Senior Finance Manager
2026-04-28T14:14:58+00:00
Promoting Equality in African Schools
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https://www.peas.org.uk/
FULL_TIME
Professional Services
Management, Accounting & Finance, Business Operations, Social Services & Nonprofit, Education
2026-05-06T17:00:00+00:00
8
About Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS)
PEAS is transforming education across sub-Saharan Africa. We support over 225,000 young people each year in marginalised communities across Uganda, Zambia, and Ghana, helping them succeed from their first day in school through to secondary graduation. We believe every young person should have access to quality education that equips them with the knowledge and skills to lead fulfilling, successful lives after school. PEAS operates one of the largest school networks in sub-Saharan Africa, with a strong focus on secondary education. Over 20,000 students attend our 38 schools annually. Beyond our own schools, we apply over 16 years of practical experience to support and improve education in more than 300 partner schools, extending our reach to 225,000+ learners every year. Our award-winning programmes are designed and delivered by Africans for Africans. Evidence shows that our students, many from the vulnerable households, make faster learning progress, while our girls grow in confidence and are better prepared for life after school.
Role Summary
The Senior Finance Manager will play a key role in ensuring the effective financial management and sustainability of PEAS Zambia. This position involves overseeing financial reporting, budgeting, school financial support, and audit coordination to ensure PEAS Zambia operates in line with both internal policies and donor requirements. The Senior Finance Manager will lead and support the finance department, coordinate with key stakeholders, and ensure the timely and accurate delivery of financial information across the organization.
Key Responsibilities
1. Leadership and management
- Working in partnership with the Head of Operations to ensure the effective financial management and sustainability of PEAS Zambia.
- Championing an organisation-wide ‘value for money’ approach, driving efficiencies and effectiveness both at the schools and country office levels with a strong focus on sustainability.
- Actively living and role modelling PEAS’ values and providing guidance and mentorship to colleagues on how to incorporate values into their work.
2. Finance Reporting and Statement Preparation
- Monthly Management Accounts: Prepare monthly management accounts for PEAS Zambia by agreed timelines, ensuring the accuracy of financial data and providing insights into financial performance.
- Variance Analysis: Conduct monthly variance analysis in collaboration with the Head of Operations, providing detailed commentary and justifications for any deviations from the budget.
- Cash Flow Projections: Prepare bi-annual cash flow forecasts to assist in financial planning and decision-making.
- Half-Year Financial Reports: Compile and present half-year income and expenditure reports to ensure effective financial tracking and accountability.
- Year-End Financial Statements: Oversee the preparation of year-end financial reports, including the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, ensuring they follow local and international accounting standards.
- Audit Preparation: Ensure that all year-end journals and adjustments (e.g., depreciation, WIP capitalization for completed projects) are correctly posted in preparation for the external audit.
- Use of Financial Systems: Support colleagues across PEAS Zambia to effectively use the SmartOps ERP system for financial management, ensuring data is accurate, timely and accessible. Provide training and support, where needed, to build system confidence and capability across the organisation.
3. Finance Planning and Budgeting
- Finance Goal Formulation: Develop financial goals aligned with PEAS Global objectives to drive strategic financial management across Zambia.
- Work Plan Development: Create an individual monthly work plan to ensure the efficient delivery of finance-related tasks.
- Quarterly Performance Reviews: Lead quarterly reviews of finance goals, assessing performance and progress toward meeting objectives.
- Support FOs Goal Setting: Provide guidance to the Finance Officers (FO) in formulating individual goals that support the broader goals of PEAS Zambia.
- Evaluation of FOs Work Plans: Evaluate and support the work plans of Finance Officers in Kasama, Katete and Ndola, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.
- Departmental Budgeting Support: Assist PEAS Zambia departments in preparing their budgets in line with organizational guidelines.
- Consolidation of Budgets: Consolidate PEAS Zambia's departmental budgets into a unified organisational budget.
- Budget Queries Management: Respond to any budget-related queries from the Global office before final approval.
