International Accountant

The international accountant is responsible for the provision of accounting assistance to HOPE International’s (HOPE) network of savings group programs (SGs) within the areas of accounting and financial analysis.

The international accountant is primarily responsible for working with local accounting staff to ensure strong accounting and finance practices and compliance with HOPE’s accounting policies and procedures, particularly as it relates to the consolidation of local financial statements into HOPE International and compliance with HOPE International’s Church Partner Financial Guidelines. The international accountant will work closely with internal audit, finance, and operations staff of HOPE in Lancaster and the local finance staff in the countries we serve.

Responsibilities

Promote and fulfill the mission and vision of HOPE International.

Compliance and Policies

• Help ensure compliance with the accounting practices and procedures of HOPE. Understand local policies and report mismatches between their policies and HOPE’s overall policies. 
• Recommend and implement improvements to accounting policies for Savings Group Programs as necessary, in coordination with the Manager of International Accounting for SG.
• Work closely with internal audit and SG management to monitor that appropriate controls are in place and followed. 
• Assist local accounting staff in ensuring compliance with local regulatory requirements and appropriate local accounting practices.
• Support local accounting staff as they partner with SG church partners in identifying gaps in the control structure, conducting relevant trainings, and implementing changes to mitigate financial risks and ensure accuracy of reporting. 
• Assist the Manager of International Accounting for SG with the review, approval, and monitoring of policies impacting financial information at the local level. 

Technical Accounting and Analysis

• Act as a liaison between HOPE and the local programs’ finance departments.
• Identify and help resolve accounting and transaction discrepancies; support the local accounting staff to provide detailed explanations for variances between actual and planned month to month activities. 
• Help to ensure that an appropriate, regular monthly close process is in place at the SG programs and the process is being followed.
• Help to improve and support the local finance staff’s abilities through training and direct assistance.
• Provide financial and accounting support to SGs during their annual audit processes and other formal ratings/reviews. 
• Support SGs in liquidity management, including consulting on strategy for successfully receiving and properly recording fund transfers (from HOPE and other stakeholders) at the programs in accordance with local regulations.
• Liaise with other HOPE staff to review reporting from SGs and use it to construct management reporting.
• Influence the alignment of priorities by providing timely and actionable information to stakeholders.
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate risks including those caused by changes in personnel, location, structure, methodology, systems, etc. 

Consolidation and Forecasting

• Be responsible for the preparation and accuracy of the local entity portion of the consolidated financial statements, working closely together with HOPE’s Manager of International Accounting for SG. Identify and respond to differences in recording country specific GAAP and US GAAP. 
• Assist SGs during their semi-annual budget and budget reforecast processes through training, technical assistance, and review. 
• Proactively identify and recommend technological enhancements that will improve the efficiency and efficacy of finance and accounting related activities.

Training & Other

• Support training of SG team members and local accounting staff on HOPE’s policies, processes, and systems. Develop training plans and deliver training as needed.
• Undertake special projects as designated by the Manager of International Accounting for SG. 

Qualifications

• Personal confession of Christian faith and commitment to the mission and vision of HOPE International.
• Degree in accounting, finance, or related field
• 3 years of accounting experience
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong cross-cultural communication skills
• Confident self-starter with the ability to work independently
• Strong working knowledge of Excel and Word
• Experience in public accounting preferred
• Knowledge of French preferred
• Experience with accounting systems such as QuickBooks or NetSuite a plus
• Experience leading trainings a plus
• Willing to travel internationally up to approximately 30 nights per year; and to countries such as Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Benin, and others