SHALULANE CATHRINE MHALADI
Maun,Ngamiland
Summary
Dynamic financial leader with a proven track record at Agora Projects (Pty) Ltd and Botswana Wild Bird Trust, adept in strategic financial planning and cash flow management. Excelled in leveraging Microsoft Excel expertise and supervisory skills to drive financial efficiency and enhance decision-making. Achieved significant improvements in financial compliance and reporting, demonstrating exceptional analytical abilities and service orientation.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Financial Administrator
Botswana Wild Bird Trust
Maun
05.2022 - Current
- Organizing daily activities of the accounting section, and allocation of duties in accordance with accounting deadlines, schedules, procedures, and priorities.
- Monitor and check performance to ensure adherence to accounting systems, procedures, and timetables, and the accuracy of all entries on Xero Me, Xero, and Approval Max, and approve them for payment.
- Assist colleagues with resolving technical accounting queries, and provide technical guidance through on-the-job training and instructions.
- Checking the accuracy of input batches for processing into the system; checking and verifying audit reports and control accounts against original data, and resolving queries.
- Reconciling various accounts (USD, BWP, petty cash accounts in various currencies, inter-trust accounts, supplier reconciliation, and general ledger) and financial summaries to external documentation and internal control accounts, and identifying and resolving anomalies and queries.
- Checking the accuracy of the account codes relating to financial documentation by ensuring that expenses are coded to relevant donor projects, and resolving coding queries; recommending the establishment of additional codes and queries to facilitate accurate processing and recording of financial information, and the generation of appropriate reports.
- Resolving internal and external accounting queries in accordance with the level of competence and authority to ensure the accuracy of information and minimize internal and external customer and audit queries.
- Managing accounts payable and accounts receivable all in general.
- Review all documentation sent for payment to ensure that it is properly constituted on Approval Max.
- Ensure that all payment vouchers are properly authorized on Approval Max, and the audit trail is attached on Xero.
- Performs fixed asset management in Botswana.
- Preparation of statutory returns, PAYE, OWHT, and ensuring timely submissions monthly.
- Assist with budgets and provide reasons for variances as compared to the budget.
- Act as the local contact for the audit, and manage the audit with assistance from Centralised Services.
- Prepare Botswana payroll on SAGE VIP, and maintain employees' master files on SAGE VIP.
- Maintain staff advance schedules.
- Conduct the month-end closing process.
- Prepare the monthly reporting pack for management and team members.
- Manage cash flows and treasury in line with the budget and commitments made.
- Maintenance of insurance schedules, including claims.
- Adheres to quality assurance, governance protocol, and principles.
- Provide additional support to management, including the Financial Director, as required.
Volunteer Community Manager-Southern Africa
Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN)
03.2023 - 03.2024
- Grow the PAWEN community by leading efforts to acquire more businesswomen in Southern Africa to join the community
- Create learning programs that add value entrepreneurs and nature a thriving community
- Building strong relationships with the entrepreneurs and guide them on how they can grow their brands
- Ensure physical meetings are held around the Regions at least monthly
- Act as a channel to gather information and challenges from the community and see how PAWEN can assist the community and add value to them
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of business development professionals in Southern Africa
- Making sure that Southern African women are empowered to be confident, resilient, independent to run businesses and apply the same even in their careers
- Help with building an online directory of female business owners in Africa
- Assisting women with strategically planning and executing their business plans
- Assist with building information on how to start business and access funding and support in the industry
- Drive cross-selling and business collaborations for the entrepreneurs to achieve revenue growth and market expansion
Chief Finance Officer
Agora Projects (Pty) Ltd
Maun
12.2014 - 11.2021
- Payroll processing and calculation of employee benefits, including gratuity, leave days, overtime, and expense claims.
- Maintain staff advance schedules
- Conducting employee assessments every December and making recommendations for salary increments and promotions.
- Managing customer queries in Agora Properties, and coming up with suitable payment plans.
