Position: Senior
Associate - Finance
Deadline to Apply: 18th March 2014
Start Date: 1st April 2014
Location: Nairobi
About Innovations for Poverty Action: Innovations for Poverty Action
(IPA) is a non-profit research organization that creates and evaluates
approaches to solving development problems and disseminates information about
what works and what does not to policymakers, practitioners, investors and
donors around the world.
About Evidence Action: Evidence Action is a new
organization working in partnership with IPA to scale proven interventions.
IPA has
played in important role incubating technical assistance and service delivery
programs, such as the Dispensers for Safe Water program and the Deworm the
World Initiative.
The
management and further growth of these “scale up” initiatives is transitioning
to Evidence Action. IPA will continue to provide support for these programs
during their transition period.
Job Purpose: To provide management accounting
support in monitoring and evaluating activity implementation for the Programme
and assigned projects in line with policies and procedures and donor grant
agreements
Management Responsibility
1. To
ensure effective utilization of Programme /project funds according to the
organization’s policies and procedures and the donor guidelines
2. Member
of the Programme support team
Description of Duties
- Participate in preparation of annual operational budgets for the program and projects by determining funds available for the budget, activities scheduled for the year and their cost and translating these to an operational budget in Evidence Action format.
- Provide operational support to project managers on expenditure management to include: Short-term action plans and expenditure scheduling.
- Process, approve and code expenditure (claims, imprest, surrenders, field office returns and purchase requisitions) and internal recoveries in accordance with approved work plans and budgets.
- Initiate and engage regular review meetings with project Managers to resolve and discuss various financial and accounting issues and queries.
- Under supervision of the Director of Finance and administration, prepare periodic budgetary control statements to determine financial performance of the program office.
- Prepare monthly progress report for review by the Director of Finance on project funding status and cash management.
- Assist with systematic and ad-hoc analysis of project costs as a basis for evaluation, budgeting and operational research studies.
- Seek ways to improve timeliness and quality of service provided by finance and assist in systems improvement.
- Participate in internal audits as scheduled and in external audits by providing auditors with accounting documents as requested and providing explanations for audit queries.
- Review of monthly income and expenditure statements with program/project Managers and the Director of Finance.
- Any other duties delegated from time to time by your supervisor.
Accountability
1. Decision
Making and Communication channels: For routine decision making to be guided by
generally accepted accounting principles and organization rules and
regulations. Refer to Head of Finance on
issues out of normal policies and procedures. Will work in collaboration with
finance staff at the global level.
2.
Responsibility over data or information: Has access to important and highly
confidential information.
3.
Responsibility over assets: Computer, printer, office equipment, office
furniture
4.
Responsibility over staff: Accounting staff within the program section
Professional qualifications
- Degree in Finance, Accounting, Statistics, research and development or closely related field. CPA/ACCA qualifications,
- Masters in relevant field is desirable.
- Relevant Experience and Key skills
- Experience in managing community based programs
- Documentation, reporting, concept development, proposal writing etc.
- Project planning, monitoring and evaluation
- Hands on experience in Research and development
- Quality assurance in concept/proposal development skills
- Five (5) years hands on experience in Sub grant management and USG grants management
Personal Attributes
- Strong team leader and player
- Excellent communication, high computer literacy levels (SPSS) and interpersonal skills
- Excellent networking skills
- Strong organizational skills
To apply: Please send a cover letter and
detailed CV, 3 references, daytime phone number(s), and email address. Your CV
should include details about your academic qualifications and any relevant work
experience.
Applications
can be submitted by email to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org with the subject
line: “Senior Associate-Finance” REF NO: Evidence Action-2014-03-01.
Only
short-listed candidates will be contacted by phone and email for an interview.
Applicants
are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a ROLLING
BASIS
Disclaimer: The above statements are
intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed
by the Senior Associate-Finance. The statements are not intended to be an
exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management
reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational
needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment
from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed
above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the
organization. Please direct questions to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org.
