Accountant

Africa’s Voices is a growing organisation seeking talented professionals. In particular, we are always on the look out for social scientists with excellent data science skills.

Job Number: SA/001/2021

Position Title: Accountant 

Team: Business Operations

Position Type: Full Time 

Application deadline: Sunday 31st January 2021 at 5 pm EAT

Mandatory: 

  1. Use the application form (Annex I) to submit your application. Not using the application form will lead to automatic disqualification. To access the application form click here. 
  2. Must be available immediately

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Background 

Africa’s Voices Foundation (AVF) is a fast-growing start-up, capitalizing on interactive media and digital communications to curate and spark engaging discussions that convene citizens’ voices as evidence and elevate them to the level of decision-making. We equip development, humanitarian and governance organizations with unique capabilities to listen intelligently to the citizens they serve. Spun out of cutting-edge research at the University of Cambridge in 2014, we have an established presence in East Africa and beyond with a vibrant growing core team in Nairobi. Our clients include UNICEF, the European Union, Oxfam, and the MasterCard Foundation. 

Job Summary: 

AVF is seeking an experienced Accountant, detail-oriented, and enthusiastic professional to join our growing team to manage the finance functions in AVF. The assignment involves performing accounts duties and working in close collaboration with the project teams. This involves ensuring proper financial management, preparation of budgets and strict adherence to finance policies and ensuring proper procurement procedures are followed.

You will also process all our financial transactions, keep track of AVF Grants budgets, preparation of financial reports for our donors, members and other stakeholders, ensure that our financial and procurement procedures are accurately implemented and support the audit process. 

Essential functions and responsibilities:

  1. Accounting 
  • Ensure that the accounting system is kept up to date. AVF uses the Xero Accounting System.
  • Process all financial transactions in an accurate and timely fashion.
  • Prepare and process the opening and closing of accounts (i.e. reconcile salaries) .
  • Prepare invoices for payment.
  • Review, monitor, manage and control all accounting, financing and banking functions including checks to ensure postings in the accounting system are accurate and complete.
  • Manage payments and ensure that they are paid on time, authorized by appropriate staff, and the financial process and procedures are followed.
  • Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations including bank reconciliations for review. 
  • Produce accurate end of month, end of year accounts and other financial reports on time for approval.
  • Provide analysis and recommendations to improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of the projects.
  1. Budget tracking 
  • Prepare a budget tracking tool for accountable grants. 
  • Keep track and regularly update of our budget-tracking tool; 
  • Provide support to budget holders as necessary; 
  • Drive the process of preparing budgets for potential projects.
  • Communicate with key stakeholders to ensure accurate information is captured in the budget and management reports
  • Closely monitor the bank account and the expenditure against the approved budget
  • Regularly update management on over-spends and under-spends
  • Prepare monthly management reports (including monthly budgets vs actual reports with a detailed variance analysis) for review.
  1. Financial reporting 
  • Prepare monthly management reports, quarterly accounts for the Board and annual accounts for the members. 
  • Oversee the financial operations of the organization and ensure timely and accurate financial reports and practices including cash management, payroll, financial disbursements, ledgers etc.
  • Responsible for entering financial information and maintaining all financial records for projects and for the organization.
  • Manage financial control, prepare and analyze budgets, develop financial reports, and make recommendations to the organization on expenditures.
  • Obtain approvals on all procurements and purchases for the projects and for the organization.
  • Monitor the expenditures to ensure that program funds are utilized appropriately by the close of the fiscal year.
  • Ensure that all financial reporting is completed on time and submitted to partners and clients.
  • Oversee the financial audits of all projects of the organization and ensure they are concluded on time.
  • Provide financial inputs for proposal development, project management, Human Resource Management policies, logistics, travel and other areas of administration.

Key competencies

  • Efficiency  in responding to emails and general queries and communication.
  • Ability to share knowledge with the team and be a great team player.
  • Ability to manage and mentor other staff  within the finance team.
  • Operationalize the AVF Financial Policies and Procedures Manual. 
  • Effectiveness in supporting the financial operations.
  • Other duties as requested by your Manager.

Selection Criteria: 

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Kenya or (ACCA) qualified, or a degree in accounting.
  • Minimum 5 years accounting experience in a fast-growing non-profit organisation/ social enterprise funded by accountable grants. 
  • Experience working with a project accounting software is required. Preferred experience in the use of Xero Software. 
  • Ability to work independently with strong team player skills.
  • Strong communication, interpersonal, organization and planning skills.

To Apply

  1. Please send your CV with referees and Annex 1: Application Form Only to careers@africasvoices.org. Please include “Accountant” in the title of your email. 
  2. It is mandatory 
    1. That you include your salary expectation in the application form. 
    2. That you Submit only 1 PDF document; the CV and Annex 1: Application Form in PDF format and combined into one document. To access the application form click here. 
  3. Not adhering to any  mandatory requirements regarding this application will lead to automatic disqualification. 
  4. Send your filled-out application form and CV with referees to careers@africasvoices.org, by 5 pm EAT on Sunday 31st January 2021.