Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

The Centre for Environmental Rights is recruiting for a Finance Manager.

Location

Cape Town

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance or its recognised equivalent
• 5-7 years relevant experience including minimum of 3 years in a supervisory role with in financial management and reporting
• CA(SA), ACCA, CIMA professional qualification is required
• Relevant software skills to include automated accounting software and database spreadsheets and Management Information Systems
• Demonstrated analytical skills in the compilation and interpretation of budgetary, financial and related management information
• Ability to conduct complex system analysis studies involving financially oriented applications
• Ability to effectively communicate financial and internal control issues to staff with little or no financial background
• Ability to handle financial and quantitative information with accuracy and precision; resourceful in gathering, verifying and analysing financial data
• High degree of proficiency in written and spoken English communication, including presentation and report
• Excellent attention to detail whilst able to stay abreast of impacts to the big picture
• Prioritisation of potentially competing resources and tasks
• Deadline driven
• High ethical code and demonstrable integrity
• Ability to connect dots and apply a systematic approach

Key responsibilities

Key performance areas for this position include:

• Strategic financial management:
  • Leading the financial well-being, sound financial management and financial resilience of the organisation
  • Leading the annual budgeting process, including organisational and programme budgets
  • Advising the Management Team on financial planning, forecasting, monitoring and reporting of the operating and capital budgets and financials; analysing and interpreting financial data for the purpose of determining financial performance and projecting financial probability; analysing budget patterns, programme expenditure.
  • Advising the Board’s Finance & Audit Committee on the organisation’s financial sustainability, financial management and controls:
• Financial procedures, systems and controls:
  • Overseeing bookkeeping and financial controls in compliance with the organisation’s Finance Policy & Procedures, including expenditure of funds, and overseeing the preparation of monthly payroll and staff benefits. Applying accounting and auditing principles and techniques to ensure that data integrity, internal controls and audit trails are maintained throughout all transactions.
  • Leading the organisation’s preparation for its annual external audit, and maintaining relationship with the organisation’s auditors
  • Maintaining the organisation’s relationship with financial service providers
  • Assisting internal business with procurement management
  • Overseeing the financial aspects of the organisation’s staff benefits and maintaining relationship with external service providers
  • Supporting the organisation’s resourcing through funder proposals and reporting.
• Risk and compliance:
  • Overseeing relevant tax requirements of the organisation
  • Overseeing compliance with the legislative and regulatory reporting requirements that have an impact on the organisation’s finance and governance
  • Review risks environment and contribute to reporting on and  formulation of effective mitigants
• Human resources and talent management: Building the finance team, and the developing the capacity of finance staff in financial management and reporting
• Transformation: Leading the ongoing transformation, inclusion and diversity of the organisation’s financial and procurement system, including providing support to Black and women-owned suppliers and service providers

Salary

The salary range for the position is between R515 733 and R697 756 (total cost to company). The salary offered will be dependent on factors that include the qualifications, level of expertise, and experience of the successful candidate. All new staff join our medical aid group scheme with Discovery Health, and the salary package includes a medical aid subsidy.

Working for the CER

The Centre for Environmental Rights is a non-profit organisation and law clinic of activist lawyers who work with communities and civil society organisations in South Africa to realise our Constitutional right to a healthy environment by advocating and litigating for environmental justice. We seek a just, equitable, compassionate society which is resilient, celebrates diversity, and respects the inter-dependence between people and the environment.

As South Africa’s largest public interest environmental law organisation, we use our expertise and commitment to fight for environmental justice and advance the right to a healthy environment for all. We take on the big environmental battles: cases in which we can empower local communities, have an enduring impact, set powerful precedents for other cases, and help improve policy and practice across the country.

Winning the legal case is only part of the battle. CER’s litigation work is strengthened by local training and empowerment, dedicated policy and advocacy work, and strategic communications. In all of our work, we work closely with partners in affected communities, with other civil society organisations in the environmental and social justice sector, and with other public interest law organisations.

We work across the following core themes: Mining, Water, Pollution and Climate Change, Corporate Accountability & Transparency, and Activist Support & Training. We have our main office in Observatory, Cape Town, with a smaller office in Johannesburg.

At CER, we value our staff and regard their wellbeing as a priority. We are committed to a work environment that is inclusive and empathetic, and in which diversity is celebrated and supported.