Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Professionals

Financial Literacy for Non-Finance Professionals

Target Group
Non-finance officers, programme managers, engineers, administrators, procurement officers, and supervisors involved in budgeting, projects, grants, or operational decision-making.

Duration
2 Days (14 training hours)

Training Methodology
Interactive lecture, guided discussion, hands-on exercises, group work, case studies based on public sector scenarios, and practical simulations.

Course Objectives

By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:

• Understand core financial concepts relevant to daily work decisions
• Read and interpret basic financial statements
• Identify financial risks, red flags, and cost drivers
• Make financially informed decisions aligned with public sector accountability

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Read and explain basic financial statements
• Interpret key ratios and variance reports
• Identify financial risks and red flags
• Apply financial reasoning in approvals, projects, and grant decisions

DAY 1 – Financial Fundamentals & Understanding the Numbers

Module 1: Finance in the Public Sector Context

• Why financial literacy matters for non-finance roles
• Common financial issues highlighted in Auditor-General reports
• Roles and responsibilities of non-finance officers in financial governance
• Linking operational decisions to financial outcomes

Module 2: Budgeting Basics for Non-Finance Professionals

• What a budget really represents (planning vs control)
• Operating budget vs project budget
• Cash budget vs expenditure budget
• Understanding budget approvals and limits

Module 3: Cash vs Accrual – What Officers Need to Know

• Difference between cash flow and accounting profit
• Why programmes fail despite “approved budgets”
• Timing of payments, commitments, and liabilities

Module 4: Reading Financial Statements (Without Being an Accountant)

• Purpose of:
  • Income Statement (P&L)
  • Balance Sheet
• Key items non-finance managers must understand
• How statements reflect programme and project performance

DAY 2 – Analysis, Red Flags & Practical Application

Module 5: Key Financial Ratios for Decision Makers

• Liquidity ratios – can we pay our obligations?
• Profitability / sustainability indicators (where relevant)
• What ratios signal financial stress

Module 6: Variance Analysis & Cost Drivers

• What is variance and why it matters
• Favourable vs unfavourable variances
• Identifying cost drivers in programmes and projects
• Common causes of budget overruns

Module 7: Financial Red Flags & Risk Awareness

• Early warning signs of financial mismanagement
• Over-spending, under-utilisation, and weak justifications
• Impact of poor documentation and assumptions

Module 8: Applied Workshop – Putting It All Together

• Interpreting financial information for decision making
• Balancing financial prudence with programme objectives
• Making decisions defensible to auditors and management

Capstone Exercise:
Participants:

• Analyse a simplified P&L
• Identify major cost drivers
• Prepare a one-page cashflow projection for a youth enterprise grant