- Reporting to landlords and handling their queries.
- Taxation (VAT, PAYE, OWHT, WHT, income tax returns)
- Ensuring that the group is compliant at BURS.
- Invoicing suppliers and ensuring the accuracy of these invoices.
- Reconcile the debtors' ledger, and ensure that this ledger balances with the general ledger.
- Ensure that the group's bank reconciliations are prepared in a timely manner, and checked for all errors.
- Overseeing accounts receivables and payables.
- Attend to company secretaries, and produce management accounts and financial statements for tax purposes.
- Explaining financial statements to the shareholders.
- Manage loan accounts, and ensure repayments.
- Draft company budgets and cash flow projections.
- Recommending cost-saving initiatives for the budget.
- Team management and administrative duties.
- Responsible for staff development, applying skills, knowledge, and experiences to improve and measure their own performance against set standards.
- Drafting AML/CFT policies, KYC, and CDD documents.
- Compliance monitoring and adherence.
- Performing quality assurance checks on suppliers and customers, including risk ratings and risk management.
- Risk oversight and corporate management.
- Health and safety management.
- Safe keeping of records and maintaining a high level of confidentiality.
- Process improvement, training, and guiding co-workers on matters of compliance and reporting.
- Reporting suspicious transactions on the GoAML website.
- Making sure that the in-house policies are in line with global changes.
- Reports on compliance matters produce monthly reports.
- Ensuring and planning business continuity activities together with management.
Financial Controller
Agora Projects (Pty) Ltd
Maun
07.2012 - 11.2014
- Taxation (VAT, PAYE, OWHT, WHT, income tax returns).
- Ensuring that the group is compliant at BURS.
- Payroll and pay slip administration.
- Responding to employee questions about benefits, deductions, taxes, and compensations.
- Maintain staff advance schedules.
- Reconciliation of the group’s accounts, including petty cash.
- Training and guiding co-workers on operating QuickBooks.
- Invoicing and receiving payments.
- Handling tenants' queries and engaging those in arrears to come up with suitable payment plans.
- Reporting to landlords on a monthly basis and handling their queries.
- Attend to company secretaries, and produce management accounts and financial statements for tax purposes.
- Team management.
Education
Bachelor of Business Entrepreneurship -
Botswana Open University
Botswana01.2023
Bachelor of Business Science - Economics and Management
MONASH
South Africa01.2012
Skills
- Financial training
- Microsoft Excel expertise
- Strategic financial decisions
- Variance analysis
- Debt management
- Attention to detail
- Following procedures
- Initiative
- Service Orientation
- Supervisory and assertiveness skills
- Analytical
- Financial planning
- Cash flow management
Achievements Awards
- Volunteering as an assessor and an interviewer for new Cohorts for YALI RLC-SA for the past 2 years
- African Image Ambassador, through Africa Chamber of Content Producers
- Graduated top of my class BBENTR in 03/23 at BOU
- Volunteer Community Manager for Southern African Region for Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN)
- Participated and completed the Aspiring Entrepreneurs Program (AEP) of PAWEN for Cohort 3 in 06/22
References
- Unami Bhuka, General Manager, Wild Bird Trust, P. O. Box 350141, Maun, Botswana, unami@wildbirdtrust.com, +267 74266571
- Albert Andreas Welfing, Managing Director, Agora Projects (Pty) Ltd, P. O. BOX 1886, Maun, Botswana, albert@agorabotswana.com, +267 71303666
- Janet Njiram’madzi, Track Facilitator, YALI (RLC-SA), Malawi, janet.njirammadzi@outlook.com, +265 999282964
- Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters, Founder/CEO, PAWEN, Nigeria, info@pawen.org, +234 8032006717
Professional Bio
A hardworking, self-driven, and dedicated professional who works well independently and as part of a team, with experience of effective performance of designated duties in accordance with organizational policies and structures. An individual seeking a rewarding position to positively contribute to the mandate of an organization as required and regulated by standards of the workplace.
