Job Title: Accountant
Hiring Organization: Education Development Center
Location – Locality: Nakuru
Location – Region: Kenya
Industry: Non Profit
Job Type: Full Time
Salary: KES
Date Posted: 06/12/2024
Education
Development Center (Edc)
Education
Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions
to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a
focus on vulnerable and under-served populations. Since 1958, we have been a
leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative
programs in more than 80 countries around the world.
EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.
EDC is
committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Project
Description
The Kenya
Primary Literacy Programme (KPLP) is a five-year initiative that supports the
Kenyan Ministry of Education to deliver interventions at scale as well as pilot
and expand innovations that address the language and literacy needs of primary
grade learners while building more inclusive, accountable, and resilient
education institutions and systems.
USAID
KPLP has three broad objectives:
Improving
education services and student learning outcomes, including for vulnerable
populations;
Strengthening
education institutions and systems to become more accountable, self-sustaining,
and resilient; and
Empowering
local youth organizations to strengthen and sustain community and family
support for student learning and wellbeing.
Position
Description
The
Accountant in the Nakuru regional office will assist the Finance and
Administration Manager in performing project accounting tasks. S/he will be
responsible for preparing timely and accurate financial reports and assisting
in the preparation of financial spreadsheets, cash flow forecasts, data entry,
corresponding with vendors, as appropriate, and ensuring the project is
compliant with USAID financial regulations.
This is a
full-time position based in Nakuru, Kenya and relocation costs will not be
provided. Day-to-day reporting will be to the Regional Education Advisor and
technical reporting to the Finance and Administration Manager.
Essential
Functions will include, but are not limited to:
Supports
the Finance and Administration Manager in conducting day-to-day finance
operations, including enforcement of EDC and USAID policies, procedures and
systems in the regional office.
Supports
the Finance and Administration Manager in the preparation of project monthly
financial reports and tracking of spending against the approved budget.
Manages
the process of clearing bills, advance reconciliation, payments, and vouchers,
including a review and certification of supporting documentation to ensure it
is compliant with local tax laws, as well as USAID and EDC policies.
Manages
the processing of payments for training workshops and other activities in the
designated region in consultation with the Regional Education Advisor and
Finance and Administration Manager.
Records
regional project transactions in QuickBooks, utilizing the correct charge codes
and monitoring alignment to budgeted activities.
Prepares
regional weekly cash flow needs for review by the Finance and Administration
Manager
Monitors
and reports on regional vendor payment schedules and obligations.
Monitors
regional employee advance aging and ensures timely liquidation.
Works
closely with the KPLP National Office in Nairobi to ensure timely
reconciliation of monthly expense reports and responds to any inquiries, as
necessary.
Assists
in the preparation of monthly financial spreadsheets, cash flow forecasts in
accordance with appropriate procedures.
Previews
all back-up documentation to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance
with EDC policies and procedures. Ensures all supporting financial
documentation is scanned and digitally archived on a monthly basis per EDC file
retention policies.
Ensures
the safeguarding of checks and other office documents such as vehicle licenses,
contracts, and leases in conjunction with HR / Office Manager.
Demonstrates
a high level of professionalism and ethics when dealing with documentation and
related information on sensitive and confidential matters, as well as with EDC
colleagues.
Conducts
checks on compliance with USAID’s Anti-Terrorist Certification (“ATC”)
regulations.
Other
duties as required.
Qualifications
The
candidate for the position of Accountant shall have at a minimum the following
qualifications:
Education:
Secondary
education required; additional technical or collegiate education desirable
Skills
and Experience:
4 to 5
years of direct relevant experience in accounting required;
Experience
supporting large USAID or other international donor-funded projects required;
Proficiency
working with QuickBooks accounting system required;
Proficiency
in MS Excel and MS Word;
Knowledge
of Kenyan labor and tax laws, specifically regarding VAT refunds;
Detail-oriented
and organized;
Must be
able to work within a cross cultural setting, negotiate diplomatically, and
function well under pressure;
Ability
to work independently, as well as within a team in difficult work environment;
Certified
Public Accountant.
