Grants Accountant at Fairtrade International

Details:

Main purpose of the job

You are responsible for the entire Partners’ Financial Management and Grant Management as well as for essential supportive tasks within Fairtrade Africa (FTA) Finance Unit staff.

This job description is intended as a guide and should not be viewed as an inflexible specification as it may be varied from time to time based on discussions with the post holder and the line manager. The post holder will be expected to work to agreed objectives, which should facilitate achievements of key responsibilities in accordance with the Performance Review Process.

Key Performance areas

• Financial Management
  • Post and review all expenditures and transactions in Hansaworld, according to programme and projects budgets and FTA guidelines
  • Ensuring that all information required for audit is availed including financial reports
  • Ensure Cash/Fund flow management in liaison with relevant staff
  • Maintain contact with FTA bankers and monitor all bank transactions to ensure that adequate balances are maintained.
  • Process payments and ensure that each payment/transaction complies with FTA internal financial procedures, programmes and project budgets.
  • Review payments, journal entries, cost allocations and other postings into accounting system and ensure proper coding, data quality and integrity of all accounting/financial transactions
  • Support in the design of programme/project budgets in consultation with other relevant staff and ensure budget holders are regularly updated on the burn rate
  • Manage staff advances issuance, liquidation and ageing in line with the FTA’s policies and procedures
  • Analyse risk areas in internal controls and recommend mitigating measures
• Grants & Partner Management
  • Ensure budget control by adequately checking all costs that are chargeable to grants.
  • Participate in grant proposal development and extensions, by providing technical support in the development of grant budgets that are in line with the effective implementation of grants, donor requirements and FTA policy
  • Ensure spending is within the budget limit to control overspending within projects
  • Review Field Financial Documents/Sub-grantee documents regularly to ascertain the level of internal controls in the financial process.
  • Continuously monitor budget commitments for projects and advise Line Manager on any significant occurrences
  • Monitor financial performance for grants and produce reports according to donor reporting requirements
  • Manage preparation, consolidation and distribution of timely monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements reflecting the status of projects and or programs on a grant-to-date basis in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and donor requirements
  • Develop Partners financial reporting template and guidelines for use during reporting.
  • Facilitate transfer of funds to partners and ensure close monitoring of utilization of funds.
  • Carry out periodic review of internal control environment affecting both program and support operations for potential risk exposures; continually monitor and update the assessment of the control environment, keeping abreast of significant control aspects
  • Monitor compliance with grant funding requirements and provide appropriate guidance to programme and partner staff including allowable and non-allowable costs, grant closeout, preparation of budget modifications and requests for carry-over or extensions as needed
  • Support developing/drafting contracts for partners that are compliant with FTA donors regulations
  • Regularly review of partner organization’s reports and provide them with documented feedback ensuring they comply with FTA Financial Management Guidelines
  • Execute other tasks and responsibilities assigned by the Finance Manager

Knowledge and experience

Minimum Academic Requirement

• A holder of a university degree in Business Management, Commerce or any other equivalent qualification
• Certified Public Accountant in Kenya and a registered member with ICPAK in good standing

Other Specialist Training and technical skills

• Command of Accounting Systems, in particular, Hansaworld. Experience in Programme Management Information systems an added advantage
• Experience in managing large donor-funded budgets and reporting to donors.
• At least four years of experience in similar functions in an international non-governmental organization
• Advanced book-keeping skills, including the ability to analyse financial information and prepare complete financial statements.
• Experience in enforcing internal financial procedures
• Proactive attitude to budget monitoring and reporting, preferably with experience in advanced reporting requirements
• The candidate must be accurate, thorough, and able to consistently meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in the English language, both written and spoken
• Possess advance Excel skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to interact with individuals across multi-functional and cultural disciplines

This job description is intended as a guide and should not be viewed as an inflexible specification as it may be varied from time to time based on discussions with the post holder and the line manager. The post holder will be expected to work to agreed objectives, which should facilitate achievements of key responsibilities in accordance with the Performance Review Process.