Lalith Wickramarathna

• Developed comprehensive financial reports for executive decision-making support.
• Streamlined month-end close process, reducing time spent on manual tasks and improving data accuracy.
• Reviewed documentation and identified financial discrepancies where applicable.
• Improved overall financial reporting by streamlining control processes and reporting structures.
• Implemented and regularly reviewed financial controls to generate accurate and reliable financial data.
• Supported financial director with special projects and additional job duties.
• Prepared cash flow projections, cost analysis and monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
• Developed strategic plans for day-to-day financial operations.
• Optimized cash flow management, allowing for timely investment and debt reduction.
• Created organizational structures to improve accounting and finance functions.
• Mentored junior finance staff, fostering professional development and strong team dynamics.
• Increased financial efficiency by streamlining and automating financial reporting processes.

Leadership & Strategy

• Attend Senior Management/Leadership Team and appropriate BoD' sub-committee meetings.
• Negotiate and influence strategic decision making within the school's Senior Management.
• Develops business operation policies, administrative regulations and operational directives with the coordination of the BoD/Principal, take delegated responsibility for Financial HR, Public relations and Administrative decisions.
• Plan and manage change in accordance with the school development/strategic plan.
• To lead and manage all school Finance, HR and Student affairs staff.

Financial Resource Management

• Evaluate information and consult with BoD/ Principal and other senior team to prepare a realistic and balanced budget for school activity and submit to the proposed budget to the BoD/Principal.
• Use the agreed budget to actively monitor and control performance to achieve value for money.
• Identify and inform the Principal and BoD of the causes of significant variance and take prompt corrective action.
• Maintain a strategic financial plan that will indicate the trends and requirements of the school development plan and will forecast future year budgets.
• Cash and Bank Account Management in line with Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha policies and procedures.
• Monitor the cash flow by calculating the upcoming payments and expected tuition fee receivables.
• Maximize the income through on time collection of school fee and other revenues
• Strategic planning to manage the debts and Liaison with parents for Tuition fee collection issues.
• Analyze the long outstanding tuition fee issues and report to Board of Directors for further actions.
• Advise the Principal and BoD if fraudulent activities are suspected or uncovered.
• Identify additional finance required to fund the school's proposed activities.
• Reporting Monthly Financials with details of Revenue, Expenses and Balance sheet breakdowns to Board of Directors.
• Annual Audit facilitation and follow up.
• Coordinating with Banks and Government authorities for financial matters of the Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha.
• Monitor the effectiveness and implementation of all policies and procedures including internal controls.
• Oversee the operations of the Accounting Department, including the design of an organizational structure adequate for achieving the department's goals and objectives
• Update and enhance the financial policies and procedures of the school and maintain a documented system of policies and procedures
• Design internal control systems for all departments to ensure the safeguarding of school assets and monitor and enforce internal controls
• Ensure the efficient operation and integration of the accounting system throughout the school
• Ensure the timely reporting of all monthly and annual financial information.
• Ensure general ledger and financial statements are complete and accurate
• Perform general ledger reconciliations including deferred income and other account analysis
• Liaise with banks, audit, legal and tax providers as necessary
• Maintain the fixed asset register by supervising the recording of all items in the inventory, maintaining pertinent records and ensuring adequate treatment of fixed asset acquisitions and disposals
• Manage payables, and supplier invoices efficiently.
• Provide financial analysis for decision support including capital investments, pricing decisions, and contract negotiations
• Ensure the school has adequate insurance cover at all times
• Verify and submit the monthly payroll to the bank.
• Supervise the Accounts Department, which includes enhancing the department development and setting the departmental objectives.

