Finance/Accountancy Manager at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Objective of the Position:

Coordinating and supervising the accounting at KSU (accounting, treasury, audit procedures, etc.) according to the instructions of the Finance Coordinator, in compliance with legal obligations and MSF standards, protocols in order to provide quality, reliable and transparent information to the organization on the use and allocation of resources.

Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Ensure petty cash boxes are properly handled, cashbooks maintained, and a cash count performed by the accountant responsible for cash in KSU.
• Monitor cash balance levels in KSU, anticipate short-term needs and suggest to Accountants for relevant cash transfers or withdrawals through authorized M-pesa Agents to avoid any shortage.
• Organize currency exchange transactions when needed, according to the country exchange policy.
• Ensure close and proper follow-up of all cash advances in KSU.
• Ensure proper understanding and use of all accounting tools.
• Ensure payments to suppliers are performed in a strict but swift manner, in accordance with the MSF purchasing and payment procedures.
• Ensure compliance with cash control procedures for each cashbox: cashbook updated at every single transaction IN/OUT, daily cash count, weekly cash inventory including reconciliation with MSF Finance ERP system (Unifield) together with line manager, complete cash inventory performed and signed on last day of the month.
• Ensure any cash discrepancy is investigated (and reported to finance coordinator if not identified)
• Checks and ensures refunds are properly followed-up and encoded (private telephone calls, medical refunds, etc)
• Checks all employees’ payslips before forwarding the transfer list to the bank.
• Checks all bank reconciliations of KSU accounts.
• Prepares and forwards monthly PAYE payments to KRA
• Manages the HR journal in UNIFIELD
• Follows up on Withholding tax deductions/ remittance and issues tax certificates to the suppliers.
• Checks and follows up all VAT exemption applications done to Regional Protocol Office and reconciles the applications with the VAT tracking report shared by the Regional Protocol office.
• Monthly, reconciles the VAT exemption applied with the VAT entries in UNIFIELD, identifies the ones not applied and follows up with the accountant responsible.
• Monthly, reconciles purchases accounts with sales accounts to ensure all the purchases for clients have been correctly reinvoiced to the clients.
• Develop relevant and suggest improvements to existing tools and forms to help finance staff record and follow-up recurrent costs in a proper and consistent manner (incentives, per diems, utilities, refunds, etc)
• Responsible for quality of all KSU’s receipts / vouchers.
• Ensure vouchers are properly presented and stamped, including all relevant & required validation signatures and attach any relevant and required support documents.
• Report immediately any litigious / suspicious voucher / receipt / document to the finance coordinator.
• Sending personalized feedback to the relevant accountant/administrator in case vouchers are incomplete or invalid, request missing documents, before filing & archiving the accounting.
• Ensure availability, knowledge, and strict compliance with MSF accounting guideline.
• Responsible to conduct monthly accounting controls [cross-checks of accounting] to ensure the quality, accuracy and consistency of KSU’s accounting.
• Responsible for monthly closing process is properly done and sent to Head Quarters in due time.
• Performs and supervises regular accounting controls, through regular cross-checks and spot-checks of accounting to ensure quality, accuracy and consistency of the mission accounts.
• Responsible for quality and accuracy of data-entry in Unifield of the mission accounts: ensure encoding done every day by accountant, consistency with receipts/paper accounting, proper use of chart of accounts, respect of standard encoding guidelines for descriptions, etc
• Ensures and checks the budget lines are properly encoding in Unifield which will reflect in MSF Finance budget software (Wefin) and inform the Accountants if any correction is needed.
• Providing the necessary support to Finco and inform on the audit time lines with all department managers to make sure they can support during audit.
• Facilitates and coordinates external audit process in KSU.
• Collaborates with the Supply Chain Manager to execute the inventory processes in the warehouse and leads the administrative part [e.g. encoding, reconciliation].
• Ensures the external auditors are provided with the necessary information needed during audit.
• Supports external auditors with the right information to execute the audit and derive accurate audited financial reports.
• In collaboration with the finance team implement the recommendations made by auditors in the management letter.
• Monthly and year-end accounting closing.
• Management and supervision of the technical Finance staff.
• Prepares the annual tax returns.
• Immediately inform Finance coordinator and/or FAA of any problem or issue arising in the course of the work.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Education: CPA (K) and University degree in accounting, finance or business administration.
• Experience: Essential 4 years previous experience in similar relevant position, MSF experience in Accountancy is an asset, Business mindset and International Financial reporting experience is an added value.
• Skills/ Competences: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to multitask, prioritise, time management, attentive to details, flexible and adaptability, accurate, diplomacy, culturally sensitive and able to work under pressure.
• Desired Knowledge: Computer literacy (Microsoft Office Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), MSF accounting software, ERP system knowledge, good understanding of local laws.
• Language: Proficiency in written and oral English & Swahili.