About the Organisation

The Island Foundation (TIF) is an international charitable organisation registered in Singapore, with programming delivered through Yayasan Peduli Kepulauan Indonesia (YPKI) in Bintan Regency, Riau Islands, Indonesia.

Our vision is that childhood learning becomes a force to serve and sustain small island and coastal communities.

TIF works to strengthen learning ecosystems and improve student learning experiences and outcomes in remote small island and coastal communities. Our work is structured around:

• Learning Centres for primary-school-age children
• Local Teacher Training to improve teaching quality
• Community Engagement activities that promote the importance of early and lifelong learning
• Mobile Learning for geographically isolated communities. 

The organisation is funded entirely through charitable giving and operates with a lean, committed team that works closely with local communities, schools, universities, and partner organisations to deliver sustainable, locally led education programs.

Working Environment and Context

YPKI operates in remote small island and coastal communities across the Riau Islands, Indonesia. Many operational environments involve logistical complexity, limited infrastructure, informal community economies, evolving local partnerships, and varying levels of financial and administrative capacity.

The organisation is currently entering a phase of growth, including expansion into marginalised and geographically isolated communities. As a result, the Finance Manager will play an important role in helping the organisation strengthen systems, controls, operational processes, and organisational capacity while remaining responsive to the realities of field implementation.

This role requires a senior finance professional who is:

• adaptable and solutions-oriented
• comfortable working in evolving operational environments
• willing to engage directly with field teams and communities
• able to bridge governance and donor compliance requirements with practical realities on the ground
• capable of building trust across both technical and non-technical teams

To support successful onboarding and develop a strong understanding of the organisation’s operations, culture, and field context, candidates who do not currently reside in Bintan, or who do not intend to relocate there, will be expected to spend an initial three-month period working primarily from the Bintan office.

Following this onboarding period, the Finance Manager will generally be expected to undertake monthly visits to Bintan for a further three to six months, timed to align with key activities within the financial reporting and management cycle. Thereafter, travel arrangements will be agreed between the employee and TIF/YPKI, taking into account organisational needs, operational priorities, and the employee’s location.

During visits to Bintan, the role will also require occasional travel to field locations to support implementation, provide in-situ mentoring and training, strengthen operational systems, and establish relationships with vendors and suppliers across both formal and informal and community-based sectors.

This position is well suited to someone who sees finance not only as a compliance function, but as an enabling and collaborative partner to program delivery. Success in the role will depend on building trusted relationships with colleagues, communities, vendors, and partners, while strengthening organisational systems that are practical, proportionate, and sustainable.

Position Overview

The Finance Manager will oversee all financial operations of YPKI in Indonesia, ensuring compliant, transparent, and donor-aligned financial management while working closely with Leadership across YPKI and TIF, TIF Finance, and YPKI’s tax consultants.

This role is critical for managing restricted funds, strengthening financial systems and controls, supporting organisational growth, and ensuring accountability and compliance across increasingly complex field operations.

In addition to strong technical finance and compliance capabilities, the Finance Manager will play an important leadership and capacity-building role across the organisation in Indonesia. This includes mentoring finance and administrative staff, supporting program teams to understand financial procedures and compliance requirements, and helping strengthen financial literacy and operational systems across the organisation over time.

The successful candidate will be practical, approachable, collaborative, and willing to work hands-on in support of both organisational accountability and program implementation.

Key Responsibilities

a. Technical Finance Management and Compliance

• Maintain complete and accurate accounting records, including cash management, receivables, payables, and petty cash, in line with Indonesian NGO regulations.
• Prepare detailed YPKI budgets and periodic budget versus actual reports for restricted and unrestricted funds from multiple donors, for YPKI and TIF purposes.
• Manage month-end and year-end closing procedures, including preparation of management accounts and financial analyses in collaboration with TIF Finance for Leadership and Board review.
• Prepare and submit timely financial reports to Leadership and donor/program partners.
• Coordinate and support internal and external audits, including preparation of supporting documentation and implementation of audit recommendations.
• Oversee payroll processing, including salary calculations, statutory deductions (BPJS, PPh 21, etc.), and reporting in accordance with Indonesian tax and labour regulations, working closely with YPKI’s tax consultant.
• Manage and reconcile timesheet data for staff whose salaries are allocated across multiple donor-funded projects.
• Prepare and reconcile tax returns and financial documentation for corporate income tax (PPh 25/29), VAT (PPN), and other applicable taxes, working closely with YPKI’s tax consultant.
• Monitor cash flow and support cash-flow planning to ensure sufficient liquidity for program implementation.
• Manage procurement processes in line with donor and internal policies, ensuring appropriate documentation and compliance.
• Develop, document, and periodically update financial SOPs and internal controls appropriate for a growing NGO environment.
• Support budgeting, fundraising, and proposal development by providing financial data, projections, and risk analysis as required.

b. Systems Strengthening, Leadership, and Operational Support

• Support the strengthening of finance and operational systems as the organisation expands into new geographic areas and increasingly complex implementation environments.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with vendors, suppliers, consultants, and community-based partners across diverse operational contexts.
• Conduct periodic visits to field locations to provide practical in-person mentoring, troubleshooting, and support to staff and operational teams.
• Support finance and administrative staff through coaching, mentorship, technical skills development, and systems strengthening.
• Work collaboratively with program teams to ensure financial procedures and compliance requirements are understood and workable within field realities.
• Support the development of practical financial documentation and procurement processes suitable for staff and community partners with varying levels of financial and administrative literacy.
• Help identify operational and financial risks early and develop pragmatic mitigation strategies appropriate to the organisational context.
• Contribute to building a culture of accountability, collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement across the organisation.
• Support organisational leadership in balancing strong governance and compliance standards with practical implementation realities in remote and under-resourced environments.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. Professional certification (ACCA, CPA, or equivalent) is an advantage.
• Minimum 5–10 years of experience in finance and accounting, preferably within NGOs, foundations, social enterprises, or other mission-driven organisations.
• Proven experience managing restricted funds, multi-donor budgets, and donor financial reporting.
• Strong experience preparing management accounts, financial statements, and financial analyses.
• Demonstrated experience supporting internal and external audits.
• Experience managing payroll processes and allocation of personnel costs across projects.
• Familiarity with procurement processes and procurement controls within NGO or donor-funded environments.
• Experience developing practical financial SOPs and internal control systems.
• Proficiency in accounting software such as Xero, Sunfish, or similar cloud-based platforms.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Indonesian; working proficiency in English is highly desirable.
• Experience working in geographically dispersed, remote, or under-resourced operational environments is highly desirable.
• Experience building systems and processes within growing organisations or evolving operational environments is an advantage.
• Willingness to travel periodically to remote field locations within Indonesia.

Desired Competencies

• High level of integrity, accountability, and professionalism.
• Strong problem-solving ability and comfort working in evolving or ambiguous operational environments.
• Practical and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Strong interpersonal, mentoring, and communication skills.
• Ability to build trust and communicate effectively across leadership, operational teams, community stakeholders, and external partners.
• Collaborative leadership style with willingness to work hands-on where required.
• Patience and cultural sensitivity when working with teams and partners with varying levels of financial and administrative literacy.
• Commitment to the mission and values of The Island Foundation and improving learning opportunities for remote island and coastal communities.

Remuneration

This is a mid-to-senior managerial position offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience, qualifications, and demonstrated capability.

Indicative salary range: Rp 18–22 million per month.

The remuneration package also includes:

• BPJS (Health and Employment)
• Phone and internet allowances 
• Annual leave in accordance with organisational policy
• Approved work-related travel and accommodation
• Professional development opportunities
• Flexible working arrangements (subject to operational requirements).

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit:

• A cover letter outlining their motivation and relevant experience
• An updated CV
• Contact details for two professional references

Applications should be sent to: info@theislandfoundation.com