Finance and Support Services Intern At Sightsavers

Location: Dakar, Senegal

Contract: 12-month fixed-term contract, with the possibility of extension

Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week

Salary: Local Terms and Conditions apply

Responsibilities

The Finance and Support Services Intern will:

  • Prepare payment requisitions and bank deposit slips, process expense payments and maintain accurate accounting records.
  • Track outstanding advances and support their timely reconciliation.
  • Update and maintain the fixed asset register.
  • Assist with the organisation and filing of financial and administrative documents.
  • Support the coordination of travel, meetings, seminars, workshops and other programme activities.
  • Assist with hotel bookings, transport and other travel arrangements for staff and visitors.
  • Support periodic checks of assets and physical inventory.
  • Help obtain and organise quotations for programme and office procurement requirements.
  • Support the accurate entry, checking and organisation of financial and administrative information.
  • Help maintain an effective, safe and positive office environment.
  • Provide general administrative support to the Finance and Support Services team.

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

Essential

  • A recent degree in Finance, Accounting or a related subject, or current enrolment in the final year of a relevant degree.
  • Good numerical skills and a basic understanding of finance and accounting.
  • Basic budget and data analysis skills.
  • Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and Outlook.
  • Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage priorities and maintain accurate records.
  • Good attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
  • Good written and spoken English. Fluency is not required, but the successful candidate must be able to communicate effectively in English in a professional working environment.
  • Good written and verbal communication skills.
  • The ability to work collaboratively and build positive working relationships with colleagues.
  • The ability to work with a reasonable degree of independence while knowing when to ask for guidance.
  • A willingness to learn, respond positively to feedback and develop new skills.
  • The ability to handle financial and organisational information responsibly and confidentially.

Desirable

  • A professional accounting qualification, or current progress towards one.
  • Some experience of financial administration, record keeping or general office support, which may have been gained through an internship, voluntary work or academic study.
  • An interest in international development, disability inclusion or the work of Sightsavers.

Previous experience of working for an international non-governmental organisation is not required. This internship is intended for someone at the beginning of their career and is not suitable for candidates who already have extensive professional experience in a finance role.

Closing date: 22 November 2026

How to apply

To apply, please complete the application form and submit your CV using the link provided below:

https://careers.sightsavers.org/jobs/1679?lang=en-us

English is the working language of Sightsavers. To enable applications to be assessed consistently and fairly against the requirements of the role, the application form and CV must be submitted in English. Applications that are not submitted in English may not be considered.

The closing date for applications is 22 November 2026. We may close this vacancy earlier if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Sightsavers takes safeguarding seriously and is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone we work with. Appointment to this role will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including reference checks and verification of relevant qualifications or certifications. An appropriate police or criminal record check may also be required as part of the recruitment process.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.