Open to opportunities

Thato Demi Donald

@thatodemidonald

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Finance operations leader improving reconciliation, reporting, and internal controls.

Botswana

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a remote-first finance operations role where I can own month-end/annual close, strengthen reconciliation and internal controls, and translate large transaction data into accurate reporting and scalable process improvements with cross-functional stakeholders.

I’m a finance operations professional with 11+ years of experience overseeing financial processes, reconciliation, reporting, internal controls, and cross-functional stakeholder collaboration in complex, multi-workstream environments. I’m outcome-oriented and remote-first, with a continuous improvement mindset that turns large volumes of transactions into accurate, accounting-ready outputs.

In my current Principal Finance Officer role, I oversee the full finance operations cycle and implemented process improvements through SOPs and internal control frameworks—improving audit performance from D5 to C3 and reducing reconciliation backlogs by 60%+. Previously, as a Finance Operations Manager, I owned day-to-day finance operations in QuickBooks and built Excel-based financial models, dashboards, and reporting systems from scratch to support scalable decision-making and compliance.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Principal Finance Officer

Current

National AIDS & Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA)

Apr 2024 - Present (2 years 2 months)

Oversee end-to-end finance operations for an international donor-funded programme, ensuring accurate transaction coding, reconciliations, and compliance with donor and organisational standards. Improved programme audit rating from D5 to C3 and reduced reconciliation backlogs by 60%+ by strengthening internal controls, SOPs, and reporting processes.

Data Analysis Stakeholder Management Financial Reporting Internal Controls Donor Reporting Finance Operations Reconciliations

Finance Operations Manager

KeNo Custom Suits

Apr 2017 - Apr 2024 (7 years)

Managed day-to-day finance operations including transaction processing in QuickBooks, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, bank reconciliations, and month-end close. Built Excel financial models and dashboards, designed scalable controls and reporting systems, and delivered consistently accurate reporting across a 7-year tenure.

Quickbooks Online Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Payroll Processing Bank Reconciliation Month End Close Financial Modelling Cash Flow Management Financial Control Management Reporting

Accounts Officer

Zismo Engineering

May 2014 - Nov 2016 (2 years 6 months)

Processed supplier invoices, performed reconciliations, and maintained ledger accuracy to support reliable day-to-day finance operations. Helped build the foundational transactional processes for later accounts and finance operations responsibilities.

Supplier Invoice Processing Accounts Payable Reconciliations Ledger Maintenance Transaction Processing Financial Record Keeping

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Udemy

IFRS — A Complete Course on IFRS, IFRS / Financial Reporting

Enrolled in IFRS — A Complete Course on IFRS (in progress, 2025/2026). Building additional knowledge in IFRS for finance and reporting work.

University of Botswana

Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Finance

Earned a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Botswana in Gaborone. Built foundational finance knowledge used across financial operations and reporting.

Botswana Accountancy College

Postgraduate Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management, Enterprise Risk Management

Completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management. Focused on risk assessment, internal controls, and governance frameworks.

Botswana Institute of Banking and Finance

Diploma in Banking & Finance (ABIB), Banking & Finance

Earned a Diploma in Banking & Finance (ABIB) from the Botswana Institute of Banking and Finance. Strengthened banking and finance fundamentals relevant to financial operations.

Corporate Finance Institute

Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA®), Corporate Finance

Obtained the Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA®) designation. Covered financial modelling, data analysis, scenario planning, and capital structure.

Green Card Certification International

Licensed ESG Manager (CGEM), ESG / Sustainability

Earned the Licensed ESG Manager (CGEM) credential. Trained in sustainability reporting, ESG frameworks, and net-zero strategy.

SDG Academy

Introduction to Sustainable Finance, Sustainable Finance

Completed Introduction to Sustainable Finance with SDG Academy/UNDP. Covered sustainable finance principles, SDG-aligned investment, and climate finance mechanisms.