advanced proficiency in Excel.

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 4+ years of experience in accounting, finance or audit
• Strong understanding of financial concepts, including accounting principles, financial modeling, and data analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel.