Finance Assistant- Philippines

Overview

Health Systems Insight (HSI) is a growing, flexible health systems organization focused on strengthening health systems and supporting governments to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). HSI is recognized for its technical leadership in health financing, strategic purchasing, and evidence-driven policy reform. In the Philippines, HSI supports national and county health actors in optimizing financing functions, improving decision-making, and strengthening delivery systems for priority health programs.

Position Summary

The position manages the Philippines Country Office’s accounting, treasury, payroll, and statutory compliance functions. It ensures all financial transactions are accurately recorded, reconciled, and supported in accordance with HSI policies, donor requirements, applicable accounting standards, and Philippine regulations.

The role leads month-end and year-end financial closing, general-ledger reconciliations, cash management, payment processing, payroll administration, staff-advance liquidation and regulatory reporting to the BIR, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG. It also maintains audit-ready financial records, supports internal, external and donor audits, and oversees the accurate recording and monitoring of fixed assets and equipment. This role is based in Manila, Philippines.

What You’ll Do

Accounting and Month-End Close

• Record, review, and maintain all country office and project transactions in HIS's accounting system, ensuring compliance with organizational policies, applicable accounting standards, donor requirements, and local statutory regulations.


• Lead the month-end and year-end closing processes for the Philippines office, including the preparation and review of journal entries, accruals, prepayments, cost allocations, and other adjusting entries.


• Prepare and reconcile monthly general ledger accounts, including bank accounts, cash, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, employee advances, intercompany balances, and other balance sheet accounts; investigate and resolve reconciling items promptly.


• Maintain complete, accurate, and well-organized accounting records and supporting documentation to ensure a clear audit trail and readiness for internal and external audits.


• Oversee BIR-required bookkeeping and ensure compliance with record-keeping and documentation requirements of the Philippine tax authorities.


• Support annual audits, donor audits, financial reviews, and the preparation of required schedules and supporting documentation.

Treasury, Payments, Payroll

• Manage day-to-day banking and treasury functions, including cash management, fund transfers, payment processing, and monitoring of bank account balances, in accordance with HSI authorization protocols and segregation-of-duties requirements.


• Review and process payment requests, supplier invoices, employee expense reports, consultant payments, and supporting documents to ensure proper approval, accuracy, budget availability, allowability, and correct accounting treatment.


• Coordinate monthly operating fund requests and cash funding requirements for the Philippines office


• Monitor and ensure timely liquidation of staff and project advances.


• Prepare, review,  submit and manage payments of all required statutory and regulatory reports accurately and within prescribed deadlines, including:
  
  
  
  • Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR): Monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual tax returns and reports
  
  
  • Social Security System (SSS): Monthly employee and employer contributions and reporting
  
  
  • PhilHealth (PHIC): Monthly employee and employer contributions and reporting
  
  
  • Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF/Pag-IBIG): Monthly employee and employer contributions and reporting
  
  
  
  


• Manage the end-to-end payroll process, ensuring timely and accurate computation of salaries, benefits, allowances, statutory deductions, and payroll-related entries.


• Perform annual payroll tax annualization and prepare annual withholding tax calculations, reports, and year-end compliance requirements in accordance with Philippine tax regulations.

Other Responsibilities

• Maintain and regularly update the organization's fixed asset and equipment inventory tracker, ensuring proper recording, accountability, and asset monitoring.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field.


• At least three years of relevant accounting or finance experience.


• Knowledge of Philippine tax and statutory requirements, including BIR, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG.


• Experience in bookkeeping, account reconciliations, payment processing, payroll and month-end closing.


• Experience maintaining financial records and supporting audits.


• Proficiency in accounting software and Microsoft Excel.


• Strong attention to detail, integrity and ability to meet deadlines.


• Experience in an NGO or donor-funded organisation is an advantage.

Core Competencies

• Financial accuracy and attention to detail


• Accounting and reconciliation skills


• Knowledge of statutory compliance


• Planning and organisation


• Analytical thinking and problem-solving


• Integrity and confidentiality


• Time management and meeting deadlines


• Communication and teamwork


• Accountability and results orientation


• Proficiency in accounting systems and Microsoft Excel