Finance Officer at African Development Solutions (Adeso)

POSITION SUMMARY

Based in Nairobi, Kenya, the Finance Officer will be a full-time member of the Adeso Finance team and will play a crucial role in supporting the finance affairs of Adeso and its subsidiaries and work closely with the Finance Manager with the following responsibilities:

FINANCE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide accounting support to Adeso projects and management while ensuring compliance with internal controls, donor regulations and budget restrictions.
• Work with all field finance staff to ensure that all financial transactions are recorded in an accurate and consistent manner and in accordance with quality of the data and agreed timelines. This includes coding of payment vouchers before making payment, and ensure an efficient, proper and transparent financial filing system of all documents relating to finance are maintained (e.g., monthly payment of bills, contracts, rent and local salaries).
• Work closely with the Finance Manager to ensure all reconciliations are performed and posted on a timely basis. This includes cash and bank reconciliations as well as control accounts such as prepayment, accruals, advances, salary control accounts, PAYE Accounts etc.
• Prepare and examine accounting records, financial statements, and other financial reports and ensure accuracy, completeness and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
• Plan for cash flow requirements for the project and submit updated cash forecast and monthly cash requests to the Finance Manager on a timely basis.
• Process and make payments as provided in the approved budgets.
• Ensure timely recovery of all advances including travel and mid-month advances and provide monthly update of any outstanding advances to the staff for liquidations.
• Ensure proper procurement procedures are adhered to at all times, including maintaining of vendor contracts, lease agreements, and any other service contracts as may be required.
• Ensure that proper authorization is obtained for all disbursements. Assess accuracy and completeness of documentation and conformity with reporting and procedural standards.
• Assist in the orientation of new staff (Finance and non-finance staff).
• Assist in the identification of best practices within and outside of Adeso and help in the documentation and implementation of such practices.
• Help in assessing any system gaps and bottlenecks to improve the finance system.
• Assist in the institutional and programme audits and where necessary liaise regularly with auditors (internal and external) and government agencies.
• Undertake regular financial monitoring in the field/country sub-offices and ensure that staff adhere to Adeso and donor financial requirements, policies and procedures; including on matters of recruitment, procurement, allocations of expenses, compliance and reporting.
• Perform systems audit of Adeso Country offices and ensure that all supporting documents, proposals, contracts and amendments with donors follow the internal procedures. Verify that financial reports are coherent and adhere to donor and Adeso standards before submission.
• Assist in the drafting of annual financial statements as and when required.
• Other finance tasks as required.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject.
• Minimum 5 years’ management experience in Finance and Administration in non-profit and private sector organizations.
• Demonstrable knowledge in the following areas: compliance, donor rules and regulations, project management, logistics (including asset management, office management) procurement (including tendering processes, procurement plans).
• Excellent in both spoken and written English.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Strong command of software applications, such as Microsoft Navison, Word processing, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• Experience in writing, rolling out and institutionalizing policies and procedures.
• Personal qualities of integrity and commitment to the mission of Adeso.
• Strong decision making, team building and negotiation skills.
• Excellent management, leadership and people skills.