Finance Officer

Overview

Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Title: Finance Officer

Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh     

Contract: Fixed term contract until 31 March 2028

Salary: Local Terms and Conditions apply

 

About the role

As Finance Officer, you will support the effective financial management of the Bangladesh Country Office, ensuring all financial activities comply with local legal requirements and Sightsavers policies and procedures. You will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, supporting budgeting, forecasting and reporting, and overseeing financial management for partner organisations.

The role includes supporting procurement processes, ensuring compliance with National Board of Revenue (NBR) requirements, and assisting the Finance and Support Services Manager with overall financial control. You will also provide financial oversight for the Inclusive Education project in Saronkhola, working closely with implementing partners, preparing timely financial reports, and providing hands‑on support and guidance to ensure compliance with agreed requirements.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate financial records for the country office, ensuring all transactions are correctly coded, documented and recorded in the accounting system.

• Process payments and manage cash flow, including preparing fund requests, checking invoices, and ensuring timely monthend and yearend closures.

• Prepare bank reconciliations, monitor accounts, and ensure all financial files are maintained in a clear and systematic manner.

• Support the preparation of country and project budgets, forecasts and reforecasts, working closely with the Finance and Support Services Manager.

• Prepare financial statements and reports for audits, and support partner organisations through audit processes as required.

• Ensure compliance with tax, statutory and regulatory requirements, including withholding tax, income tax returns and NBR regulations.

• Provide financial oversight and support to partner organisations, including budget preparation, monitoring fund balances and analysing variances.

• Conduct regular financial monitoring visits to partners, reviewing expenditure against approved budgets and addressing queries as they arise.

• Prepare timely and accurate financial reports for projects, ensuring deadlines are consistently met.

• Support partners to strengthen financial management, controls, documentation and recordkeeping through guidance and handson support.

• Work with programme colleagues to identify partner training needs and contribute to building partners’ financial management capacity.

• Support effective partnership management by ensuring compliance with partnership agreements, donor requirements and government regulations.

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details. 

Skills and Experience

The successful candidate will be a detailoriented finance professional with strong experience in accounting, budgeting and financial reporting, ideally within an NGO or development context. They will have a good understanding of working with partners, managing compliance requirements, and supporting audits and financial controls, with the confidence to provide clear guidance and handson support when needed. Well organised and deadlinefocused, they will be comfortable working with multiple priorities, communicating effectively with both finance and programme colleagues, and contributing to strong financial governance in a collaborative and supportive way.

Jobholder Requirements 

Essential 

• A master’s degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience, ideally within an NGO or INGO environment.

• Proven experience working in an NGO or INGO, with responsibility for donorfunded projects.

• Experience of project accounting and working closely with partner organisations.

• Strong knowledge of accounting processes, financial reporting and data management.

• Good understanding of local tax and VAT regulations.

• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.

• Ability to communicate effectively in both English and Bangla.

Desirable 

• Experience of donor compliance and partner financial monitoring.

• Knowledge of NGOAB requirements and other relevant government regulations.

• Understanding of organisational policies, procedures and financial frameworks.

• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and contribute to continuous improvement.

Next Steps

To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community.

Sightsavers is committed to inclusive recruitment. Women and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Sightsavers is an employer that does not tolerate any form of harassment and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. All potential candidates will be subjected to rigorous background checks and controls.