Program Accountant

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting, Audit & Compliance:

• Prepare detailed monthly, quarterly and annual internal financial reports for supported projects and Science Programs highlighting issues on over/under expenditure, commitments and project end dates.
• Identify any incorrect entries and liaise with PM and PI for approval to pass adjusting journal entries in the system.
• Track donor reporting timelines to ensure timely preparation of reports;
• Using appropriate templates, prepare donor financial reports/statements in collaboration with PM and PIs for Finance Manager’s (or designate) review.
• Raise invoices & follow up reimbursements and transfer advices from donors.
• Compute project accruals annually and during project close outs and ensure they are captured in the system at the right accounting period.
• Identify projects to be audited at least four months before scheduled start date and liaise with Finance Manager for planning.
• Work closely with internal and external auditors in facilitating effective project audits by availing required documents and responding to queries (in collaboration with the Finance Manager) to ensure all issues are resolved and clean (unqualified) report provided.
• Maintain proper financial records of projects - both soft and hard.
• Perform other post-award functions in relation to receivables and payables reconciliation, budget revisions and project closeout functions.

Partner Financial Management & Compliance:

• Prepare projects payment requests for partners in collaboration with Project/Program Manager (PM) and Project Leaders.
• Ensure project partners’ financial reports are received in time and sample supporting documents are requested and reviewed for compliance with contractual obligations.
• Support in building the capacity of partners to enhance compliance to ILRI and donor guidelines.
• Make necessary follow ups to ensure timely payments to collaborators and ensure transfer advices are shared.
• Enter partner expenditure in Agresso and ensure relevant supporting documents are (scanned) uploaded.

Budgeting and Proposal Development:

• Provide advise especially in unit costs etc. towards development of proposal budgets.
• Prepare proposal budgets for review by PM and Project Leader before submission to Finance Manager.
• Support PM during institutional budgeting.
• Share project budgets (in recommended format) for uploading in Agresso.
• Review BvA reports frequently and share proposals for budget adjustments.

Operational & Administrative Support:

• Review travel advance requests and expense reports for compliance with ILRI policies, ensuring complete supporting documentation and accurate recording of advances and expenses in the financial system
• Reviewing consultant ToRs to ensure all proposed payments are legitimate and fully supported and making the necessary entries in the financial system.
• Train the alternate position all aspects of this job to ensure continuity.
• Provide additional support on demand to the clients of the unit.
• Can be called upon to work on tasks relating to other programs or sections within finance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting or related field.
• Full accounting qualifications - CPA (K) or ACCA.
• At least three years of relevant work experience.
• Work experience in non-profit or international organization
• Work experience in both research and development organizations.
• Knowledge of computerized accounting software required – preferably Agresso
• Good computer skills.