Accounts Assistant at Ikigai

About the Role

• The Finance team supports the objectives of the company by providing reliable, relevant, and timely financial information that facilitates decision making. The Finance team includes an Accounts Assistant who can provide support with accounts payables- and receivables-related work.
• The Accounts Assistant will provide support to the Finance & Accounting team on data entry, recordkeeping, and other accounts payables and receivables related work.
• This role reports to the Finance Manager.

Who we are looking for

• The Finance Assistant supports the smooth running of Ikigai’s Finance & Procurement Department by ensuring accurate financial records, timely reconciliations, efficient payment processing, and reliable financial reporting.
• You are the right person if you enjoy working with numbers, solving problems, and keeping things organized. You are detail-oriented and take pride in getting things right, even when handling multiple tasks at once.
• You thrive in a busy environment, manage your time well, and consistently meet deadlines. You are comfortable working with financial systems, particularly QuickBooks, and can spot discrepancies, investigate them, and follow through until they are resolved.
• You are dependable, accountable, and proactive. You take ownership of your work, handle financial information with integrity and discretion, and understand the importance of accuracy in every transaction.
• You enjoy working with people, collaborate well across teams, and are approachable when colleagues need support. You are adaptable, eager to learn, and always looking for ways to improve how things are done.

Education and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
• Relevant Professional Certification in Accounting : Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Experience

• 1–3 years of relevant accounting experience, with a sound understanding of basic accounting principles and practices. Experience in the hospitality industry is an added advantage.
• Experience using QuickBooks is highly preferred.
• Experience in accounts payable, revenue and collections, reconciliations, and financial reporting is preferred.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when processing financial transactions, reconciling accounts, and maintaining financial records.
• Punctual, professional, thorough, and accountable, with a strong sense of integrity.
• A quick-learning self-starter who works well in a fast-paced environment.
• Highly organized and efficient, with excellent time-management skills and the ability to prioritize tasks effectively when multiple deadlines coincide.
• Collaborative and approachable, able to work well with the Finance & Procurement team and other departments, while independently taking ownership of tasks and ensuring they are completed.
• Adaptable and solutions-oriented, willing to learn, take feedback, own mistakes, and continuously improve.

Key Responsibilities

Food & Beverage Revenue and Collections

• Record daily Food & Beverage (F&B) point-of-sale (POS) sales in QuickBooks, ensuring all transactions are accurately and completely captured.
• Reconcile daily M-Pesa and PDQ collections against recorded F&B sales, investigate discrepancies, and follow up with the relevant teams to ensure timely resolution.
• Prepare the weekly F&B Debtors Report, monitor outstanding balances, and coordinate follow-ups with the relevant teams to facilitate timely collection.

Inventory Control

• Initiate and coordinate stock takes across all sites, ensuring accurate stock counts and proper documentation of results.
• Prepare stock variance reports, identify significant discrepancies between physical stock counts and recorded balances, and escalate variances for investigation and resolution.

Accounts Payable

• Receive and verify supplier invoices, post approved invoices to QuickBooks, and maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date records in the pending bills file.
• Perform supplier statement reconciliations for assigned accounts, investigate discrepancies, and follow up with suppliers and internal teams to resolve outstanding items.
• Prepare the weekly petty cash payment plan, coordinate payment processing, and initiate petty cash payments in line with established approval procedures.
• Record supplier payments in QuickBooks promptly and accurately, ensuring payments are properly documented and allocated to the relevant supplier accounts.

Reconciliation and Reporting

• Reconcile assigned Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss (P&L) accounts, investigate reconciling items, and ensure outstanding differences are followed up and resolved promptly.
• Conduct basic financial analysis of assigned accounts and business units, identifying unusual movements, variances, and trends, and providing clear explanations supported by relevant data.
• Prepare and present P&L performance reports for the assigned business unit, highlighting key financial results, significant variances against budget or prior periods where applicable, and the factors driving performance.
• Respond to queries from the assigned business unit regarding reported financial results and provide relevant explanations to support understanding and informed decision-making.
• Provide additional support to the Finance & Accounting Team as required to support the smooth and efficient execution of departmental activities.

Essential Skills and Competencies

• Passion for and understanding of Ikigai’s mission and values, with a genuine commitment to contributing to a positive, collaborative, and people-centered workplace culture.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate financial information clearly and professionally.
• High attention to detail and accuracy when processing transactions, maintaining records, and preparing reports.
• Demonstrated integrity, reliability, accountability, and a strong sense of responsibility.
• Strong work ethic, professionalism, self-awareness, and the ability to work collaboratively with empathy and respect for others.
• Practical problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify discrepancies, investigate issues, and follow through on resolutions.
• Basic computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Good organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage recurring reporting requirements

The Finance Assistant must love building communities and helping others work as a team, enjoy the idea of being part of something bigger than any one person, and take pride in a job well done and in positively impacting the Ikigai community.

At Ikigai, we are just as interested in how someone fits with our culture, as their ability to get the job done. For anyone joining the Finance team, we are also interested in whether:

• You show up to work as your true and authentic self. Whether that is having a talent for Lingala dancing, baking, reading, or sleeping in & watching Netflix.
• You enjoy teamwork and collaboration. When you are stuck you ask for help and are a candid communicator.
• You take pride in being detail-oriented and are highly organized. You have excellent work planning & time management skills, and can effectively prioritize both urgent & important tasks when everything is happening at once.
• You hold yourself to the highest standards of personal and professional integrity. You maintain confidentiality when appropriate and you know when & how to professionally pull in support when faced with a challenging people-related situation.