Accounts Assistant Job in Nairobi, Kenya

International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)

Recruiting an Accounts Assistant for IITA

IITA is an international non-profit research-for-development (R4D) organization created in 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and supported primarily by the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

IITA’s R4D is anchored on the development needs of sub-Saharan Africa and develops agricultural solutions with partners to tackle hunger and poverty by reducing producer and consumer risks, enhancing crop quality and productivity, and generating wealth from agriculture.

CIAT, on behalf of IITA, is seeking for an Accounts Assistant with the main responsibility of performing a wide variety of finance and accounting support duties, ranging from complex to routine, all of which contribute to the efficient and professional operation of IITA programs.

Main responsibilities include:
  • Assist the Project Accountant in preparation of students’/interns payroll.
  • Timely capture, tagging and reporting of fixed assets details in liaison with the administration office (Procurement)
  • Maintain the cash and travel advance register
  • Prepare cheques for payments and imprest reimbursements
  • Process and submit payment vouchers and receipts to the accountant for posting
  • Undertake banking duties including over counter transactions, relationship management etc.
  • Prepare payment vouchers and ensure proper support documentation
  • Process travel claims/advance and ensure timely submission and processing of advances and legalizations
  • Preparation of Journal Vouchers for review by project accountant.
  • Maintain office cash imprest and coordinate weekly cash count process
  • Ensure proper filing of financial and accounting records for easy retrieval
  • Compile and process hard copy accounting support documentation for submission to HQ
  • Perform any other under the jurisdiction of the accounting office

The candidate shall have the following competencies, skills and experience:
  • CPA III
  • 1 Year experience in a busy accounting environment
  • Possess good interpersonal and communication skills, good judgement and a high level of integrity and respect for confidentiality.
  • High level of computer skills, ability to handle complex financial and accounting systems including knowledge of Oracle and ability to learn new applications quickly.

Terms of employment:

The position is nationally recruited, will be based at IITA Offices in Nairobi, Kenya.

The contract will be for two years period, subject to a probation period of three (3) months, renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

How to Apply:

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees.

All correspondence should be sent to ciatkenyainfo@cgiar.org and should clearly indicate “IITA Accounts Assistant” on the subject line.

Applications and CV’s should be saved as one file using the applicant’s last name and first name for ease of sorting.

Closing date for applications: 3rd March 2014

All applications will be acknowledged; only short listed candidates will be contacted.

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