Consultancy – Finance Specialist

We are searching for an experienced Consultancy – Finance Specialist at our Kenya facility. 

Project Overview:

The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) is a 7-year and €134 million programme funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that aims to create a prosperous future for 230,000 young women and men in the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel & West Africa and Horn of Africa regions. The Fund will be supporting initiatives in 11 focus countries that will offer youth, in particular young women, opportunities for work that is demand-driven and productive, offering a stable income and safe working conditions, and that is contributing to their personal development and social protection.

Private sector, civil society and knowledge institutions will be invited to submit proposals geared to scalable solutions for creating more and better jobs and income generating opportunities for youth. Solutions will in particular focus on an integrated approach that addresses the shortcomings on the demand side (jobs) and supply side (skills) and bridging the mismatch between these two in the labour market.

Role Overview:

The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment is seeking a financial specialist based in Kenya that has experience in (internal) audit and reviewing financial systems and reporting.
CFYE organizes visits to every implementing partner to perform ‘Spot Check Procedures’. The visit is focused on understanding the financial processes and setup of financial reporting and document retention at the Implementing Partner. These procedures will identify any potential issues with financial reporting or document retention that the implementing partner can action and improve in order to prepare for the end of project external audit.
Together with a fund management specialist, you will visit 6 Implementing Partners in Kenya in July 2025. This visit is only focused on review of financial reporting and transactions from the financial systems in preparation for the external audit which will happen in July 2026.

Specific Activities:

As a finance specialist, your responsibilities will include:

1) Preparation (3 days):
– Gain knowledge on the organizations that will be part of the spot check visit by reading the business case, review of the website and set up a meeting with the country team to gather details about their progress and potential issues already identified.
– Read through the guidance and templates that CFYE has in place around the spot check procedures.
– Agree with the spot check team on logistics around planning the spot check visits, timelines, travel arrangements, etc.
– Reviewing and reconciling detailed transactions shared by the implementing partner upfront and making selections for spot checks in consultation with the fund management specialist.

2) Spot check visits (5 days):
– Discuss general processes and procedures of the organization (use checklist).
– Reconcile transactions as per accounting system with the financial report (budget tracker).
– Review documentation provided for the selected samples and complete testing tables.
– Support with note taking and documentation of findings made.

Level of Effort and Reporting:

The total LoE proposed for this assignment is 8 working days between 1 June 2025 – 31 August 2025.
You will be part of the spot check team that will include the fund management specialist, country lead, fund manager and finance manager. Apart from working with this team, this role will also require you to work with the implementing partners directly.
You will report to the fund management specialist but will be expected to work closely with other members of the CFYE spot check team.

Role requirements:

To be considered for this position, you must meet the following criteria:

– A degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
– Well experienced in financial auditing, internal audit, financial management, or related roles.
– Experience working with international donor-funded projects and compliance with donor regulations.
– Strong understanding of financial reporting, reconciliation, and document retention procedures.
– Hands-on experience in conducting financial reviews, audits, and spot check procedures.
– Proficiency in financial software and accounting systems.
– Fluency in English (written and spoken); knowledge of Swahili is an asset.

Soft Skills:

– Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively.
– Ability to adapt quickly to new environments and work independently.
– Strong time management skills with the ability to work under tight deadlines.

Deadline: 16 April 2025

Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.