Job Title: Finance Assistant
Hiring Organization: Mercy
Corps
Location – Locality: Nairobi
Location – Region: Kenya
Industry: NGO
Job Type: Full
Time
Salary: KES
Competitive
Date Posted: 03/06/2024
Mercy
Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better
world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around
the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people
triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for
the future.
Program / Department Summary
The Mercy
Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Nairobi,
including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial
reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The Mercy Corps
Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy
Corps’ internal policies and procedures. In its role as a support to the
Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and
assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that
financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.
General
Position Summary
Working
in the Finance Department under the direction of the Finance Officer, the
Finance Assistant will assist in the processing and recording of payment
transactions in timely and accurate manner.
Essential
Job Responsibilities
Financial
management
- Maintain
custody of the office cash fund and make daily payments of approved
transactions.
- Prepare
cash payment vouchers and ensure that all cash transactions are fully and
properly documented.
- Perform
daily cash count with the Finance Officer or other person assigned.
- Record
payment vouchers daily in the cash sub-journal.
- Maintain
the uncleared cash advance file and prepare past due advance report for
the Finance and Compliance Manager on monthly basis.
- Check-signers
for review and signature.
- Prepare
bank payment vouchers and ensure that all bank transactions are properly
and fully documented.
- Record
payment vouchers daily in the bank and cash sub journal.
- Prepare
cheques or wire transfer requests based on fully approved documents and
present to approved.
- Counter
check expense reports (travel expense reports and operational expense
reports) for accuracy and completeness and ensure that expense reports
have been fully approved before payment.
- Prepare
photocopies of vouchers and other supporting documents as required for the
monthly reporting package to HQ Finance.
- Support
Finance Officer with monthly/Quarterly balance sheet reconciliations.
- Preparation
of Month Amortizations as he/she may be assigned.
Filing
& Archiving
- File
all cash and bank vouchers and maintain voucher filing system such that
files are updated, complete and safeguarded.
- Assist
with Sub-grant management and organizing sub-grant files.
Tax
- Support
Finance Officer with processing of withholding VAT and withholding tax as
per KRA regulations.
- Support
with VAT Balance sheet reconciliations on monthly basis and submit to the
Finance and Compliance Manager monthly.
Payroll
- Support
Snr Finance Officer with preparation of payroll accrual entries.
Security
- Ensure
compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country
leadership.
- Proactively
ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of
policies.
Organizational
Learning
- As
part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our
understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient
and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to
commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as
well as themselves.
Accountability
to Beneficiaries
- Mercy
Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward
accountability, specifically.
- to
our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international
relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary
communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of
our field projects.
- Team
members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and
respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at
all times and in all in-country
- venues.
Accountability
- Reports
Directly To: Finance Officer
- Works
Directly With: Country Finance Team, Program teams and Regional Teams
- Knowledge
and Experience
- A
degree in accounting or a relevant business field.
- Minimum
CPA II or other relevant accounting qualification.
- At
least one year experience in accounting, bookkeeping or cashiering,
including experience with double-entry accounting preferably in an
international NGO.
- Familiarity
with major international donor rules and non-profit accounting.
- Familiarity
with computerized, double-entry accounting software.
- Strong
computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel
- Accuracy
in the processing of cash transactions, mathematical aptitude and
attention to detail.
- Excellent
oral and written English skills.
