Financial Controller

1. Purpose of the Role

ARCH – the Fund for African Danish Relations through Exchange of Culture and Arts – is a new cultural cooperation programme managed on behalf of the Danish MFA. The programme disburses grants through multiple mechanisms to African and Danish cultural actors and requires sound financial management, disciplined transaction processing, robust internal controls, and reliable reporting.

The Financial Controller supports the day-to-day financial, accounting, and administrative management of the ARCH Secretariat, ensuring accurate records, timely disbursements and reporting, and full compliance with the Danish MFA’s Financial Management Guidelines (FMG) and Aid Management Guidelines (AMG).

This is a full-time position based in Copenhagen, with an initial contract from Q3 2026 to Q1 2031, aligned with the ARCH programme period. The role reports to the Senior Administration and Financial Management Specialist and works closely with the Head of Secretariat, the MEL Officer, Local Liaison Officers, and other Secretariat members.

Limited international travel may be required to support field audit missions or review meetings.

2. Key Responsibilities

2.1 Accounting & Transaction Processing

Maintain accurate ARCH accounting records, coding all transactions to the relevant outcome, output, and grant in accordance with ARCH’s output-based budget structure.

Process payments, disbursements, receipts, reconciliations, and currency exchange in accordance with the accounting manual and approval procedures.

Manage operational expenditure within approved procedures and thresholds, ensuring that complete, auditable documentation is on file.

Monitor interest accrued on programme funds and prepare the annual reconciliation for return to the MFA in accordance with FMG requirements.

Track unspent funds and recoveries, handling and reporting these in accordance with MFA rules.

Maintain the ARCH asset register and procurement register, covering the Fund Manager’s own procurement, and submit annual summaries to AFRPOL.

2.2 Budget Monitoring & Financial Reporting

Support budget-versus-actual analysis at outcome, output, and grant level, flagging variances promptly.

Assist in preparing ARCH’s recurring financial reporting deliverables, including:

inception-phase financial documentation;

quarterly disbursement requests to AFRPOL;

semi-annual financial progress reports; and

annual consolidated financial reports and audited financial statements.

Compile financial data and supporting schedules to enable the Senior Administration and Financial Management Specialist to prepare high-quality financial inputs for ARCH Board and Grant Committee reporting.

Maintain an organised, audit-ready financial filing system at all times.

2.3 Grant Disbursements & Grantee Financial Administration

Process grant disbursements in accordance with signed agreements, approved schedules, milestone achievement, demonstrated liquidity needs, and FMG requirements.

Maintain the disbursement tracking register across all ARCH grant tiers – Travel and Residency and Tiers 1–3 – including own-contribution tracking, shortfall flags to the Senior Administration and Financial Management Specialist, and sub-partner audit-scope flags.

Review grantee financial reports for completeness and consistency, follow up on gaps, and maintain complete, audit-ready grantee archives.

2.4 Audit Support & Internal Controls

Prepare documentation, schedules, and samples for the annual external audit, ensuring timely auditor access to records.

Support grantee audit coordination in accordance with FMG Annex 5A/5B, including sampling lists, documentation, and tracking of audited grantee statements.

Maintain the audit follow-up register and track follow-up on audit recommendations.

Apply internal controls, segregation of duties, and approval hierarchies in accordance with the accounting manual.

Prepare supporting documentation for supervision missions and reviews by AFRPOL, TILSKUD, and other MFA units.

Immediately elevate suspected irregularities to the Senior Administration and Financial Management Specialist in accordance with ARCH’s procedures.

Screen partners and suppliers against anti-terror and UN/EU sanctions lists before disbursement or contracting, retaining screening records for the audit trail.

2.5 Liquidity Planning & Fund Management

Support quarterly disbursement requests to AFRPOL, limited to six months’ liquidity needs and carrying two authorised signatures in accordance with FMG requirements.

Monitor cash flow and support liquidity planning to ensure timely disbursements and payments.

Ensure that undisbursed funds are held in an appropriate bank account with a credit rating of A or above, in accordance with FMG requirements.

Support the annual currency exchange report and monitor foreign exchange exposure.

2.6 Administrative & Secretariat Support

Process Secretariat invoices, fees, allowances, and travel costs relating to Local Liaison Officers, Grant Assessment Specialists, the Board, and the Grant Committee.

Support governance-related financial documentation, including financial annexes for the Board and Grant Committee.

3. Key Deliverables

Accurate accounting records, reconciliations, disbursement tracking, asset registers, and procurement records, maintained on a rolling basis.

Complete grantee financial archives, audit preparation packages, and audit follow-up records, maintained throughout each audit cycle.

Timely financial inputs and schedules for quarterly disbursement requests to AFRPOL (four per year), semi-annual progress reports (twice per year), the annual consolidated financial report and audited statements (due by 31 May each year from 2027), and Board and Grant Committee reporting.

Complete operational finance documentation covering Secretariat invoices, fees, allowances, and travel costs, with all financial records transferred to the MFA upon contract completion in Q4 2030.

4. Qualifications & Experience

4.1 Mandatory Requirements

A degree or professional qualification in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field.

Experience in financial accounting, transaction processing, or financial administration, ideally in an international development, NGO, or public-sector context.

Proficiency in accounting software and financial tools, including Excel and ERP/accounting systems.

Strong attention to detail, proactive problem-solving skills, and the ability to work independently while maintaining high standards of record-keeping.

A systems-development and process-improvement mindset, including an interest in digital document management.

The ability to communicate financial requirements clearly and diplomatically to partners and grantees.

Professional spoken and written English.

4.2 Highly Valued Experience

Experience in donor-funded programme finance, particularly under Danida, EU, UN, or comparable frameworks.

Familiarity with the MFA’s FMG and/or AMG and with the Business Central accounting system.

Experience processing grant disbursements and managing grantee records in a multi-grantee fund context.

Experience supporting external audits and following up on audit recommendations.

Experience with output-based budgeting and results-based reporting.

Knowledge of Danish public-sector financial management.

Proficiency in French and/or Danish.

5. We Offer You

A full-time position of 37 hours per week, based in Copenhagen, with flexible working hours and remote work options.

An initial contract from Q3 2026 to Q1 2031, aligned with the ARCH programme period.

A competitive compensation package aligned with the AC or HK collective agreement, including a comprehensive pension scheme.

A dynamic, informal working environment with a flat organisational structure and a strong international network.

Flexible work arrangements, including free seating.

An organic vegetarian lunch arrangement in our Villette Café.

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