Project Accountant Job in Kenya

Position: IFDC - ESAFD Project Accountant 
Background

The International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) is a public international organization addressing critical issues such as international food security, the alleviation of global hunger and poverty, environmental protection and the promotion of economic development and self-sufficiency.

IFDC focuses on increasing productivity across the agricultural value chain in developing countries. This is achieved by the creation and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

In January 2009, IFDC created the East and Southern Africa Division (ESAFD) with the Regional Coordination office being established at the ICIPE Duduville Campus in Kasarani, off Thika Road, Nairobi, Kenya.

The Dutch-funded project entitled “Toward Sustainable Clusters in Agribusiness through Learning in Entrepreneurship” (2SCALE) aims at improving rural livelihoods and food security in Africa, in support to the six percent agricultural growth target set under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) of the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AU-NEPAD).

The Project Accountant is in charge of managing administrative operations, human resources and finances of the project in East Africa.

Tasks

Finance
  • Prepare annual budgets and monthly and/or quarterly forecasts.
  • Review monthly fund requests received from the different offices and finalize them before submission for approval in a timely manner.
  • Review financial statements received from the headquarters, ensuring that expenditures are according to approved budgets, including country monthly fund requests.
  • Identify and communicate variances and funding gaps, and recommends best working solutions to respective managers.
  • Ensure consistent application of donor and IFDC financial policies and procedures.
  • Constantly review work practices and financial procedures for better operational efficiency and proactively raise management attention potential issues in accounts, financial processes and controls. This includes doing audits at country level on a regular basis.
  • Whenever requested, liaise with auditors to ensure compliance with relevant requirements and standards.
  • In close collaboration with the IFDC Kenya Finance & Administration team, manages day-to-day accounting, invoicing, payroll, cash management and internal financial reporting.

Human Resources
  • Support the IFDC Finance & Administration teams in the target countries on hiring and orientation of new project hires.
  • Assist the Regional Agribusiness Coordinator in the personnel performance evaluation process.
  • Help prepare consultancy requests, review and monitor consultancy contracts prepared by Human Resources.

Administration
  • Support 2SCALE staff posted in ESAFD in approval processes, sharing and filing of documents, including contracts.
  • In collaboration with the Grants Manager and other relevant project staff, monitor contractual obligations.
  • Assist the Project Leader and the Regional Agribusiness Coordinator in preparing and submitting reports to the donor and to IFDC in a timely manner.
  • Monitor leave requests from project staff and inform all team members about absences.
  • In close collaboration with the IFDC Kenya Finance & Administration team, ensure general day-to-day project administration, including but not limited to purchase of equipments and services, organization of travels, logistics for project activities in Kenya.
  • In collaboration with IFDC field staff, coordinate the logistical organization of regional project activities.
  • Contribute to the development, improvement and monitoring of project procedures.

Others
  • Whenever relevant, collaborate with Finance & Administration staff in the East and Southern Africa Division.
  • Perform any other duties as deemed necessary for the success of the project.

Qualifications

The Person

The ideal candidate should be a holder of a B.Com (Accounting Option) and CPA/CPS/ACCA finalist and or with flair for detail and with over 5 year practical experience in the management of donor funded projects in the NGO sector.

Ability to interact well in a diversely multi-cultural environment is indispensable as is proficiency in English, both in verbal and written communication.

Ability to communicate in French, as a second language, would be a definite advantage.

Applications, via e-mail only, with subject heading “Project Administrator/Accountant”, should be addressed to: hakinyi@ifdc.org so as to reach us by Friday, 6th September.


If you don’t hear from us by Friday, 13th October, 2013, please consider your application unsuccessful and register our appreciation.