IDinsight
About IDinsight
We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide.
IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organization that helps global development leaders maximize their social impact. We tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools, including randomized evaluations and machine learning, to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. We work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organizations in Asia and Africa. Our work spans various sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.
We have expertise in various rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact we:
- Support clients’ use of data and evidence for routine and major decision-making.
- Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches.
- Create and share tools, knowledge, and ideas that expand the use of data and evidence for social good.
IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organizational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Our diverse, growing team of roughly 200 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries worldwide.
About the role
Reporting to the CFO, the Chief of Staff, Finance will provide strategic inputs for and practical execution of the Finance OKRs and develop and support aligned operational plans to improve the organization's effectiveness while building relationships within the Finance Leadership Team. You will be the trusted strategic advisor and lead the processes by which the Finance function sets priorities, establishes important outcomes and measures the success of the function each fiscal year. You will provide communications and continuity between the regional and functional teams, determine the best use of the department's resources to achieve the annual priorities and goals, and drive programs such as finance roadmap, change management initiatives, process improvements and leadership workshops.
The Chief of Staff will also contribute analytically to the Finance, Planning, and Analysis (FPnA) function and support the preparation of Board and Finance committee material. The CoS will work with all functional and regional teams to support organizational linkages and provide targeted support to achieve Finance OKRs.
This recruitment is for candidates at the manager or senior manager level. The decision of whether the applicant is better suited for the manager/ senior manager role will be made during the interviews based on the depth and breadth of relevant experience of the candidate.
Responsibilities
The Chief of Staff, Finance, will be responsible for the following:
- Implement strategic initiatives, including working with the Executive team on Pricing strategy, benchmarking our pricing against the markets across regions and functions, identifying cost optimisation initiatives, improving internal management reporting, and driving a greater understanding of the IDinsight financial model among the regional and functional teams through training and workshops among leadership.
- Build a Financial MIS (Management Information System) and support the CFO in promoting operational excellence as a culture within the finance team. Design and build Financial MIS reports to ensure regular tracking of performance on internal benchmarks, raise flags for non-compliance/regulatory processes, identify gaps in existing systems, and help build a finance function for scale.
- Lead Budget and OKR monitoring, representing the finance team for internal coordination with regional and functional teams, giving inputs to the budget process. Participating in management and Executive group meetings to help coordinate actions for OKR and the budgeting process will be an excellent opportunity to learn and contribute to organizational strategy and sustainability.
- Support FPnA team efforts with IIT (Impact improvement team) in improving project budget design and management process. The role will require co-ordinating inputs from regional teams on the budgeting process and improvements that can be implemented to reduce project overruns and also improve the budgeting experience for new project managers. It will also involve working closely with the FPnA and IIT teams to analyze historical data on project budgets and use evidence to guide improved budgeting processes for various service offerings at IDInsight.
- Lead change management efforts for Unit4 alongside the Systems, leading to drive greater adoption. Undertake a comprehensive regional review of challenges for Project Management using Unit4, and develop a clear action plan to address these challenges alongside the Systems team.
- Support internal policy revisions to existing policies and processes on procurement, payment and everything finance, coordinating input from key contributors across finance, legal, regional and functional teams, as well as communication and training on these policies to better support our colleagues across the organization.
- Partner with a range of stakeholders across the org to ensure the CFO/CEO is well prepared for all internal and external meetings/interactions, including supporting with the preparation of key presentations
- Serve as a sounding board for the CFO on new ideas and cost initiatives across departments
- The interface between Regional and functional leads and the CFO to drive successful day-to-day operations
- Hold the pen on all financial Collaterals, such as Presentation decks, Financial Projections, Internal communications, OKR reporting, etc.
Key Skills and Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of working experience, preferably in a finance or people management role
- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in business administration or similar field
- Experience in data analysis and budget management
- Strong project management skills, with an ability to easily switch between high-level considerations and nuts and bolts of implementation
- Expertly develop and execute tactical assignments, including producing high-quality deliverables independently
- Adept at spreadsheet modelling, financial projections
- Experience of working in and RP environment
- Excellent judgment and problem-solving abilities, with an ability to think through complex questions conscientiously and judiciously
- Demonstrated track record as a self-starter and leader, including comfort with ambiguity and dynamic environments and workstreams
- Excellent soft skills and communication skills across all mediums (written communications, public speaking, teamwork and upward management).
- Solutions-oriented, with an ability to translate strategic ideas to action plans working across multiple work-streams in parallel
- Strong desire for professional growth and development, with a track record of openness to give and receive feedback;
- People management experience is preferred; this role requires change management skills to improve the finance team’s performance
- High level of independence and sharp attention to detail
- Strong ability to maintain integrity and confidentiality in complex situations; to handle sensitive information, data, and issues with mature and discreet professionalism
- Experience fostering collaboration and collective decision-making across IDinsight teams, including, for example, with regional executive teams and functional representatives
Nuts & bolts
Location
You will be reporting to the main office of IDinsight based in New Delhi, India, Working out of the office is a necessity to address day-day activities and to connect with employees. However, we offer a hybrid work policy where you can work from home on some days as well. What is important is that we are getting all aspects of the work done. A fully remote or work from home option is not feasible for this role.
Start date
The start date of this position is 1 October 2024, with preference for candidates that can start immediately.
Compensation
Our compensation strategy is driven by market data, ensuring competitive and region-specific remuneration for our employees. We aim to be competitive when benchmarked to social sector markets in the geographic locations where IDinsight team members are based. While we can’t be competitive with leading private sector companies, we seek to compete with similar mission-driven, social sector organizations. We recognize that while we compete in compensation and benefit levels, we also compete in terms of organizational culture, opportunities for professional growth, and other non-monetary factors. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer, including comprehensive international health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; technology and work-from-home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.
How to apply
Please visit our careers website to apply for this role. We will close applications for this role by 1 September 2024.
