Accounting and Grants Officer at KickStart International

Location: KickStart HQ Office – Nairobi

Role Purpose:

• To provide quality and efficient services in Finance department through timely payments processing, cash flow management, financial reporting and assets management.
• Support the Accounting Manager and ensure that processing and reporting deadlines are fully met; financial controls and procedures are strictly adhered to.
• Provide financial, accounting and grant support services in order to meet the needs of the organization and the donors.

Scope of Role:

Reports to: Accounting Manager

Staff directly reporting to this post: Finance Assistant

Key Areas of Accountability:

Accounting

• Ensure development, update and adherence to accounting policies and procedures at all office levels.
• Ensure all supporting documents for financial transactions are complete, accurate, and relevant and comply with KickStart policies and regulations.
• Monitor cash flows and conduct random petty cash counts at least once every month. Maintain contact with KickStart bankers and monitor all bank transactions to ensure that adequate balances are maintained. Prepare monthly bank reconciliation statements for all bank accounts in the ERP.
• Review expenditure in all General Ledger expense accounts to ensure that expenses have been captured under the correct account codes as per the chart of accounts as well as other dimensions. Checking accuracy of data entry and data quality.
• Ensure that all expenses paid in advance are recorded as prepayments, then every month as the expense is utilized, the monthly portion of the expense should be amortized and deducted from the prepayments account. Check cash documents before they are paid out by the Finance Assistant.
• Prepare all suppliers payment on time and prepare cheques or input in the banking online system, Review and verify financial transactions/activities/documentation for accuracy, appropriateness and completeness and ensure full compliance of financial services and transactions with KSI rules, regulations, policies and recording and reporting systems.
• Perform month-end and year-end close processes. Monitor and report on monthly balance sheet reconciliations, identify and solve any accounting discrepancies. Assist the
• Accounting Manager to ensure monthly financial diaries are strictly adhered to meet deadlines.
• Monthly review and verification of financial transactions/activities/documentation for accuracy, appropriateness and completeness and ensure full compliance of financial services and transactions with KSI rules, regulations, policies and recording and reporting systems.
• Act as a contact person with external auditors, ensuring Kickstart’s full cooperation in the audit process. Ensure timely resolution of all identified findings in audits and coordinate processing of audit adjustments.
• Filing income tax returns with the KRA and annual returns with the NGO Board, as well as keeping abreast of some tax related developments.
• Supervise the management and accounting of all Kickstart’s fixed assets and inventory.
• Provide support and participation in the Kickstart’s procurement process.
• Liaise with Kickstart Regional/ Hub offices as needed to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and compliance.
• Ensure continuous innovations, adoption of best practices and regular reviews of finance and accounting operations for optimal efficiency.
• Recommend any additional finance procedures/guidelines to the Finance Director for approval and adoption.
• Analyze risk areas in financial operations and recommend mitigating factors. Assist the Accounting Manager in maintaining a robust and adequate financial internal control systems and cash management in line with KSI’s Finance Manual, Awards management and good accounting practices.

Grants Management & Reporting

• Prepare accurate and timely financial reports on grants for donors and internal management purposes.
• Review invoices and provide account codes, when appropriate, for proper project accounting.
• Produce DFP budget and expense reports, update the DFP tracker and restricted funds detail on monthly basis
• Communicate monthly financial results with appropriate program staff, informing them of financial position of the project.
• Coordinate with the Accounting Manager to process journal entries to various projects if needed.
• Ensure compliance of grants with KickStart and donor policies/procedures.
• Perform ad-hoc financial analysis in response to requests or to provide support to various programs.
• Review monthly input in the ERP of grants vouchers & ensure all coding is correct and they comply with KickStart’s coding & business rules.
• Perform and analyze monthly financial summaries and reports (Budget-to-actual reports) for review by the related project managers, country managers, and other managers on a monthly basis.
• Ensure all relevant information relating to the grant is available on timely basis and also grant documents from proposal to the final stage are properly filed.
• Liaise with the Project Manager to ensure that Project procurement plans are implemented within the budget timelines.
• Ensure that grant closure is being dealt with correctly and that no charges are made to closed grants.
• Review monthly budget variance reports and general ledger reports to insure that items are being charged to the correct programs and grants/contracts. Prepares correcting journal entries as required.
• Monitor spending/run rate against grants and awards on a monthly basis and provide information to program leads to adjust spending accordingly
• Prepare monthly expenditure analysis including accrual projections to determine where budgets are over and/or underspent. Coordinates meetings with managers to review analysis, program changes impacting the budget, contract issues, etc.;
• Updates internal budget documents as necessary, prepares budget modification forms as needed, inputs changes into the ERP, and communicates all changes to relevant staff.
• Working closely with program staff, prepares budget modification forms and no costs extension requests for government contracts as needed;

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting or its equivalent.
• Accounting qualifications- CPA (K) or ACCA.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in a similar finance role.
• Experience working with an ERP, preferably Navision.
• Extremely detail oriented;
• Knowledge of non-government, foundational and corporate donor accounting;
• Must have the ability to work in a fast paced environment with strict deadlines and be able to manage multiple priorities.

Skills and Behavioural Competencies.

• Strong Excel reporting skills.
• Excellent analytical, verbal and written communication skills;
• Integrity: Honest, above reproach and appropriate in actions / behavior and transparent in conduct.
• Result Oriented/ Focused: Ability to consistently meet set goals. Focused and goal oriented and takes initiative.
• Professionalism: Application of ethics, principles, standards and expertise in all areas of work.
• Teamwork, Interpersonal Relations: Works well with others and listens to their opinions to achieve the desired goals.
• Multi-cultural fit & Respect for Diversity: Ability to work effectively, respectfully and inclusively with people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives is critical for all staff members.
• Communication: Ability to express oneself, share and exchange information clearly and in a timely style.
• Innovation & Creativity: Ability to generate new ideas and ways of working to continuously improve existing work processes, practices, concepts

OTHER: This job description indicates in general the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities and other essential functions expected of an incumbent. The job holder will be expected to work to agreed objectives, which should facilitate achievement of the responsibilities in accordance with the performance review process.