Chief Accountant

Role Overview

This dual-focused position sits at the heart of our client’s finance and administration function, combining hands-on accounting leadership with structured internal audit work. Day to day, you will oversee the finance team’s operations, safeguard cash and assets, lead budgeting and forecasting, and independently evaluate how effectively organisational processes are running. Your assessments will directly shape corrective actions, strengthen internal controls, and support a culture of accountability and transparency across every department.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direct line management, coaching, and professional guidance to the finance team, while ensuring administrative support services for accounting are efficient and well-organised.
• Lead the annual budget cycle, working with department heads to set realistic financial targets, build forecasting models, and explain material variances from the approved plan.
• Plan and execute a risk-based annual audit programme spanning finance, revenue, procurement, inventory, payroll, and other operational areas, using interviews, data analysis, and control testing.
• Document audit findings and recommendations in clear, comprehensive reports, then present these to leadership, track implementation, and conduct follow-up audits to confirm lasting remediation.
• Oversee bank account management, cashier reconciliations, petty cash verification, refund validation, and timely banking of revenue while monitoring cash-flow positions to meet obligations as they fall due.
• Manage inventory and fixed assets, including purchase receipting, stock-level reporting, physical checks, obsolescence reviews, and maintaining a current asset register aligned with finance policy.
• Ensure compliance with statutory reporting, tax obligations, and internal policies, while coordinating staff rosters, leave cover, orientation, performance reviews, and regular team meetings.
• Collaborate with supply chain, clinical, and administrative teams to strengthen controls that reduce loss, damage, and waste while driving continuous improvement in financial processes.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or a closely related discipline.
• Completed CPA (K) qualification and active ICPAK membership are mandatory.
• Seven to ten years of progressive experience in accounting or finance, with at least three years in a senior finance management role.
• Proven ability to oversee both finance and administration operations simultaneously, ideally within an NGO, healthcare, or comparable mission-driven setting.
• Strong working knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, cash management, statutory reporting, and internal audit methodology.
• Demonstrated leadership, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to present audit findings and financial insights to senior management and external stakeholders.
• Familiarity with inventory systems, asset registers, and financial software platforms used in mid-sized organisations.