Accounts Assistant at Trocaire

Background to the role

St Joseph Development Programmes (SJDP) Kangemi is the social arm of St Joseph the Worker Parish Kangemi – Nairobi. The office is seeking to recruit an Accounts Assistant in its drive efficiently manage its projects. The Accounts Assistant is a key member of the Finance team responsible for ensuring a sound management of the financial resources entrusted with the St Joseph Development Programmes. The Finance function is very important in the effective implementation of program activities

For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, St Joseph offers a competitive package of salary and benefits.

Job Summary

The Accounts Assistant will establish and maintain accounting and management procedures for SJDP as well as strive to ensure efficient and accountable use of donor funds across the program. You will be required to ensure compliance with all donor, statutory & regulatory requirements and to develop capacity in the various project offices to carry out an exemplary accounting function.

Responsibilities and tasks.

• Administrative functions
• Support the entire operation in coordination of communication at the all levels and programmes of the organization.
• Work with the various program offices towards ensuring organized filling system is achieved.
• Take lead in coordinating, preparing materials and linking with various operations departments to ensuring internal program meetings and workshops are a success.
• In liaison with HRA officer, support the programme in organizing all donor/media/VIP missions to ensure that the visit is well take care of.
• Attend all the management meetings, Program Coordination meetings and take minutes for the same. Follow up with various stakeholders on feedback and provide update to the program director and other stakeholders on progress on addressing issues.
• Support in preparing and proof-reading class schedules and other materials before distribution.
• Participate significantly in the budgeting preparation process
• Performing routine clerical tasks including date stamping invoices, filling, typing, answering the phone calls, relaying messages, operating office machines, and opening, sorting and routing correspondence.
• Serves as the Development Office cashier managing petty cash and maintaining petty cash records
• Performs secretarial duties including arranging appointments, maintaining and appointment calendar, receiving visitors, screening telephone calls and mail, dealing with incoming and outgoing post and mail, and composing communications from general instructions or rough notes

Petty cash management

• Issuing, balancing and replenishing petty cash
• Managing petty cash expenses and attaching required supporting documentation of expenses incurred
• Maintains a standardized bookkeeping system for financial transactions, receive and disburse funds, and provide monthly reconciliation reports
• Orienting staff on petty cash management policies and procedures. And guide staff on key documentation required for requesting and expensing petty cash as per St. Joseph’s financial management procedures.

Logistical and Administrative support to program teams

• In collaboration with the project team, support scheduling and running of planed meetings and activities. Specifically provide logistical support to all the technical and team leads on all planned activities.
• Work with all the program teams to ensure their field travels are planned and well-coordinated.
• Working closely with the procurement team, support follow up of technical team procurement requests.
• Follow up with procurement and logistics teams on placing of program orders ensuring conferences, travel arrangements and staff accommodation are well planned and information provided to focal program teams.
• Follow up with program teams to have delivery notes signed and send back to procurement and logistics teams.
• Ensure timely and accurate submission of travel requests by program teams to the finance department, follow up with finance to have funds released in time.
• Support finance teams on follow up of overdue accounting of travel advance requests (TARs).
• Working closely with finance team to ensure that all relevant activity documents are submitted in time for participants’ allowances to be paid.
• Reviews communications, bulletins, reports, and other items and obtains information from a variety of sources as requested by the HRA Officer in order to advise on necessary actions and provide information to project staff.

Program documentations

• Developing and maintaining a filing system and project database
• Compile and file on shared drives necessary program information and reports

Other duties

• Work with finance teams in compiling month closure documentations and more especially follow up on program staff Float Expense Reports (FERs) and delivery notes.
• Take on duties for the administration focal person on days he/she is not in the office
• Take other relevant responsibilities as required by the supervisor. Qualification
• Qualified with CPA or ACCC with a minimum CPA Part 2
• Minimum two years experience in a NGO or Church based Organisation
• Working experience with quick books will be added advantage
• Computer skills