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Helen Keller International

Job announcement

Officer, Finance

Employment Type: Full-time

Contract Duration; One (1) year

About Helen Keller Intl

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we ensure every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Brief Background: Helen Keller Intl has operated in Cameroon since 1992, delivering integrated programs in nutrition, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), eye health, and local governance across eight regions through a staff of approximately 68. This role is the primary operational steward of the program portfolio, ensuring that activities across all technical areas are delivered with quality, on schedule, and in compliance with donor and organizational requirements.

Scope of work

As part of the implementation of the OCEAC Project, Helen Keller Intl Cameroon is inviting applications from qualified internal candidates for the position of Finance Officer, based in Yaoundé.

The Finance Officer will be responsible for supporting the financial management of the OCEAC Project in Cameroon while providing targeted financial support to project activities in Congo and Gabon. The position plays a key role in ensuring compliance with Helen Keller Intl policies, donor requirements, and applicable financial regulations through effective accounting, financial reporting, budget monitoring, and audit readiness.

Key Responsibilities

The Finance Officer will:

• Deliver defined program components or specialized functional work independently, managing complexity within the area of expertise to produce quality outputs on time.

• Apply professional judgment to resolve non-routine issues and improve processes, drawing on knowledge of organizational procedures and relevant technical standards.

• Execute intricate transactions or functional processes accurately, applying careful comparative evaluation against established rules, procedures, and guidelines ;

• Serve as a technical or functional resource to peers, contributing expertise and knowledge to support team delivery and build shared understanding.

• Identify risks or gaps within the scope of assigned work, proposing practical improvements and escalating issues that require senior input.

• Maintain and update accurate records, reports, and documentation relevant to functional responsibilities, ensuring information is accessible and reliable.

• Coordinate with immediate team members and relevant stakeholders to complete assigned work and contribute to shared objectives.

• Apply feedback and learning continuously to improve the quality and efficiency of functional outputs within the area of responsibility.

Specific Responsibilities

• Process, verify, and record financial transactions in the accounting system (QuickBooks or NetSuite), ensuring all supporting documentation is complete, accurate, and compliant with HKI procedures and donor requirements before entry or payment initiation.

• Monitor project cash-flow, prepare timely funds-request packages based on implementation progress and expenditure levels, and conduct monthly bank reconciliations to ensure ledger balances are accurate and discrepancies are resolved promptly.

• Track budget execution against approved work plans for the Cameroon project, update financial dashboards and monitoring tools regularly, and flag emerging risks — underspending, overspending, or line-item variances — to the Finance Director with recommended corrective actions.

• Prepare and compile financial data for periodic donor reports, budget reviews, and funds requests for the Cameroon project, and contribute equivalent financial data to support reporting for the Congo and Gabon OCEAC projects as directed.

• Maintain rigorous physical and electronic filing of all project financial records — payment vouchers, advances, partner justifications, and correspondence — to ensure immediate audit readiness and full documentation of the project's financial history.

• Support internal and external audits, financial reviews, and donor verification missions by preparing required documentation, responding to auditor queries, and implementing agreed corrective measures under the supervision of the Finance Director.

Required Qualifications & competencies

Skills & Experience

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree required; or associate/technical diploma with 4+ years of directly related experience ; 3–4 years of relevant professional experience ;

• Minimum three to five years of progressive experience in project finance or accounting within an international NGO or donor-funded development program, including hands-on use of accounting software (QuickBooks, NetSuite, or equivalent ERP) and demonstrated experience with multi-donor budget monitoring and financial reporting.

• Professional proficiency in English in addition to French, given the multi-country (Cameroon, Congo, Gabon) scope of financial support required.

• Familiarity with OCEAC, Global Fund, or similar Central African public-health donor compliance frameworks and reporting templates.

• Working knowledge of project monitoring and evaluation tools, enabling effective linkage between financial data and programmatic performance indicators.

Behavioral Competencies

• Owning Work & Building Trust : Builds trust by following through on commitments, communicating openly about progress and problems, and taking responsibility for their work and its impact on others.

• Adapting & Navigating Change : Speaks up about challenges and risks in their work, proposes constructive solutions, and adjusts their approach when priorities, tools, or methods change.

• Getting Work Done : Translates priorities into results by planning work, coordinating with others, and using evidence and learning to improve outcomes.

• Working Together & Growing Others: Supports the growth and well-being of colleagues by giving honest, constructive feedback, sharing knowledge and skills, and participating in collaborative work with care and respect for others.

Working Conditions

Travel

Occasional travel within Cameroon and potentially to Congo or Gabon (estimated 10–15%) to support partner financial reviews, field verifications, or project coordination meetings.

Fairness, Belonging and Zero Tolerance to Abuse

As a member of the Helen Keller Family, each employee is expected to

• Help to develop and maintain an environment that welcomes and develops a multi-cultural workforce with varied lived experiences and identities.

• Foster a work environment where everyone feels valued and included.

• Support employees’ evaluation and promotion processes based on skills and performance.

• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all members of Helen Keller family, stakeholders in general, and particularly for the communities we serve.

• Follow Helen Keller Code of Conduct helping to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation, and trafficking in persons.

• Adhere to the Organizational Core Values, which include compassion, courage, integrity, and rigor.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are invited to submit their cover letter and curriculum vitae (CV) to the following email address: cm.recrutement@hki.org, indicating “Officer, Finance” in the subject line of the email.

The deadline for submission of applications is October 22th, 2026, at midnight (strict deadline).

Equal Opportunity and Inclusion

In keeping with the spirit of its founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment where diversity in all its forms is fully valued.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, race, caste, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic that does not affect an individual’s ability to perform the duties of the position.

Helen Keller Intl is also committed to providing reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. Applicants requiring accommodation are encouraged to indicate this at the time of application.

For any questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact the email address provided above.

Important Information Regarding the Recruitment Process

HELEN KELLER INTL:

• Does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application, testing, interview, processing, or training);

• Does not request candidates' bank account information;

• Does not use recruitment agencies for hiring purposes.

Position Title: Officer, Finance

Duty Station : Yaoundé, Cameroon,

Reports To: Senior Manager, Finance

Contract Type : Fixed-Term Contract

Employment Type: Full-time

Contract Duration; One (1) year