Job Title: Project Accountant – AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund
Organisation: Self Help Africa
Department: Finance
Location: Kenya
Reports to: Head of Finance and Administration (HoFA), with a
matrix reporting to the Team Leader
Benefits: 22 days annual leave, Medical Insurance, 10% Employer
pension contribution and 25% leave allowance
Expected Travel: Periodic travel within Kenya required
Job Description
Self Help Africa (SHA) is an
international NGO dedicated to the vision of an economically thriving
and resilient rural Africa. We have 50 years of experience working with
smallholder farmers, farmer associations, cooperatives and agribusinesses
across Africa to help farmers grow and sell more food, improve diets, diversify
incomes and make their livelihoods more sustainable and resilient to external
shocks. SHA also builds awareness of issues affecting smallholders and
represent their interests at policy and institutional level. SHA is currently
implementing a portfolio of 32 projects in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea,
Burkina Faso, Togo, Malawi and Zambia, funded by a variety of institutional and
private donors including USAID, the European Commission, Irish Aid and World
Food Programme. In 2019, we supported 380,000 households, reaching 2.2 million
people in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa, and had a turnover of
€33.3million.
SHA is a core member of The Gorta Group, alongside three social
enterprise subsidiaries – TruTrade, which supports market access for
small-holder farmers in the agricultural value-chain; Traidlinks, providing
market-linkages to agri-business in East Africa; and Partner Africa, an ethical
auditing and consultancy firm that operates across more than 40 countries in
sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
Job Purpose: The purpose of the
Project Accountant role will be to ensure checks and balances in accounting,
reporting and disbursement of funds. S/He will provide financial management by
ensuring accurate and timely recording of financial data, processing of
transactions and monitoring programme costs against donor guidelines, preparing
financial reports and building capacity of partners. S/He will maintain high
standard of accounting and financial control to ensure compliance with EU
regulations
Responsibilities
Financial and Grant
Management
- Responsible for routine
financial accounting functions including processing and recording all
transactions in line with Self Help Africa policies, EU accounting
standards, and compliance to Kenyan legislation, ensuring timeliness,
efficiency and completeness; Includes checking the accuracy and validity
of documents such as Requisitions, LPOs, CBAs, delivery notes, invoices,
contracts, payment vouchers and receipts
- Verify the accounting records
of the SMEs (partners) to ensure accurate financial reporting and
compliance with donor requirements
- Prepare a schedule to be used
for posting all SMEs entries on PS Financials (PSF)
- Prepare and update the SMEs
disbursement schedule and monthly Anticipated Results
- Review quarterly SME’s
financial reports as per the period in the executed contracts, the
matching fund commitment, assess the fund request and liaise with the Team
Leader and Head of Finance for disbursement of funds
- In liaison with the Team Leader
and portfolio managers, reconcile with the SME’s on quarterly basis fund
balances and related Key milestones
- Initiate payment processing
according to internal policies and procedures
- Compile monthly anticipated
results, variances, comments, and actions
- Participate in the various
Procurement processes
- Participate in partner due
diligence process
- Participate in the review of
partner business plans
- Prepare the draft contracts for
partners and consultants from time to time
Financial Planning and
Budgeting
- Map the project budget to the
standard SHA nominal codes in PSF
- In liaison with the Team
Leader, finance and other programme staff align activity plans with grants
agreements;
- Participate in annual budgeting
process
- Initiate the process of annual
budget amendments
- Assist the programme staff with
the development and/or review of the project’s activity budgets
- Responsible for cash management
of the project and monitoring disbursements of funds to grantees,
partners, and suppliers.
Reporting and Compliance
- Prepare partner consolidated
reports on monthly and quarterly basis
- On a monthly basis, prepare and
update the Project reports as per donor template
- On a monthly basis, contribute
to the variance analysis of the Anticipated Results
- Prepare reports for review by
management upon partner expenditure verification visits
- Prepare presentations for
internal review meetings
- Compile information for
internal and external audits
- Coordinate the expenditure
verification exercise, special audits and respond to the audit issues
raised, as well as monitor the implementation of the issues raised in the
Management Letter
- With support from the Head of
Finance and Administration, lead the coordination of the annual audit of
the SMEs and SHA Institutional Audit
Other Duties
- Prepare monthly work plans and
work-updates and share with the Team Leader and Head of Finance and
Administration.
- Active member of the Agrifi
Task Team.
- Any other duty that may be assigned
from time to time.
Key Relationships
Internal
- Team Leader
- Portfolio Managers
- Finance Officer and other
Project Accountants
- Other Country Finance and
Administration staff
- Other country programme staff
- HQ Finance team
External
- Staff from partner
organisations both finance and programme staff
- Service providers
Qualifications:
- Must have a Bachelor’s degree
in Accounting / Finance and should have certified qualification (CA, ACCA,
CIMA, CPA) and preferably, be a member of a recognized professional
accounting institute
- Five years practical experience
in Financial Accounting, at least three of which should be in grants
management.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office,
spreadsheet applications and computerized accounting systems
- Demonstrated financial
advisory, operational and analytical skills including high level of
organisational, problem solving and facilitation skills;
- Demonstrated experience in
donor fund projects, undertaking risk assessments, internal audits and/or
assessing internal controls.
- Results-orientated with
excellent communication skills, as well as curiosity and initiative
- Proactive and motivated with a
strong commitment to Self Help Africa’s vision, mission and values
- Attention to detail and the
ability to produce timely and accurate reports
- Ability to work as part of team
across different cultures
- Good analytical skills
- Previous experience of managing
USAID, EU and/or other donor funding
- Experience working with
organisations in partnership arrangements
How to apply
Please upload a completed Application Form,
CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role here.
Please note incomplete applications will not be considered for
shortlisting.
Closing date is Friday, 28th August 2020 at
5pm
Please note that Self Help Africa Kenya advocates for equal
opportunity and does not require applicants to pay
any fee at whatever stage of the recruitment and selection process. Canvassing
will lead to automatic disqualification.
Self Help Africa is committed to the highest possible standards of
openness, transparency, and accountability in all its affairs and is completely
against fraud, bribery, and corruption. All employees are bound by code of
conduct, child protection and conflict of interest policies.
Any candidate offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected
to sign Self Help Africa’s Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an
appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in
accordance with the provisions of these documents.
