With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!
Employee Contract Type:
Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)
Job Description:
Purpose of the Position
The Finance & Compliance Specialist provides practical financial management, grants compliance, internal controls, and sub-award oversight for the FCI country programme, in line with World Vision policies, donor requirements, local statutory requirements, and the standards set by the WVUS Global Management Team (GMT).
The role supports the Chief of Party by preparing budgets and forecasts, reviewing expenditures, managing cash flow and advances, producing timely financial reports, maintaining audit-ready documentation, and supporting partner financial monitoring. A key mandate is to strengthen the financial management and compliance capacity of CHAs, FBOs, and other local partners, promoting responsible stewardship of project resources, efficient sub-grant administration, and readiness for donor, internal, and statutory audits — while contributing to the long-term financial sustainability and localization of the programme.
Major Responsibilities
1.Financial Management — 30%
- Prepare and maintain country-level budgets, phased spending plans, cash forecasts, and budget-versus-actual analyses in coordination with the COP and the WVUS Global Finance team.
- Review expenditures, account coding, journal entries, reconciliations, advances, liquidations, and supporting documentation to ensure transactions are accurate, properly approved, and charged to the correct budget lines.
- Prepare timely monthly, quarterly, annual, and donor financial reports, including variance explanations, burn-rate analysis, pipeline updates, and management recommendations.
- Manage country cash flow, funds requests, partner advances, and liquidation follow-up, ensuring advances are based on approved work plans, forecasted needs, and partner implementation schedules.
- Monitor financial flows to CHAs, FBOs, and other local implementing partners, ensuring timely disbursement, proper utilization, reconciliation, and accountability of project resources.
- Lead country-level financial closeout preparation, including final expenditure review, accrual and obligation tracking, partner closeout, final financial reporting, documentation retention, and resolution of outstanding advances, questioned costs, and audit findings.
- Monitor burn rates and budget utilization; escalate financial risks and variances to the COP in a timely manner.
- Monthly financial reports submitted within organizational deadlines.
- Budget utilization maintained within approved thresholds.
- Timely and accurate financial reporting to donors and internal stakeholders.
- Forecast accuracy maintained at agreed project standards.
2.Compliance, Risk & Internal Controls — 25%
- Apply U.S. Government regulations (including 2 CFR 200), applicable award terms and conditions, World Vision policies, country legal and statutory requirements, and National Office procedures in day-to-day financial management and compliance decisions.
- Review costs for allowability, allocability, reasonableness, approval, coding accuracy, procurement compliance, and adequacy of supporting documentation before payment, reporting, or liquidation.
- Maintain practical internal controls, including segregation of duties, approval workflows, reconciliations, asset controls, document retention, fraud-mitigation practices, conflict-of-interest management, and timely escalation of control weaknesses.
- Maintain country-level compliance trackers, risk registers, audit action plans, advance aging schedules, and questioned-cost logs; ensure follow-up actions are documented and closed on time.
- Support internal, external, donor, statutory, and partner audits by organizing financial records, procurement files, partner reports, payment documentation, approvals, and other audit evidence.
- Promote ethical financial management, fraud prevention, safeguarding-related financial controls, whistleblower awareness, and timely reporting of suspected misuse of funds or non-compliance through World Vision reporting channels.
- Zero major compliance violations identified through audits.
- All donor financial requirements met.
- Procurement and financial transactions comply with policy requirements.
- Fraud and misconduct cases reported according to policy.
- 100% adherence to World Vision ethical and safeguarding standards.
3. Sub-Award Management & Partner Monitoring — 20%
- Coordinate the country-level sub-grant management process, including partner due diligence, pre-award assessments, subrecipient risk assessments, sub-award setup, budget review, agreement support, and start-up orientation.
- Review partner budgets, advance requests, liquidation reports, invoices, financial reports, procurement files, payroll support, and other supporting documentation for compliance, accuracy, and completeness.
- Develop and implement risk-based financial monitoring plans for CHAs, FBOs, and other local partners, using practical tools such as desk reviews, field monitoring checklists, partner visit reports, and corrective action plans.
- Track partner advances, spending rates, budget balances, financial performance, compliance findings, questioned costs, corrective actions, and capacity-strengthening milestones through closure.
- Coordinate subrecipient closeout processes, including final reconciliations, liquidation of advances, resolution of questioned costs, confirmation of asset disposition, and timely submission of final partner reports.
- 100% of sub-award reports reviewed on schedule.
- Partner financial capacity assessments conducted as planned.
- Partner compliance ratings improve over the project duration.
4. Localization & Partner Financial Capacity Strengthening — 15%
- Assess the financial management, grants compliance, internal controls, and documentation capacity of CHAs, FBOs, and other local implementing partners.
- Develop practical partner-capacity strengthening plans, tools, checklists, and templates to improve budgeting, cash management, financial reporting, procurement documentation, audit readiness, and closeout practices.
- Support local partners — including those with limited prior U.S. Government funding experience — to progressively meet donor and World Vision financial and compliance standards.
- Provide hands-on coaching and technical assistance to partners on budgeting, financial reporting, internal controls, procurement documentation, payroll support, donor compliance, document retention, and audit readiness.
- Track progress against partner-capacity strengthening milestones; provide regular updates to the COP and the WVUS Global Finance and Compliance teams.
- Finance and compliance training delivered according to plan.
- Demonstrable improvement in partner financial management practices.
- Partner capacity milestones documented and on track.
