Position: Finance Assistant
Reporting
to: Field
Coordinator
Duty
Station: Mandera, Kenya
Dated: 08 August, 2016
Country: Kenya
Health
Poverty Action (HPA) formerly known as Health Unlimited (HU) works with some of
the poorest and most marginalized communities in Africa, Asia and Latin
America, often in very difficult environments.
Currently,
HPA Kenya is implementing a 3-year, EC-funded and UKAid funded projects
“Accelerating the reduction in maternal, new born and child mortality” and
“improving maternal, newborn and child health in pastoralist communities of
Mandera County, Kenya” respectively.
The
objective of these project are to provide quality and culturally appropriate
Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) services and information for
pastoralists living in hard to reach areas of Mandera County in Kenya.
The
projects are run in partnership with Emergency Pastoralist Assistance Group
Kenya (EPAG-K).
HPA is
seeking a Finance Assistant to join its existing team. This newly created role
will have a close working relationship with the existing Finance, Admin and
Program Department.
HPA is
an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at all levels. (Minorities
/ Females / Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities).
Job
Description: The
Finance Assistant will be working closely with Regional Finance and Admin
Officer (RFAO) with various finance functions and to ensure the smooth running
of the finance office.
This
includes handling of expense reports, processing of Invoices and participants
per diems, processing payments, filing of documents, travel to the field if
need be and assists with other finance tasks as assigned.
Key Responsibilities
- Examines
financial documents such as invoices, vouchers, expense reports and other
documents such as purchase orders to ensure the completeness, accuracy,
reasonability and validity of financial data.
- Prepare
payment vouchers for travel advances, vendors and consultant’s invoices.
- Assists
with disbursement of funds from the project bank account(s) accordance.
- Follow
up with the Administrative Assistant to ensure that all cheques are issued
to the suppliers, consultants within 1 week upon signing.
- Ensures
that accounting documents are filed on a timely basis, proper accounting
records are maintained and compatible with standard accounting practice,
HPA and donor guidelines.
- Assists
in monitoring and reconciling supplier statements on regular basis and
ensures timely settlement of bills.
- Maintain
petty cash, ensure disbursement through petty cash is properly approved
and petty cash funds are safely stored.
- Regularly
post accounting transactions into the accounting software (QuickBooks)
ensuring that expenses are charged to the correct budget lines.
- Assists
in monitoring and reconciling travel expenses and project expenses to individual
advances on a regular basis.
- Follow
up with staff to ensure that unspent advances are deposited to specific
project Bank account and deposit slip filled in the correct expense
report.
- Assist
in preparation of ad hoc financial reports as needed.
- Assume
other duties as assigned.
Basic
Qualifications
- Degree
in Accounting or Finance or CPA Section IV or their equivalent with a
minimum of 3 years of similar work experience.
- Knowledge
of donor funded regulations would be an added advantage.
Preferred
Skills / Experience
- An
understanding of maintenance of ledger entries, books keeping skills and
bank reconciliation.
- Computers
skills including use of spreadsheets and/or accounting packages -
Preferably QuickBooks.
- Knowledge
of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, GAAP.
- Knowledge
of internal controls.
- Proper
knowledge of Kenya tax systems
- Ability
to work independently and ask for clarification where needed
- Ability
to communicate and to work as part of a team
- Comfortable
in a working environment in which job responsibilities evolve as team
needs change
Additional
desirable
- Complete
understanding of Kenyan tax and payroll system
- Understanding
of filing year-end and donor reports
- Experience
with QuickBooks accounting package
How to
Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a current CV and a statement explaining how they meet the selection criteria for the position to jobs@healthpovertyaction.or.ke quoting the job title “Finance Assistant - Mandera”.
Specific
enquiries about this role and the application process can be sent to the same
e- mail address.
Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis with a final dead
line of 15th August 2016 and only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
