Accountant

Description
Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

FUNCTION:

Accountable to provide substantive support for accounting aspects of the Malawi – Mozambique Climate Adaptation Project (MAMO II) Phase II Project.  Accountable for the maintenance of accounting-related systems.  Accountable to implement accepted methods of accounting and assuring proper internal controls and performing guided assessments of controls related to financial activities, reporting, and compliance.  Accountable to apply critical thinking to manage the business of the project, in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.  Accountable to apply and reinforce general accounting standards and Heifer’s as well as donor policies and procedures.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS:

Financial Acumen; Tech-Savvy; Action oriented; Plans and aligns; Optimizes work processes; Ensures accountability; Drives results; Collaborates; Communicates effectively; Courage; Instills trust.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES

A. Review and verification of invoices and payment vouchers to ensure completeness, correct coding, and reasonableness including statutory payments. (75%)

Perform analytical review of project general ledger accounts and reconcile balance sheet accounts including project and staff advance reconciliations on monthly basis.
Assist the Director of Finance to develop and maintain a proper accounting system, processes on daily basis.
Maintain an efficient filing and retrieval system for financial and account records to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance on weekly basis.
Complete project-specific bank reconciliations, advance reconciliations on time.
Act as liaison with Finance Manager in preparing cash requirements for the project.
B. Financial Control and Risk management ( 10%).

Efficient and effective management of all financial functions of the organization and development of risk management plans
Prepare and submit monthly quarterly and annual financial reports and statements as per Donor requirements.
Collect and facilitate review of special reports for internal control when required.
Ensure the maintenance of an accurate and up-to-date project fixed asset register.
Support the Country team in accounts management to ensure compliance. Ensure regulatory and organizational compliance of accounting transactions within the country program offices and support global consolidation of financial statements.
C.Facilitate requests related to independent external audits and other agreed-upon procedures providing financial information and follow-up (5%)

Assist in preparation of the audit schedules, materials, and other documentation for annual, internal, or project audits, reviews, and evaluations.
Monitor, approve and/or record all transactions in the accounting system; coordinate with team members to complete all accounting procedures to produce monthly financial statements per local GAAP or IFRS
Reconcile all project transactions in the accounting system to the general ledger and financial reports
Perform project cash/bank reconciliations
Register and maintain fixed assets in the accounting system.
Oversee payments to vendors, consultants, tax bureaus, and other agencies, according to established donor policies and procedures.
Accountable to support responses to queries on the status of payments/accounts/expenditures/obligations and resolve any discrepancies.
Manage procurement and all project purchases, related to goods and services, including quotations, comparative tables, contracts and ensure compliance based on Heifers or the Donors standards.
Serve as custodian for the country program checkbooks.
D.Financial support to the Country program (10%)

Coordinate the processing/review of project-specific procurement process for the country program and projects.
Lead in daily administrative and accounting support to staff through coaching and field monitory.
Coordinate the monitoring of the project cash position including petty cash reconciliations performed by the various field offices every month, where applicable.
E.May perform other job-related duties as assigned
Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Finance or Accounting or related field, plus five (5) years of related experience and at least three years in a supervisory role.  CPA Finalist or ACCA,
NGO experience and significant experience with managing grants and donor financial reporting.  Other job-related education and/or experience may be substituted for all or part of these requirements.
Preferred Requirements:

Experience in a donor-funded development environment with compliance requirements of institutional funders.
Most Critical Proficiencies:

Knowledge of the NGO business sector; Knowledge of institutional funders for international development, a plus.
Ability to navigate financial and non-financial data gathering and analytics; technically adept with ability to quickly learn and maximize usage of technology and software; effective use of Microsoft Office Suite with intermediate skill in MS Excel.
Practical knowledge of the local country generally accepted accounting principles and fiscal statutes.
Experience with accounting systems.
Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands:

Ability to work under pressure, perform multiple tasks and manage consistently competing priorities, comfortable in rapidly changing environment. Must be flexible and able to improvise to handle a variety of situations.
Ability to effectively train individuals and teams using participatory methodologies.
Ability to work with delicate personnel situations and maintain confidentiality.
Ability to maintain close relationships and work with team members from a distance and with limited opportunity for personal interaction.
Constant sitting and working at a computer for extended periods.
Constant face-to-face, electronic, and telephone communication with colleagues and the public.
Ability to prepare documents and other materials in a well-designed and attractive format, with attention to detail
Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours.
Ability and willingness to travel both domestically and internationally.
Adequate physical condition is necessary to travel to project sites in rural areas.