About the Organisation
The Initiative for Social Performance in Renewable Energy (INSPIRE) aims to advance the field of social performance in South Africa’s renewable energy sector, with the wider goal of becoming a leading platform across the African continent and internationally. Their mission is to build leadership capacity in Africa for a more integrated renewable energy ecosystem that ensures equitably shared socio-economic benefits.
About the Job
INSPIRE (Initiative for Social Performance in Renewable Energy) is seeking a diligent and detail-oriented Finance Assistant to provide financial and administrative support across a range of project and organisational functions. This role is ideal for an early-career finance professional looking to deepen their experience in NGO financial administration, donor compliance support, and project-based financial processes.
Working closely with the finance team, the Finance Assistant will support day-to-day accounting functions, maintain accurate financial records, and contribute to effective financial oversight across projects. The role requires strong reconciliation skills, efficiency in financial administration, and the ability to work with precision in a dynamic environment.
This is a half-time position for a term of 6 months, with an option to expand to full-time. Contract renewal is possible if the funding is available and the KPIs for the work are met.
Key Responsibilities
Meeting & Coordination Support
Schedule finance meetings, circulate agendas, record decisions and action items.
Update INSPIRE monthly financial reporting monitoring files ahead of monthly finance meetings.
Finance Filing & Documentation
Maintain a real-time digital filing system in SharePoint to ensure all finance documents are correctly named, stored, and retrievable for audit.
Assist with preparing monthly/quarterly GIZ cost summaries, running balances, and transaction schedules.
Assist in drafting financial annexes, budget-versus-actuals, and supporting notes.
Financial Administration & Reconciliations
Prepare and maintain accurate financial records, ensuring completeness and correctness of financial data.
Perform bank, supplier, sub-contractor, and project-related reconciliations with high attention to detail.
Support monthly and quarterly financial reconciliations required for project reporting and donor compliance.
Assist with tracking and reconciling GIZ-funded project expenditure, ensuring alignment with donor templates and rules.
Work with finance colleagues to ensure financial data is captured timeously in SAGE and/or Intac.
Donor & Project Support
Assist in preparing financial documentation, reconciliations, and supporting schedules required for donor reporting.
Support project teams with administrative tasks linked to budget monitoring, procurement documentation, and financial record-keeping (informed by similar support functions in the cost controller role).
Liaise with sub-contractors and service providers to verify invoices, resolve discrepancies, and maintain up-to-date payment records.
Contribute to maintaining project files, ensuring compliance with internal procedures and donor requirements.
Internal Support
Assist the finance team with capturing and organising financial data for internal reporting cycles.
Support with maintaining accurate organisational financial documentation, including scanned records, filing, and digital audit trails.
Provide administrative support during audits and donor reviews, including preparation of requested financial evidence.
Help identify small process improvements to strengthen financial administration and workflow efficiency.
Requirements
Qualifications, Experience and Skills:
BCom degree (Finance, Accounting, or related field).
2–3 years of finance or financial administration experience, preferably within NGOs or donor-funded environments.
Strong reconciliation skills and demonstrated accuracy in financial processing.
Strong understanding of donor financial reporting (GIZ experience advantageous)
High attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to manage competing deadlines
Strong digital literacy (Google Workspace, Sage, Excel, MS Office)
Integrity and accountability in handling financial information
To apply
To apply, email your application by Sunday, 11th January to recruitment@actionappointments.co.za