Human Resource Management and Student affairs

• Manage the payroll services for all school staff including the management of staff related benefits such End of Service Benefits and staff leave, attendance & air ticket reservation.
• Ensure the school's equality policy is clearly communicated to all staff in school
• Ensure that all recruitment, appraisal, staff development, grievance, disciplinary and redundancy policies and procedures comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Manage recruitment, performance management, appraisal and development for all support staff.
• Ensure people have a clear understanding of the policies and procedures and the importance of putting them into practice
• Monitor the way policies and procedures are actioned and provide support where necessary.
• Seek and make use of specialist expertise in relation to HR issues
• Identify the types of skills, knowledge, understanding and experience required to undertake existing and future planned activities
• Review and supervise all administrative tasks related to admission of new students (calling for applications, conducting of tests interviews with parents, allocation of classes etc.).
• Review and supervision of proper maintenance of student records, registers and data base related correspondence.
• Liaison with parents in relation to student matters.
• Review the Student admission and leaving log.

Administrative, Public relations and Procurement Management

• Manage the school administrative function and lead all admin /Procurement and Public Relations staff.
• Provides efficient and helpful responses to internal and external enquiries.
• Proactively handles queries and seeks to resolve issues on behalf of SSLSD-Doha
• Manage PRO duties such as QID renewal, Work permits, new visa request and Visa renewal,
• Liaison with all Government and non-governmental entities with the coordination of Manager Operations.
• Overseeing procurement of goods and services using best practice model and ensuring best value
• Establishing of robust systems of control for purchase of goods and services
• Ensure that an inventory of assets is prepared and maintained
• Liaise with suppliers and clients when needed to ensure the smooth running of the day-to-day operations.

Project Handled

• Smart School New ERP System implementation

• Responsible for month end financial close of the Qatar branch.
• Responsible for monthly reporting of financials of Qatar branch to the Parent Company including Balance Sheet and expenditure analysis.
• Ensure that the controls are in placed to safeguard the company's assets and to use them in an effective way.
• Identify the inefficiencies and ineffective areas of the business and reporting to the senior management with recommended actions including the follow- up reviews.
• Cooperation with Subcontractors and Suppliers for better payment terms in order to smooth the working capital management.
• Review the Project's accounting of all Assets, Depreciation calculations, Postings of Accruals/Provisions/Rentals and Deferrals.
• Supervise the Project Accountant to enabling a smooth operation of accounting procedures.
• Preparation of Cash Flow forecast of the company.
• Laise with Bankers, Tax Authorities, External Auditors, Other government authorities, Suppliers and other third parties and assist in resolving day to day matters.
• Organize payments to suppliers, Subcontractors and service providers in foreign and local currency.
• Monitoring the Reconciliation of Accounts payable and Accounts Receivables.
• Reconciliation of Company's all Bank Accounts.
• Coordination with Head Office in Amsterdam, Netherlands to ensure timely preparation of monthly financial reports.
• Processing of withholding tax deductions and settlement to authority deadlines.
• Preparation of outgoing invoices of Joint venture for PMB Plants.
• Reconciliation of Joint venture partner accounts.
• Provision of expertise to accounting staff enabling a smooth operation of accounting procedures.
• Liaison and reconciliation with Procurement and Human Resource Management.
• Carry out Cost Saving initiatives coordinating with Operation teams of the Company.
• Actively involved for the implementation of SAP ERP system to the Qatar branch.

• Accounting of all assets and depreciations
• Posting and revaluation of creditor and debtor postings
• Monthly account reconciliations
• Calculation and posting of rentals and deferrals
• Calculation and posting of accruals and provisions
• Preparation of cheque and online payments
• Support in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and yearly financial statements and audits
• Organize payments to suppliers, subcontractors and service providers in foreign and local currency
• Records petty cash transaction and performs actual cash count every first day of the month
• Liaison and reconciliation with Procurement
• Provision of expertise to accounting staff enabling a smooth operation of accounting procedures
• Handling of IDRIS MTB-02 Project Accounts
• Substitution for other accountants as required
• Preparation of outgoing invoices to affiliated companies and third-party debtors
• Post customer payments and reconcile accounts receivable balances
• Bank reconciliation of all company bank accounts
• Reconciliation and recording of all corporate cards
• Coordination with Head Office in Essen, Germany to ensure timely preparation of quarterly KONZ10 reports and balance confirmations
• Processing of withholding tax deductions and settlement to authority deadlines