Professional Development
- Training of Trainers, Botswana Open University, 11/24
- Personal Finance Training and Coaching program for ladies, Queens’ Financial Freedom Academy, Nigeria, 01/15/24 - 02/12/24
- First Aid Level 3, Okavango Air Rescue, 07/23
- Business and Entrepreneurship Development, YALI Regional Leadership Center- Southern Africa Pretoria, 06/23
- Basic Fire Fighting Training, The Delta Training Academy, 09/22
- Anti-Money Laundering for Non-Banking Institutions, Botswana Institute of Banking and Finance, 11/20
- Customer Service, Botswana Open University, 03/19
- GoAML Suspicious Transactions Reporting online platform, REAC, FIA, 12/19
- Registered as an Accounting Technician, bica, 09/16
Accomplishments
I have been volunteering as an assessor and an interviewer for new cohorts for YALI RLC-SA for the past two years.
I am an African Image Ambassador through the Africa Chamber of Content Producers.
I graduated at the top of my class, BBENTR, in March 2023 at BOU.
I was a volunteer Community Manager for the Southern African Region for the Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN).
I participated in and completed the Aspiring Entrepreneurs Program (AEP) of PAWEN for Cohort 3 in June 2022.
Languages
English
Professional
Certification
Training of Trainers – Botswana Open University (November 2024).
Personal Finance Training and Coaching Program for Ladies - Queens’ Financial Freedom Academy in Nigeria (Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2024).
First Aid Level 3 – Okavango Air Rescue (July 2023).
Business and Entrepreneurship Development - YALI Regional Leadership Center, Southern Africa, Pretoria (June 2023, Cohort 16).
Basic Fire Fighting Training - The Delta Training Academy (September 2022).
Anti-Money Laundering for Non-Banking Institutions - Botswana Institute of Banking and Finance (November 2020).
Customer Service - Botswana Open University (March 2019).
GoAML Suspicious Transactions Reporting online platform, REAC - FIA (December 2019).
Registered as an Accounting Technician with BICA (September 2016).
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Volunteer Community Manager-Southern Africa
Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN)
03.2023 - 03.2024
Financial Administrator
Botswana Wild Bird Trust
05.2022 - Current
Chief Finance Officer
Agora Projects (Pty) Ltd
12.2014 - 11.2021
Financial Controller
Agora Projects (Pty) Ltd
07.2012 - 11.2014
Training of Trainers – Botswana Open University (November 2024).
Personal Finance Training and Coaching Program for Ladies - Queens’ Financial Freedom Academy in Nigeria (Jan 15 - Feb 12, 2024).
First Aid Level 3 – Okavango Air Rescue (July 2023).
Business and Entrepreneurship Development - YALI Regional Leadership Center, Southern Africa, Pretoria (June 2023, Cohort 16).
Basic Fire Fighting Training - The Delta Training Academy (September 2022).
Anti-Money Laundering for Non-Banking Institutions - Botswana Institute of Banking and Finance (November 2020).
Customer Service - Botswana Open University (March 2019).
GoAML Suspicious Transactions Reporting online platform, REAC - FIA (December 2019).
Registered as an Accounting Technician with BICA (September 2016).
Bachelor of Business Entrepreneurship -
Botswana Open University
Bachelor of Business Science - Economics and Management
MONASH
Similar Profiles
Matthew A. YoungMatthew A. Young
Bird Product Specialist & Conservation Coordinator at Aspen Song Wild Bird FeedBird Product Specialist & Conservation Coordinator at Aspen Song Wild Bird Feed
Dovid Ari ListermanDovid Ari Listerman
Veterinary Volunteer at Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care CentreVeterinary Volunteer at Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre
Aditya GoswamiAditya Goswami
Volunteer at Wild Bird FundVolunteer at Wild Bird Fund