Consultancy Needed - Finance Controller

Scope of Work Finance Controller

Background

Save the Children Indonesia is a thought leader organization that amplifies children’s voices, delivers impactful programs, and generates evidence to influence policy and advocacy. As the organization advances toward becoming a centre of excellence for children’s wellbeing, it requires strong financial stewardship to sustain growth, ensure accountability, and maintain the trust of donors and stakeholders.

In a donor-funded organization such as Save the Children Indonesia, financial sustainability is fundamentally driven by effective cash flow management rather than profit generation. With annual cash flows of approximately USD 10-12 million, the organization’s ability to sustain operations, deliver programs, and uphold commitments to beneficiaries depends on disciplined and proactive financial oversight.

Critical Transition Context: Oracle NetSuite ERP Migration and Finance BAU Stabilization

Save the Children Indonesia is currently undertaking a significant digital transformation through the implementation of Oracle NetSuite, a comprehensive enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This migration encompasses five critical finance modules that represent core business processes, with each module tagged to the Finance Controller for oversight and accountability. These modules cover essential functions including financial management systems (FMS), treasury operations (TOR), accounts receivable (TAR), tax and expense reporting (TER), and related finance operations.

This ERP migration represents a highly sensitive transition period for the organization. The Finance Controller position, who is responsible for overseeing daily finance operations such as Accounting, Treasury, and Tax functions, is currently vacant. This vacancy creates a temporary but significant leadership and technical capacity gap at a critical juncture, substantially increasing the risk to accounting continuity, data integrity, and stabilization of post-migration processes.

The primary challenge is not merely supporting the technical ERP transition, but critically stabilizing finance Business-As-Usual (BAU) operations during this period.

While the organization manages the complexities of system implementation, core accounting functions—including month-end close, cash management, donor compliance, tax reporting, and financial controls—must continue uninterrupted. The simultaneous demands of ERP stabilization and BAU continuity, combined with the Finance Controller vacancy, create an unprecedented operational risk to the organization’s financial health and stakeholder confidence.

Given the combined pressures of ERP migration, ongoing operations, team transition, and the imminent end of the Finance Controller role, Save the Children Indonesia intends to engage a short-term external finance resource. This support is considered critical to assist with system migration, ensure continuity of core accounting functions, stabilize accounting processes, and maintain BAU operations for up to three months during and immediately after the transition.

Strategic Importance of Financial Leadership

The Finance Controller plays a pivotal leadership role in enabling organizational ambition by safeguarding financial integrity and operational excellence during this transformative period. The role is uniquely positioned to bridge the Finance Controller vacancy while simultaneously stabilizing both ERP implementation and core finance operations. The position contributes directly to the success of program delivery and financial sustainability by ensuring robust financial controls, high-quality reporting, and full compliance with statutory and donor requirements, even as systems and processes are being fundamentally transformed. In addition, the role drives financial systems effectiveness and continuous improvement, particularly in the context of ERP stabilization, strengthening processes and building financial management capacity across the organization and its partners. Through this, the position ensures that financial operations not only support but actively enable strategic decision-making and organizational impact.

Objectives

In close coordination with the CFO, FP&A Sr Manager and Grant Finance Manager, and Senior Management Team, the Finance Controller:

1. Safeguard the financial integrity, sustainability, and compliance of Save the Children Indonesia across a USD 14M portfolio, particularly during the critical ERP transition period.

2. Stabilize and maintain finance accounting, treasury and tax Business-As-Usual (BAU) operations, ensuring uninterrupted delivery of core accounting functions including month-end close, cash management, donor compliance, and tax reporting.

3. Stabilize the Oracle NetSuite finance modules tagged to the Finance Controller role during and after the ERP migration, ensuring seamless transition, data integrity, and effective system utilization.

4. Oversee end-to-end financial operations, ensuring financial systems, controls, and partner capabilities are robust enough to support organizational growth and donor scrutiny, particularly in the context of system transformation.

5. Enforce strong cash discipline and actively manage free cash flow through prudent fund placement in approved instruments to generate additional income and strengthen financial sustainability.

6. Drive financial systems effectiveness and continuous improvement, acting as the ERP Module owner for FMS, TOR, TAR, TER, while maintaining operational continuity.

Scope of Work and Key Responsibilities

1. Finance Business-As-Usual (BAU) Operations and Continuity

The Finance Controller will ensure that core finance operations continue without interruption during the ERP transition period.

