Assistant Finance Officer

Job description

BBC Media Action is the international development charity of the BBC.  BBC Media Action is registered as an international non-governmental organisation in Zambia.

BBC Media Action uses media and communications to reduce poverty and promote human rights. To achieve this, BBC Media Action partners with civil society, local media and governments to:

Produce creative programmes in multi-media formats which inform and engage audiences around key development issues.
Strengthen the media sector by building professional capacity and infrastructure.

We work in partnership to provide access to useful, timely, reliable information. We help people make sense of events, engage in dialogue, and take action to improve their lives. Our work in Zambia, to effect change, falls into two main thematic areas: governance and health.

We are looking to recruit for the position of Assistant Finance Officer.

Location

Lusaka with frequent travel across a number of districts.

Reporting lines

Finance and Admin Manager

Duration

1 year – renewable depending on availability of funding.

Overall, Purpose of the position

The Assistant Finance Officer will be accountable for all aspects of the Finance functions of the BBC Media Action (BBC MA) in Zambia.

Main Duties

Cash Management
Monitor cash levels in the petty cash box and office safe and request cash transfers on a timely basis from the Finance and Admin Manager to ensure that there are always sufficient funds in the office.
Monitor the bank balance and notify the Finance and Admin Manager on a timely basis when a transfer from London is required.
Ensure cash payments are made within BBC MA Zambia’s limits and that all required documentation and authorisation procedures for the payment have been followed.
Ensure the issuing and retiring of cash floats to approve float holders and that all required documentation and authorisation procedures have been followed.
Ensure that cash counts are done by the petty cash custodian and reconcile to the cash book.
Prepare monthly bank reconciliations.
Carry out cash transfers from the bank in conjunction with the Finance and Admin Manager.
Supporting the efficient operations of the organisation by minimising the amount of cash that staff handled by seeking alternative means of payments.
Books and Records
Ensure accurate cash & float logs are maintained and up-to-date.
Ensure that Transaction Vouchers are manually raised to record all safe, bank & cash movements and filed numerically with the supporting documentation.
Ensure that electronic safe, bank & cashbooks are updated on a regular (daily) basis.
Monitor cash flow to ensure that adequate funds are available in the bank & safe to support programme activities.
Ensure accurate coding is used on all payment requests.
Ensure that all receipts are properly checked and verified, including any payments to local partners and suppliers.
Monitor the staff and trade creditors ensuring that they do not go beyond 30 days.
Monthly withholding tax calculations and preparations of payment.
Manage the Finance filing and prepare vouchers as requested by external auditors.
Make prompt and timely payment of all local taxes where applicable.

Required knowledge, skills and experience

Must have a CA Certificate in Accountancy or equivalent with at least 2 years’ experience of financial experience with registered NGO or other reputable organisation.
Must be a member of ZICA.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities at the same time. In particular, experience of managing multiple budgets at the same time.
Fluency in English.
Good interpersonal skills to establish effective working relationships with financial management system.
Competent to advanced level in Microsoft Excel.
Strong team player; able to:
Work effectively under pressure,
Demonstrate patience to team members,
Explain financial responsibilities to team members,
Willingness and ability to take the initiative not only in identifying problems but also in suggesting and implementing solutions.
Any eye for detail and a concern for accuracy, together with the ability to keep sight of the broad picture.

Application procedure

Applicants should send a motivational letter and CV in one document which clearly states the applicant’s name and the position being applied for in the subject line. Do not send certificates at this stage. The deadline for submitting applications is the Monday, 30th of June 2025 at 17:00 hours. Only email applications will be accepted. Interviews scheduled for July 2025.  Start date shortly thereafter.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please submit applications to:  recruitment@zm.bbcmediaaction.org.