Job Description

About the role

Children's Aid Limited (CAL) is seeking a hands-on and mission-driven Finance & Admin Manager to lead our finance function in a lean team setup.

This role is both strategic and operational – you will be responsible for financial governance, compliance, budgeting, audits and reporting, while also rolling up your sleeves to manage day-to-day accounting operations together with one Finance Executive.

You will work closely with the Executive Director, Finance Sub-Committee, Audit Sub-Committee, auditors and regulators to ensure strong financial stewardship across our residential care and community services.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Financial Management & Governance

• Lead full-set accounts, monthly closing, management reporting and annual financial statements.
• Ensure compliance with SFRS, MSF, IRAS, charity regulations, and internal finance policies.
• Liaise with auditors and accountants to ensure timely audits and clean outcomes.
• Serve as secretariat to the Finance and Audit Sub-Committees.

2. Budgeting & Financial Planning

• Lead annual budgeting and periodic re-forecasting with management.
• Monitor budgets, funding utilization and cashflow.
• Provide financial analysis on cost control, sustainability and scenarios.
• Support grant budgeting and utilization tracking.

3. Strategic Financial Stewardship & Capital Planning

• Develop multi-year operating and capital financial plans (5–10 years).
• Manage reserves and liquidity strategy.
• Drive revenue diversification and sustainability.
• Provide forward-looking financial insights and dashboards to Management and Board.
• Oversee financial governance for capital projects (budgets, funding milestones, cashflow, risks).
• Ensure alignment with the Singapore Code of Governance for Charities.

Monthly reporting to focus on:

• Liquidity and reserves
• Operating performance vs budget
• Capital / rebuild funding and cost control

4. Operations (Hands-on)

• Oversee AP/AR, donations, fixed assets, petty cash, bank reconciliations and payroll journals.
• Ensure proper documentation and internal controls.
• Supervise and coach the Finance Executive; provide operational support during peak periods and audits.

5. Systems, Process & Compliance

• Review and update finance SOPs.
• Improve accounting systems and digital workflows.
• Ensure PDPA compliance and strengthen internal controls and risk management.
• Good project management skills

6. Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Coach and develop the Finance Executive.
• Partner service heads to support operations and programmes.
• Work closely with the Executive Director, Finance Sub-Committee and Board.
• Strategically use financial information to track, plan and forecast income and expenses and also on being a business partner to the other departments.
• Good social skills

Requirements

• Degree in Accounting / Finance or equivalent professional qualification (ACCA, CPA, CA, etc.).
• Minimum 5 years of relevant accounting / finance experience.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Full-set accounts
  • Audit processes
  • Singapore regulatory environment (IRAS, MSF, charities).

• Comfortable working in a lean team and being hands-on.
• High integrity, strong attention to detail and ability to manage deadlines independently.