Finance Business Partner

Instill’s mission is to transform teaching, learning and leadership in every classroom on the African continent. We believe that the greatest levers for change in the education system are teachers and school leaders. We have recently been accredited as a higher education institution in South Africa, and seek to build a team that will change the face of teacher education across the continent. We’re looking for a Finance Business Partner to join our small and growing team to ensure the success of our first cohorts of student-teachers.

What makes you a great candidate?  `

You are ambitious, hungry to learn and have a deep passion for education. You want to work in a fast-paced business environment and grow with a young organisation that seeks to change the face of education across the African continent. You want to learn how a start-up works by getting your hands dirty, and getting involved in every aspect of the business. You are excited by the challenge of immersing yourself in new contexts and tackling complex problems. You are not afraid of failure and are driven to improve through robust, data-driven decision making and feedback. When evaluating your candidacy, we will look for the following:

• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion
• You have the ambition to grow with the business and move into leadership positions
• You are an exceptional critical thinker with strong interpersonal communication skills
• You have a demonstrated passion for educational development, closing educational equity gaps, and are strongly aligned with our vision, mission and values

What does role entail?

As a Finance Business Partner, you will be responsible for both the day-to-day student financial administration and the management of company finances and supplier payments. The Finance Business Partner is required to drive the collection, processing, recording, reconciliation and reporting of financial data.

• Utilise BAS to capture accounting transactions, control the general ledger, perform financial administration and prepare financial reports
• Implement departmental accounting policies, procedures and processes (and where necessary, develop)
• Verify supporting documents for validity, accuracy and completeness, and capture the payments and/or receipts on the accounting system
• Verify and approve payment transactions (including; transfers, conditional grants, payroll transactions, S&T, etc), correctly classified, and supported by appropriate source documentation
• Prepare the quarterly and annual financial statements and supporting working papers
• Manage liabilities and commitments within budget constraints, including; recording, reconciliation and settlement
• Manage receivables due to the organisation, including; the recording, collection, banking and write-off of irrecoverable amounts
• Perform and manage  General Ledger and Subsidiary Ledger reconciliations (including bank, debtors, creditors accounts)
• Consolidate and reconcile payroll data, and prepare statutory and other payroll returns
• Manage the issuing, recording, reconciliation, replenishment, safeguarding, and accounting of petty cash

Selection Criteria:

• An appropriate Bcom tertiary qualification (preferably at postgraduate level)
• Experience in a mid management, preferably in the higher education
• Knowledge and experience of working in Xero
• Commitment to excellence in the provision of service to students

Anticipated start: 1 January 2023

Location:  Johannesburg, South Africa

Do our values resonate with yours?

We measure the impact of everything we do. We believe that education equity is a central pillar of achieving social justice. We pursue excellence in everything that we do. We have the courage to make bold decisions and learn from our mistakes. We build community by being accountable for our actions, fostering collaborative environments, and acting with integrity and humility. We believe that diversity is central to our success.