Finance Officer at International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)

The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is currently recruiting a Finance Officer (FO) for a two-year, FCDO-funded project entitled the Kenya Elections Support Programme (KESP). The program is expected to build upon electoral reforms previously supported by FCDO/DFID in Kenya to contribute to a credible, peaceful and inclusive 2022 general election in Kenya. The program will support:

• Meaningful electoral reforms early in the electoral cycle and effective coordination between relevant institutions; 
• Improvement on standards achieved in the 2017 election, and incorporation of lessons learned for more effective planning, management, strategic communication and stakeholder engagement to build public trust; 
• An enabling environment that leads to more women, youth and persons with disabilities (PWDs) turning out to vote and elected to representative posts; and, 
• Strengthened domestic election observation and monitoring.

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE:   

• The FO will provide office financial, administrative and operation support to the IFES-Kenya field office. Specifically, FO will support the Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) with the day-today management and operationalization of IFES-Kenya’s financial and administrative systems. 

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The FO will assist the DFA with the processing and execution of all financial transactions, expense tracking and record keeping, day-to-day office administration, management of local contracts and purchase orders, and other general support to program activities. Furthermore, the FO will assist with/be responsible for: 

• Preparing local procurement packages and ensure procurements and expenditures are in accordance with FCDO and IFES policies and regulations.  
• Collecting office bills and making payments for regular office expenditures via credit card or IFES’ payment processing system.  
• Ensuring that all deposits and expenses are supported by appropriate documentation as required by IFES policy and donor regulations and are allocated to the appropriate budget category/chart of accounts.  
• Preparing vouchers in QuickBooks and preparing of checks for all project expenditures into QuickBooks accounting system. 
• Preparing, in close cooperation with the DFA, monthly financial reports with supporting documentation for all accounts, to be sent to IFES Headquarters as required.  
• Preparing end of month bank reconciliation and processing monthly payroll including withholding and payment of the necessary taxes to the authorities. 
• Forecasting field office monthly operational costs for cash flow management and preparing monthly wire transfer requests when necessary.  
• Reviewing petty cash custody and reconciliation as required.  
• Processing VAT exemptions for all applicable payments.  
• Tracking local employees’ vacation and sick leave accruals and usages.  
• Supporting the preparation of program events.  
• Overseeing the day-to-day management of all suppliers/vendors and managing all contracts/leases.  
• Providing supervision and mentoring to team members as required. 
• Other duties as assigned by the DFA and/or the CD. 

SKILLS and SPECIFICATIONS: 

• Demonstrated professional experience and knowledge in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), budgeting and fiscal control principles. 
• Familiarity with FCDO rules and regulations on financial management and procurement. 

• Ability to remain highly organized while handling multiple tasks under tight deadlines; 
• Ability to complete tasks with limited supervision; 
• Excellent reporting and document handling skills; 
• Excellent communication skills in order to be able to work with IFES program and administrative staff to identify and resolve issues. 
• Willingness to adhere to all principles of confidentiality. 

• Must value operating in a collaborative and cooperative environment. 
• Ability to show initiative, good judgment, and resourcefulness. 
• Ability to handle sensitive issues and address inclusion matters with integrity 

EDUCATION and QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Business Management or related required. 
• 4 years of experience working with international NGOs on implementation of international technical assistance programs. 
• Experience working on FCDO-funded or other donor-funded programs. 
• Demonstrated professional experience and knowledge in financial and administrative management. 
• Relevant skills in automated accounting software systems and database spreadsheets. 

• Proficiency in Word, Power point, Outlook and Excel. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Professional level of oral and written fluency in English required.   

 TRAVEL: Travel may be required. 

 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: Standard office work environment.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job