5. Financial Reporting, Analysis & Grant Operations — 10%
- Coordinate with the COP, procurement, People & Culture/HR, operations, DMEAL, technical teams, and WVUS Global Finance and Compliance teams to align budgets, work plans, procurement plans, partner budgets, and reporting deadlines.
- Use World Vision financial systems, accounting software, shared drives, grant files, and reporting tools to maintain accurate financial records, supporting documentation, trackers, and audit evidence.
- Support practical financial modelling for cost efficiency, partner resource needs, government absorption, domestic financing, and transition of selected activities to government, CHAs, FBOs, or locally owned systems.
- Provide finance and compliance inputs for work plans, budget revisions, donor reports, partner performance reviews, management meetings, sustainability planning, and grant closeout.
- Audit recommendations implemented within agreed timelines.
- Quarterly compliance monitoring reviews completed.
- Financial risks identified and mitigation actions implemented.
Required Qualifications & Experience
Education
- Master's degree in Finance, Chattered Accountant, Accounting, Commerce, or related field.
- Professional Certification from Registered body will be an added advantage.
- Training in donor compliance and grant management.
Experience
- Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in financial management, grants compliance, and sub-award oversight for donor-funded programmes, preferably including U.S. Government-funded projects.
- At least 5 years directly supporting donor-funded health or development projects (USAID, PEPFAR, CDC, or similar).
- Demonstrated practical knowledge of 2 CFR 200, award terms and conditions, cost allowability, procurement documentation, internal controls, subrecipient monitoring, audit readiness, and closeout.
- Experience working with World Vision or a similar international NGO financial policy, National Office finance processes, and donor-funded programme operations is highly preferred.
- Experience managing project budgets, forecasts, financial reporting, audits, and internal controls with strong audit outcomes.
- Experience supporting grant and subrecipient closeout processes, including final financial reporting, reconciliation of advances, resolution of questioned costs, asset disposition, and audit documentation.
- Experience coaching local partners and strengthening financial management and compliance capacity required.
- Proficiency with accounting software and ERP systems; advanced Excel skills and familiarity with donor financial reporting tools, grant trackers, partner monitoring templates, and shared document-management platforms strongly preferred.
- Experience with faith-based organizations is strongly preferred.
Language
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English (Proficient).
- Proficiency in the national/local language(s) strongly preferred.
Technical Competencies
Organizational Awareness (Proficient)
Understands FCI's mission, work, and priorities; applies knowledge of organizational structure, culture, and climate in achieving financial and compliance goals.
Programme Design & Implementation (Proficient)
Understands development programme structures; contributes financial and compliance inputs to programme design, work plans, and budgets.
Sector Knowledge (Proficient)
Understands current standards associated with donor-funded health programme finance, including USG regulations, grant management, and sub-award oversight.
Funding Mechanisms Knowledge (Advanced)
Understands diverse funding mechanisms (cost proposals, fixed-price grants, cooperative agreements, etc.) and their requirements; applies knowledge in budget development and compliance.
Managing Resources (Advanced)
Identifies appropriate people, tools, time, and vendors for accomplishing financial and compliance goals; considers costs and benefits prior to allocating resources.
Coaching & Developing Others (Proficient)
Coaches and mentors’ partners and staff in financial management and compliance effectively; understands performance feedback and adult learning principles.
Knowledge Management (Proficient)
Organizes and manages financial records and compliance documentation so critical information is retained and audit-ready; develops feedback loops to capture best practices.
English Language Proficiency (Proficient)
Ability to speak, understand, and write fluently in English.
Required Skills & Abilities
- Financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
- Grant and contract management including USG regulations (2 CFR 200).
- Internal controls and financial risk management.
- Audit coordination, compliance monitoring, and audit readiness.
- Financial analysis and donor reporting.
- Advanced Excel and financial systems proficiency (accounting software, ERP).
- Training, mentoring, and capacity strengthening in financial management.
- Financial modelling for transition, sustainability, and government absorption.
Core Competencies & WV Values
- Committed Christian with a deep understanding of World Vision's mission, vision, and values.
- Demonstrates Christ-centred servant leadership.
- Upholds integrity, accountability, and stewardship — particularly in financial management.
- Promotes child protection and safeguarding, including through safeguarding-related financial controls.
- Respects diversity while maintaining Christian witness.
- Be Safe and Resilient — Learn and Develop — Deliver Results — Be Accountable — Improve and Innovate.
Working Environment / Conditions
Country office environment with periodic in-country travel to partner offices, implementation regions, districts, field sites, and finance monitoring locations for financial review, compliance monitoring, partner coaching, and audit follow-up — typically up to 25–40% of time. May require travel to insecure or hazardous locations in line with World Vision security protocols.
REMUNERATION: Competitive with market standards.
Application Requirements
Please upload your CV and covering letter with copies of educational certificates, transcripts and national ID. You are requested to provide,
on your CV, full details of three referees (two professional and one spiritual) plus one HR Practitioner. The required details are full referees’
names, designation, email address and contact numbers.
Closing Date: 6th September, 2026
As a child-focused organization, World Vision Lesotho is committed to the protection and well-being of children. We follow strict child
safeguarding policies and conduct thorough background checks, including criminal record checks, to ensure a safe environment for children.
World Vision Lesotho is an equal opportunity employer and upholds Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles.
WORLD VISION DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY FORM OF PAYMENT FOR A JOB OFFER OR OTHER RELATED CONSIDERATIONS
Applicant Types Accepted:
Local Applicants Only
