Finance Coordinator - Nairobi

How to Apply: Interested and qualified candidates should apply through the Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) BambooHR portal at legalactionworldwide.bamboohr.com.

Show Donor-Compliance Muscle Before You Talk About Excel

Finance Coordinator roles at INGOs screen hard for one thing: can you keep multiple grants audit-ready while donors watch? Your CV and interview answers need to prove you have handled NORAD, FCDO, EU, or UN money without breaking Kenyan tax rules. Here is how to prepare.

1. Lead with grant audit ownership: LAW says you will lead local grant audits in Kenya and support the Geneva statutory audit. On your CV, put a bullet that names the donor, the grant size, and the audit outcome. For example: 'Led FCDO-funded grant audit for KES 120M programme, closed with zero material findings.' Interviewers will ask how you prepared schedules and handled auditor queries, so rehearse one clean story.

2. Prove Kenyan statutory fluency: The role demands strong knowledge of PAYE, VAT, Withholding Tax, NSSF, and SHIF/SHA. Prepare a one-page cheat sheet of current rates and filing deadlines before your interview. When they ask about payroll review, mention how you verify statutory deductions and remit on time. This shows you will not expose LAW to KRA penalties.

3. Name the accounting software, not just 'ERP': LAW uses Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or Navision. If you have used either, say so in your CV summary and describe a specific task like uploading banking payments or running intercompany reconciliations. If your experience is with a similar enterprise system, explain how you mapped transactions and allocations. Hiring managers want to know you can process transactions accurately from day one.

4. Show how you allocate admin costs across grants: One duty is allocating admin costs to each grant quarterly. Prepare an example of how you split shared costs fairly and documented the basis. Talk about the spreadsheet logic you used and how you handled donor pushback. This proves you understand both accounting and donor compliance.

5. Bring a budget amendment story: The role includes preparing potential amendments to grant budgets. Think of a time you revised a budget mid-grant because of currency shifts or underspending. Describe how you worked with Programme Managers and what donor rules you followed. Interviewers will probe whether you can spot when a reallocation needs donor approval.

6. Demonstrate partner capacity building: LAW supports local partners with budget preparation and compliance. Share an example of training a partner finance officer on donor reporting or fixing a messy budget. Explain how you simplified financial concepts for non-finance people. This role needs someone who can build systems, not just process payments.

7. Prepare for the multi-country context: The Nairobi office covers Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan. Read up on the financial risks in these contexts, like currency volatility and remote banking. In your answers, show you can coordinate with a Geneva finance team across time zones. Mention how you would handle monthly intercompany reconciliations when field teams submit late.

8. Close with deadline discipline: LAW wants someone who can meet conflicting tight deadlines. Have a concrete example ready where you juggled a donor report, payroll, and an audit query in the same week. Describe the tool or routine you used to stay organised. End by asking about their current grant portfolio and audit calendar, which shows you are already thinking like their Finance Coordinator.