Finance & Operations Accountant at HCS Affiliates Group

Key Duties & Responsibilities   

Finance

• Oversee all financial operations of the company, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting and management information for critical decision making.
• Develop and implement financial strategies that align with the company’s objectives for growth and sustainability.
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial statements and reports, adhering to regulatory and accounting standards.
• Manage the liquidity and cash flow of the company to ensure availability of funds for lending operations.
• Manage and pay all company expenses.
• Ensure compliance with tax regulations, accounting standards, and other statutory financial requirements.
• Coordinate external audits and ensure proper internal financial controls are in place.
• Manage all employer invoicing/instalment collections by generating timely deduction listings and sending to all employers monthly while following up for prompt payment by various employers
• Manage current and future finance transformation projects
• Manage payroll processing from end to end monthly
• Prepare any ad hoc management reports that may be required for decision making
• Build the Finance and Operations team based on volume and complexity of tasks to ensure that the company has a sound back-office environment capable of supporting a robust sales team
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including employers, payroll service providers, and other business partners
• Liaise with banks, financial institutions, and investors to ensure access to funding and support business growth
• Present financial and operational reports to senior management, directors, and other relevant stakeholders

Operations & Credit

• Develop and implement credit policies and procedures that govern loan assessment, approval, disbursement, and recovery
• Lead the credit appraisal and approval process for salary loans, ensuring alignment with risk management frameworks
• Conduct regular reviews of loan portfolios to assess credit quality, identify risk, and recommend measures for improvement
• Supporting the sales team in establishing client information e.g. the loan balances, eligibility for loan top ups etc.
• Oversee credit scoring models to evaluate borrower risk and determine loan eligibility
• Ensure timely loan disbursement and recovery through timely issuance of deduction statements for check-off against employer payroll systems, minimizing default rates
• Develop risk mitigation strategies for delinquent accounts and work closely with the collections team on loan recovery
• Identify, assess, and mitigate financial and credit risks associated with the company’s lending products
• Ensure strict compliance with regulatory requirements related to microfinance operations and credit management
• Liaise with legal counsel to ensure all credit documentation is accurate, legally binding, and enforceable 
• Oversee the development of policies and internal controls that minimize exposure to financial and operational risks
• Ensure compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and other financial crime regulations

Administration

• Oversee the smooth operation of the credit and finance departments, ensuring that processes are efficient and scalable
• Work closely with other departments (e.g. Sales) to ensure the seamless integration of financial services
• Implement and manage financial management systems that support business operations, including accounting and loan management systems.
• Regularly review and update loan products, pricing, and terms based on market trends and organizational objectives
• Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure financial and operational success
• Maintain office premises including keeping track of all furniture and equipment
• Manage all office supplies and stationery
• Manage all documentation and ensure the company has a document storage and retrieval process and procedure
• Manage all procurement both operational and capital
• Maintaining and storing corporate documents and passwords
• Handle all staff HR files
• Comprehensive leave management and update

Qualifications & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field
• Professional certification such as CPA, ACCA, or CFA is highly desirable
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience in financial management, credit risk management, or a related role, preferably within the microfinance or banking sector
• Strong understanding of credit appraisal techniques, loan structuring, and risk management in short-term salary loans
• Experience with payroll check-off systems and employer-backed loan recovery is highly desirable
• In-depth knowledge of financial regulations, including tax laws, financial reporting standards, and regulatory requirements for microfinance institutions
• Proficiency in financial management software, credit scoring models, and loan management systems
• High level of integrity and ethical conduct.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Payments / Fintech experience highly desirable
• Advanced excel skills (advance formulas, large data sets, pivot tables, vlookup etc)
• Ability to work unsupervised
• Drive, motivation, and excellent attention to detail
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Effective leadership and team-building capabilities
• Attention to detail and commitment to accuracy