- School Budget Review: Ensure that school budgets are in alignment with PEAS Zambia’s policies and financial guidelines.
4. Grant and Fund Management
- Grant Compliance: Understand and ensure compliance with the conditions and requirements of all approved grants before their implementation.
- Fund Account Management: Oversee the preparation and quality assurance of fund accounts for all active projects in Zambia by agreed timelines, ensuring correct allocation of costs to funders and monitoring budget versus actuals to ensure spending is on-track for all grants.
- Proposal Budgeting: Work with the Global team to prepare comprehensive budgets and cost estimates for PEAS Zambia proposals seeking potential funding.
- Unbudgeted Expenditure: Obtain necessary approvals from the Global office for any unbudgeted project expenditures before inclusion in the fund account.
- Project Changes Notification: Communicate any changes in project implementation, timing, or funding to the Global office in a timely manner.
- Payment Plan Coordination: Work closely with the Construction Specialist to align payment schedules with approved funding and project timelines.
5. External Audit and Compliance
- Audit Management: Oversee and manage the external audit process for PEAS Zambia’s central office and schools, ensuring that all audits are conducted efficiently and in compliance with relevant financial regulations. Similarly, participate in the internal audit process at country office and school-level.
- Audit Recommendations: Oversee the implementation of both external and internal audit recommendations at both PEAS Zambia and school-level to ensure continual strengthening and audit points do not repeat between audits.
- Grant-Specific Audits: Manage audits related to specific grants, ensuring that all required documentation is available and audit processes are smoothly executed.
- Audit Support: Provide the external and internal auditors with relevant and accurate financial information needed for a successful audit, ensuring all financial statements are clear and free of misstatements.
- Audit Documentation: Prepare and maintain financial documents in readiness for audits, facilitating a smooth and effective audit process.
6. School Financial Management and Support
- Financial Training: Provide ongoing financial management and financial systems training and support to schools to improve financial oversight and operations at the school level.
- Sustainability Models: Develop and implement various financial models to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of PEAS Zambia schools.
- Fee Colle
* Working in partnership with the Head of Operations to ensure the effective financial management and sustainability of PEAS Zambia. * Championing an organisation-wide ‘value for money’ approach, driving efficiencies and effectiveness both at the schools and country office levels with a strong focus on sustainability. * Actively living and role modelling PEAS’ values and providing guidance and mentorship to colleagues on how to incorporate values into their work. * Prepare monthly management accounts for PEAS Zambia by agreed timelines, ensuring the accuracy of financial data and providing insights into financial performance. * Conduct monthly variance analysis in collaboration with the Head of Operations, providing detailed commentary and justifications for any deviations from the budget. * Prepare bi-annual cash flow forecasts to assist in financial planning and decision-making. * Compile and present half-year income and expenditure reports to ensure effective financial tracking and accountability. * Oversee the preparation of year-end financial reports, including the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, ensuring they follow local and international accounting standards. * Ensure that all year-end journals and adjustments (e.g., depreciation, WIP capitalization for completed projects) are correctly posted in preparation for the external audit. * Support colleagues across PEAS Zambia to effectively use the SmartOps ERP system for financial management, ensuring data is accurate, timely and accessible. Provide training and support, where needed, to build system confidence and capability across the organisation. * Develop financial goals aligned with PEAS Global objectives to drive strategic financial management across Zambia. * Create an individual monthly work plan to ensure the efficient delivery of finance-related tasks. * Lead quarterly reviews of finance goals, assessing performance and progress toward meeting objectives. * Provide guidance to the Finance Officers (FO) in formulating individual goals that support the broader goals of PEAS Zambia. * Evaluate and support the work plans of Finance Officers in Kasama, Katete and Ndola, ensuring alignment with organisational goals. * Assist PEAS Zambia departments in preparing their budgets in line with organizational guidelines. * Consolidate PEAS Zambia's departmental budgets into a unified organisational budget. * Respond to any budget-related queries from the Global office before final