Job Description
The Shared Services Manager will lead IPA's newly established Shared Services Center in Bogotá, Colombia, within the Global Finance team. The role is responsible for building the center from the ground up — designing processes, developing a team of up to five staff, and serving as the primary point of contact for country office finance teams and headquarters leadership. The Shared Services Manager will ensure timely, accurate, and compliant processing of accounts payable, journal entries, expense reports, intercompany transactions, and bank and balance sheet reconciliations across all IPA entities worldwide.
Responsibilities
Operations and Service Delivery
- Lead day-to-day operations of the Shared Services Center, covering accounts payable, journal entry processing, intercompany transactions, and bank and balance sheet reconciliations for all IPA offices.
- Establish and monitor service-level agreements (SLAs) with country offices and headquarters, including processing turnaround times, accuracy rates, and query resolution timelines.
- Coordinate with country office finance staff to resolve queries, address missing documentation, clear reconciliation discrepancies, and ensure completeness of month-end close activities.
- Provide coverage to country office finance teams during periods of staff transition.
- Support all offices with audit requests as needed.
Process Design and Continuous Improvement
- Identify opportunities for automation, system improvements, and process simplification, and lead implementation in coordination with IT and Global Finance teams.
- Develop performance dashboards and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Shared Services function, and report results to senior finance leadership on a regular cadence.
- Build team capacity to take on additional responsibilities with a consistent level of excellence.
Team Leadership and Talent Development
- Recruit, onboard, and supervise a team of up to three Shared Services staff.
- Set individual performance objectives, conduct performance reviews, and support professional development.
- Design and deliver training for junior staff on accounting tasks, reconciliation procedures, NetSuite operations, and country-specific requirements; maintain training documentation for knowledge continuity.
- Monitor individual and team workload across country assignments; adjust capacity allocation and escalate resourcing needs proactively.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Compliance and Controls
- Ensure all transactions comply with IPA policies, donor requirements, and relevant accounting standards.
- Support internal and external audits by providing required documentation.
- Maintain clear segregation of duties between the Shared Services Center and country office banking and treasury functions.
Stakeholder Engagement and Reporting
- Serve as the primary liaison between the Shared Services Center, country office finance teams, and headquarters Global Finance.
- Oversee generation of monthly financial reports for distribution to country office finance teams and leadership.
- Lead regular check-ins and reporting meetings with country office finance leads, providing updates on month-end close status, outstanding issues, and team performance.
- Communicate process changes, training requirements, and service updates to all stakeholders.
- Contribute to cross-functional projects related to finance transformation and other global initiatives as needed.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance.
- Minimum seven years of progressive experience in accounting, including at least three years of direct supervisory experience.
- Demonstrated experience leading or working in a shared services, business process outsourcing (BPO), or centralized finance environment.
- Full professional proficiency in English and Spanish, written and spoken.
- Strong working knowledge of accounts payable processes, general ledger accounting, and internal controls.
- Proficiency with ERP systems, preferably NetSuite, and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
- Proven ability to collaborate across time zones and cultures, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience supporting multi-currency and multi-country accounting operations.
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA), or equivalent professional certification. (preferred)
- Master's degree in accounting, finance, or business administration. (preferred)
- Experience with nonprofit, international development, or donor-funded organizations, including familiarity with USG and FCDO requirements. (preferred)
- Demonstrated experience designing or improving accounting processes across multiple entities or geographies. (preferred)
Location
The Shared Services Manager will be based in Bogotá, Colombia, working in a hybrid capacity. No travel requirement is specified in the source materials.
Reports To
Global Controller (Headquarters)
About IPA
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and advances what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of people living in poverty. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence of which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to a tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to conduct over 1,000 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.
Safeguarding at IPA
At Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), we are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults. As IPA adheres to strict safeguarding principles, selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards. By joining IPA, you become part of a team dedicated to ethical conduct, social responsibility, and meaningful impact in the fight against global poverty. Together, we work to create a better world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive with dignity and respect.
