Accounts Assistant at Flying Kites Leadership Academy - FKLA

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP: Reports to Financial Accountant

GENERAL SUMMARY: The Accounts Assistant plays a support role in meeting all operational goals and objectives of the Finance Department at the Flying Kites Leadership Academy (FKLA) in Kenya. He/she is responsible for managing the daily accounts and all clerical duties of the Finance Department, including petty cash, invoice processing, tracking school fee payments, maintaining accurate records and preparing up-to-date weekly reports. In addition, s/he is responsible for asset management and recordkeeping consistent with FKLA policies and procedures. In conjunction with the Procurement officer, the Accounts Assistant oversees and manages the distribution of supplies through the “school store,” ensuring proper resource allocation and use. The Accounts Assistant consistently maintains the highest levels of professionalism and ethics and plays a key role monitoring and ensuring strict compliance by all employees with departmental policies, procedures, authorizations and regulations. This role requires exceptional numerical, organizational, and communication skills, and the ability to multi task.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manages and controls petty cash transactions, ensuring accurate recordkeeping and adherence to policies and procedures. Regularly audits petty cash transactions for compliance and accuracy.
• Ensures accurate processing and recordkeeping of all bank deposits and other transactions; prepares monthly reconciliation of direct debits and school accounts.
• Prepares and processes all invoices and fees related to student accounts; ensures prompt payment, maintains accurate reports, and notifies appropriate personnel on the status of delinquent accounts.
• Reviews and processes all invoices, ensuring accurate and timely payments and maintaining clear records.
• Prepares and updates weekly and monthly expense, budget and other reports, as requested by Finance Accountant.
• Assists with the budget preparation process and maintains accurate records and updates to budget as directed by Finance Accountant.
• Processes expense reimbursements for employees, ensuring compliance with all policies and procedures and accurate recordkeeping.
• Captures, manages and monitors all financial transactions in the internal accounts database in order to maintain accurate and up-to-date digital and physical financial records.
• Prepares, updates and maintains spreadsheets, accounting journals and ledgers and other financial records.
• ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Performs account reconciliations of all balance sheet accounts as requested by the Financial Accountant.
• Serves as primary Finance Department resource when Financial Accountant is unavailable or absent; provides assistance with inquiries concerning financial information.
• Supports all aspects of the payroll and related statutory tax procedures, in consultation with the HR Officer, by collecting, auditing and processing timesheets and overtime payments, verifying tax compliance, ensuring statutory deductions are submitted to the relevant offices in a timely manner, and confirming that all employees receive proper tax statements from relevant government bodies.
• Assists the Financial Accountant in the annual financial audit and interim audit process by ensuring compliance and proper record keeping.
• Sets up new accounts in the general ledger; reconciles selected general ledger accounts; prepares journal entries for reclassification of expenses, as needed.
• Assists in the monthly stock taking, asset tagging and management.
• Analyses data to resolve accounting problems and discrepancies.
• Performs filing and general administrative tasks in the Finance Department.
• Liaises professionally with other departments to ensure compliance with data management policies and procedures.

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

Education and Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, Finance Option or a minimum of CPA 4
• Minimum of 1-year experience, as an Accounts Assistant or clerk, preferably within a Kenyan School environment.
• Knowledge of basic bookkeeping procedures and familiarity with finance regulations
• Technical proficiency with MS Excel and familiarity with the use of accounting software (QuickBooks/Pastel)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Fluency in English and Swahili.
• Well-developed and mature professional interpersonal skills; ability to interact effectively with colleagues at all organisational levels.
• Exceptional quality management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with appropriate discretion.
• Ability to respond quickly and maintain composure in situations that impact the safety and security of children.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion when making independent decisions.

Additional Requirements:

• An incident-free Children’s Check and National Police Check (Certificate of Good Conduct) is a strict condition of employment and must be provided at time of hire and updated on request.
• Weekend and after-hours work is expected and required to meet organisational priorities.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned to support coverage for colleagues who are absent, on holiday or personal leave.

Working Conditions:

• All Kenya-based positions are based from the Njabini campus and subject to occasional interruptions in power and/or Internet access.
• All of our programs and objectives serve children from preschool through young adults. Our workplace is thus regularly accessed and impacted by children.