approval. * Ensure that school budgets are in alignment with PEAS Zambia’s policies and financial guidelines. * Understand and ensure compliance with the conditions and requirements of all approved grants before their implementation. * Oversee the preparation and quality assurance of fund accounts for all active projects in Zambia by agreed timelines, ensuring correct allocation of costs to funders and monitoring budget versus actuals to ensure spending is on-track for all grants. * Work with the Global team to prepare comprehensive budgets and cost estimates for PEAS Zambia proposals seeking potential funding. * Obtain necessary approvals from the Global office for any unbudgeted project expenditures before inclusion in the fund account. * Communicate any changes in project implementation, timing, or funding to the Global office in a timely manner. * Work closely with the Construction Specialist to align payment schedules with approved funding and project timelines. * Oversee and manage the external audit process for PEAS Zambia’s central office and schools, ensuring that all audits are conducted efficiently and in compliance with relevant financial regulations. Similarly, participate in the internal audit process at country office and school-level. * Oversee the implementation of both external and internal audit recommendations at both PEAS Zambia and school-level to ensure continual strengthening and audit points do not repeat between audits. * Manage audits related to specific grants, ensuring that all required documentation is available and audit processes are smoothly executed. * Provide the external and internal auditors with relevant and accurate financial information needed for a successful audit, ensuring all financial statements are clear and free of misstatements. * Prepare and maintain financial documents in readiness for audits, facilitating a smooth and effective audit process. * Provide ongoing financial management and financial systems training and support to schools to improve financial oversight and operations at the school level. * Develop and implement various financial models to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of PEAS Zambia schools.
JOB-69f0c0e25f299
Vacancy title:
Senior Finance Manager
[Type: FULL_TIME, Industry: Professional Services, Category: Management, Accounting & Finance, Business Operations, Social Services & Nonprofit, Education]
Jobs at:
Promoting Equality in African Schools
Deadline of this Job:
Wednesday, May 6 2026
Duty Station:
Ndola | Ndola
Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, April 28 2026, Base Salary: Not Disclosed
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JOB DETAILS:
About Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS)
PEAS is transforming education across sub-Saharan Africa. We support over 225,000 young people each year in marginalised communities across Uganda, Zambia, and Ghana, helping them succeed from their first day in school through to secondary graduation. We believe every young person should have access to quality education that equips them with the knowledge and skills to lead fulfilling, successful lives after school. PEAS operates one of the largest school networks in sub-Saharan Africa, with a strong focus on secondary education. Over 20,000 students attend our 38 schools annually. Beyond our own schools, we apply over 16 years of practical experience to support and improve education in more than 300 partner schools, extending our reach to 225,000+ learners every year. Our award-winning programmes are designed and delivered by Africans for Africans. Evidence shows that our students, many from the vulnerable households, make faster learning progress, while our girls grow in confidence and are better prepared for life after school.
Role Summary
The Senior Finance Manager will play a key role in ensuring the effective financial management and sustainability of PEAS Zambia. This position involves overseeing financial reporting, budgeting, school financial support, and audit coordination to ensure PEAS Zambia operates in line with both internal policies and donor requirements. The Senior Finance Manager will lead and support the finance department, coordinate with key stakeholders, and ensure the timely and accurate delivery of financial information across the organization.
Key Responsibilities
1. Leadership and management
- Working in partnership with the Head of Operations to ensure the effective financial management and sustainability of PEAS Zambia.
- Championing an organisation-wide ‘value for money’ approach, driving efficiencies and effectiveness both at the schools and country office levels with a strong focus on sustainability.
- Actively living and role modelling PEAS’ values and providing guidance and mentorship to colleagues on how to incorporate values into their work.
2. Finance Reporting and Statement Preparation
- Monthly Management Accounts: Prepare monthly management accounts for PEAS Zambia by agreed timelines, ensuring the accuracy of financial data and providing insights into financial performance.
