Senior Donor Accountant, Somalia Programme at Concern Worldwide

Reports to: Country Financial Controller (CFC), Somalia Programme

Direct Reports: None

Liaises with: Internally – Country Management Team, Programme Coordinators/Managers, Finance team in Mogadishu, Hargeisa & Nairobi, and Logistics team.

Externally – Partners’ staff and management.

Job Location: Nairobi with regular travel to Programme locations in Somalia & Somali land

Job Summary: As a Senior Accountant focusing on donor grants management, the person will be responsible for ensuring that donor budgets and reports are prepared, reviewed and submitted timely. The incumbent will work closely with the budget holders to ensure donor reports are accurate and in line with the approved budgets. She/he will play a key role in ensuring compliance with relevant donor rules and regulations. She/he will support during budget preparation and subsequent budget revisions.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Donor Grant Management & Financial Reporting

• Assist the CFC with the management of donor funds and timely production of donor reports, quarterly and annual financial reports for Dublin.
• Assist budget holders with preparation of donor and organizational budgets; ensure compliance with donor regulations.
• Assist the CFC in the process of obtaining explanations of variances between budget and actual spending, income etc.
• Maintain donor-reporting schedule to ensure timely reporting.
• Actively participate in donor budget preparation, revision and give advice on donor requirements and ensure proposal budget and reports are submitted in the correct format.
• Prepare monthly donor expenditure report using the appropriate financial reporting format by taking into account donor requirements for CFC final review
• Ensure that budget holders review donor transaction lists on monthly basis
• Undertake periodic joint review of donor reports with budget holders based on agreed upon arrangements where any Under/Over utilization will be justified and corrective measures in consultation with the CFC are taken
• Where Concern Somalia is a lead agency in a consortium, consolidate consortium/ reports and budgets on the donor reporting template
• Ensure relevant reports and budgets are reviewed by Regional Accountant before submission to the Donor
• Ensure key donor compliance checklists are available to the relevant staff
• Participate in donor expenditure verification and monitoring
• Undertake mapping of donor budgets against Concern’s Chart of Account
• Represent finance in new proposal/budget development process, donor funded workshops and meetings
• Ensure all relevant donor guidelines, policies, circulars and procedures are readily available, streamlined, complied with during both planning, implementation and close out of grants. Ensuring that relevant staff are informed of donor requirements and are supported adequately to ensure compliance
• Develop and maintain complete donor files consisting donor contract agreements, reports (narrative and financial), correspondences etc. both in hard and soft copies
• Ensure continuous communication with budget holders, Finance staff and Partner staff is maintained at every level of grant management.
• Ensure sign off from appropriate senior Programme representatives is obtained on all donor reports

Organization Budget Revisions

• Update and share with budget holders the ‘Donor funding available’ template with accurate information and on timely manner during budget revisions
• Assist the budget holders to complete the budget templates taking into account that correct budget codes and code categories are used.

Other Duties

• Assist in the facilitation and smooth undertaking of Concern’s programme/projects and Organisational Audit process.
• Cover for the other Finance Staff who may be away on sick leave, annual leave or resign their posts.
• Undertake any other appropriate tasks that may be requested from time to time by the Line Manager

Person specification:

Essentials:

• Qualified Accountants (ACCA /CPA or equivalent)
• A degree in Commerce, Finance, Accounting or related field
• At least five (5) years’ experience in financial and grants management in an INGO with at least three (3) years’ experience in a senior position.
• Knowledge of International donors’ (e.g. DFID, ECHO, EU, IA, USAID / OFDA, UNICEF etc) rules and standard tools for budgeting, spending and reporting.
• Familiar with government policies and regulations on taxation, etc.
• Proven financial management skills - excellent project management, accounting and expenditure verification attention to detail
• Experience on Accounting systems of INGOs
• Prior working experience in Somalia and context knowledge would be an advantage.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision
• Good communication and coordination skills
• Flexible, adaptable and patient
• Advance knowledge and experience of using Excel is MUST

Desirable & Special Skills:

• Ability to organize and prioritize workload
• Good team player and capable of working with multicultural team.
• Ability to cope with stress; work under pressure often to strict deadlines.
• Facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Alertness and vigilance to potential breaches in compliance