• Maintain all critical accounting functions including month-end close, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger management.

• Complete the monthly financial close by D+8, ensuring accuracy and timeliness regardless of system transition activities.

• Ensure zero material financial misstatements (less than IDR 150M annually).

• Maintain the Accounts Receivable (AR) collection cycle at under 60 days.

• Oversee daily cash management and liquidity operations to ensure funds are available for program delivery and operational needs.

• Ensure continuity of tax compliance and regulatory reporting throughout the transition period.

• Maintain comprehensive financial documentation and audit trails to support post-migration verification and audit requirements.

2. ERP Migration Stabilization and Module Ownership

The position plays a critical role in ensuring the Oracle NetSuite implementation is effectively stabilized and operationalized.

• Serve as the primary owner and steward of the five finance modules (FMS, TOR, TAR, TER, and related modules) tagged to the Finance Controller.

• Lead the accounting team for the financial data migration process, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and integrity of financial data transferred to Oracle NetSuite.

• Implement and oversee standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all finance processes tagged to the role

• Assist the Finance Module Champions in identifying and resolve system issues, data discrepancies, and process gaps during the post-implementation period.

3. Cash Flow and Liquidity Management

The position plays a mission-critical role in ensuring funds are available at the right time and for the right purpose.

• Enforce strong cash discipline and proactively manage free cash flow.

• Ensure monthly cash flow forecast accuracy of greater than 80%.

• Maintain a cash ratio of greater than 4.0x on average

• Place funds prudently in approved instruments to maximize organizational liquidity and generate additional income.

• Manage cash positioning to support both operational needs and program delivery commitments.

4. Compliance, Audit, and Risk Management

The role carries high fiduciary accountability, directly influencing organizational credibility and stakeholder confidence.

• Ensure statutory compliance regarding tax and regulatory requirements, particularly during the system transition

• Ensure successful donor audits with minimal findings, with particular attention to data integrity and process continuity during migration supporting Grant Finance Manager.

• Implement and maintain strong financial controls to mitigate risks associated with system transition and operational changes.

5. Stakeholder Engagement, Team Leadership, and Capacity Building

The Finance Controller will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen financial capacity and ensure smooth transition.

• Supervise and manage the Accounting & Tax Coordinator, Treasury Coordinator/Officer, and providing guidance and support during the transition period.

• Work closely with the Senior Management Team, Extended Senior Management Team, Sr FP&A Manager, Grant Finance Manager, and POD to ensure alignment and coordination.

• Act as the key accounting representative to external stakeholders, including SCI Members/donors, consultants, external tax offices, financial regulators

• Bridge the Finance Controller vacancy by providing interim leadership and technical direction to the finance function.

Required Background and Experience, Skills and Behaviors

This role requires a seasoned finance professional with strong leadership, technical expertise, and proven experience in managing complex organizational transitions.

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance is required. A master’s (S2) degree or additional certifications (e.g., CPA, CA, CMA) in related fields such as Management Accounting or Finance is preferable.

• Experience: 10+ years of experience working in an international organization (non-profits preferred) with a solid understanding of its compliance mechanisms. Several years of experience in managerial positions with a strong understanding of Indonesia’s accounting standards, regulations, and policies, including taxation, financial reporting, and non-profit regulations. Proven experience managing ERP implementations or system migrations.

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in leading accounting team for month-end closing, understanding and applying accounting standards, budget management, financial analysis, and the use of commonly used accounting software (such as SAP, Oracle, or QuickBooks). Ability to utilize ERP for effective accounting management to inform financial analysis and decision-making. Hands-on experience with Oracle NetSuite or comparable ERP systems is highly desirable. Strong data management and system troubleshooting capabilities.

• Leadership and Communication: Strong leadership capacity to inspire and motivate teams towards common goals while adapting to the dynamic environment of non-profit organizations, particularly during periods of significant organizational change. Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain operational continuity under pressure. Proficiency in communicating effectively in both Indonesian and English (verbal and written), and highly skilled in collaborating with diverse stakeholders for decision-making. Demonstrated ability to bridge technical and non-technical audiences in explaining complex financial and system processes.

• Transition Management: Proven experience managing organizational transitions, system implementations, or significant operational changes. Ability to identify and mitigate risks associated with complex transitions. Strong problem-solving skills and resilience in managing ambiguity and competing demands.