- Variance Analysis: Conduct monthly variance analysis in collaboration with the Head of Operations, providing detailed commentary and justifications for any deviations from the budget.
- Cash Flow Projections: Prepare bi-annual cash flow forecasts to assist in financial planning and decision-making.
- Half-Year Financial Reports: Compile and present half-year income and expenditure reports to ensure effective financial tracking and accountability.
- Year-End Financial Statements: Oversee the preparation of year-end financial reports, including the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, ensuring they follow local and international accounting standards.
- Audit Preparation: Ensure that all year-end journals and adjustments (e.g., depreciation, WIP capitalization for completed projects) are correctly posted in preparation for the external audit.
- Use of Financial Systems: Support colleagues across PEAS Zambia to effectively use the SmartOps ERP system for financial management, ensuring data is accurate, timely and accessible. Provide training and support, where needed, to build system confidence and capability across the organisation.
3. Finance Planning and Budgeting
- Finance Goal Formulation: Develop financial goals aligned with PEAS Global objectives to drive strategic financial management across Zambia.
- Work Plan Development: Create an individual monthly work plan to ensure the efficient delivery of finance-related tasks.
- Quarterly Performance Reviews: Lead quarterly reviews of finance goals, assessing performance and progress toward meeting objectives.
- Support FOs Goal Setting: Provide guidance to the Finance Officers (FO) in formulating individual goals that support the broader goals of PEAS Zambia.
- Evaluation of FOs Work Plans: Evaluate and support the work plans of Finance Officers in Kasama, Katete and Ndola, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.
- Departmental Budgeting Support: Assist PEAS Zambia departments in preparing their budgets in line with organizational guidelines.
- Consolidation of Budgets: Consolidate PEAS Zambia's departmental budgets into a unified organisational budget.
- Budget Queries Management: Respond to any budget-related queries from the Global office before final approval.
- School Budget Review: Ensure that school budgets are in alignment with PEAS Zambia’s policies and financial guidelines.
4. Grant and Fund Management
- Grant Compliance: Understand and ensure compliance with the conditions and requirements of all approved grants before their implementation.
- Fund Account Management: Oversee the preparation and quality assurance of fund accounts for all active projects in Zambia by agreed timelines, ensuring correct allocation of costs to funders and monitoring budget versus actuals to ensure spending is on-track for all grants.
- Proposal Budgeting: Work with the Global team to prepare comprehensive budgets and cost estimates for PEAS Zambia proposals seeking potential funding.
- Unbudgeted Expenditure: Obtain necessary approvals from the Global office for any unbudgeted project expenditures before inclusion in the fund account.
- Project Changes Notification: Communicate any changes in project implementation, timing, or funding to the Global office in a timely manner.
- Payment Plan Coordination: Work closely with the Construction Specialist to align payment schedules with approved funding and project timelines.
5. External Audit and Compliance
- Audit Management: Oversee and manage the external audit process for PEAS Zambia’s central office and schools, ensuring that all audits are conducted efficiently and in compliance with relevant financial regulations. Similarly, participate in the internal audit process at country office and school-level.
- Audit Recommendations: Oversee the implementation of both external and internal audit recommendations at both PEAS Zambia and school-level to ensure continual strengthening and audit points do not repeat between audits.
- Grant-Specific Audits: Manage audits related to specific grants, ensuring that all required documentation is available and audit processes are smoothly executed.
- Audit Support: Provide the external and internal auditors with relevant and accurate financial information needed for a successful audit, ensuring all financial statements are clear and free of misstatements.
- Audit Documentation: Prepare and maintain financial documents in readiness for audits, facilitating a smooth and effective audit process.
6. School Financial Management and Support
- Financial Training: Provide ongoing financial management and financial systems training and support to schools to improve financial oversight and operations at the school level.
- Sustainability Models: Develop and implement various financial models to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of PEAS Zambia schools.
- Fee Colle
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: 12
Level of Education: bachelor degree
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