Controller of Accounting Services at SADC

Lintlha

Location: Gaborone, Botswana

Reference: SADC/2/3/3

Closing Date: 20 November 2026

Background

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional economic community founded and maintained by countries in Southern Africa. It aims to further socio-economic, political and security cooperation among its Member States and foster regional integration to achieve peace, stability and prosperity.

SADC currently has sixteen (16) Member States, with a population of approximately 340 million and a combined GDP of US$720 billion.

The SADC Secretariat is seeking to recruit a highly motivated and experienced professional who is a citizen of a SADC Member State to fill the position of Controller of Accounting Services.

Primary Purpose of the Job

Coordinate, supervise and facilitate an efficient and effective financial accounting and reporting process for the SADC Secretariat.

Manage the efforts and performance of the team under the Controller.

Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Accounting and Reporting

Coordinate the preparation and submission of monthly and quarterly management accounts to Secretariat management.

Coordinate the preparation and submission of the Secretariat’s annual financial statements to auditors and ensure compliance with statutory reporting requirements.

Set timetables for completion of accounting tasks to ensure compliance with reporting deadlines.

Implement adequate financial controls, checks and reconciliations of the general ledger to sub-ledgers, ensuring these are performed at month-end.

Approve all monthly journals prepared by the Accounting Unit and all year-end journals.

Review monthly age analyses of receivables and payables.

Approve all year-end journals and account/lead schedules for annual statutory reporting.

Ensure the chart of accounts is appropriately configured, maintained and subject to suitable authorisation procedures for future updates.

Keep up to date with international accounting standards (IFRS) and provide adequate training to the accounting team.

Provide technical financial advisory services on compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards and on treasury and budgetary matters.

Budgeting

Oversee the capture of approved departmental budgets in SIMS.

Provide monthly feedback on Finance Department variance reports.

Internal Controls

Implement adequate measures and financial controls to strengthen internal controls and enhance corporate governance, accountability and transparency.

Update the audit matrix quarterly.

Implement and maintain appropriate structures, policies and procedures to ensure adequate control over all financial accounting activities of the Secretariat.

Monitor and maintain appropriate controls and segregation of duties through accounting-system user-access controls, ensuring these reflect users’ rights, duties and authority.

Monitor and ensure compliance with donor requirements on financial accounting.

Other Functions

Prepare annual and quarterly financial statements and financial performance reports to meet statutory reporting deadlines.

Coordinate the drafting of annotated agendas for Audit Committee and Finance Committee meetings.

Coordinate, review and/or draft annotated agendas on Directorate of Finance matters for submission to Audit Committee, Finance Committee and Council meetings.

Provide secretariat services, including logistical arrangements for the SADC Board of Auditors during Audit Committee meetings and audit execution.

Follow up on implementation of Council decisions under the Directorate of Finance.

Oversee arrangements for the transfer of the Board of Auditors Chair.

Draft annotated agendas and records for the Board of Auditors.

Management of the Unit

Develop, update and implement policies, strategies, processes, systems and procedures for effective delivery of the unit’s objectives.

Participate in the formulation of the Corporate Strategy.

Develop short- and long-term plans and budgets, m