Accountant and Administrative Support Specialist

About Palladium

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver a positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 3,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.

Project Overview and Role

The USAID Enterprises, Employment, and Enabling Environments (E4) Activity aims to increase employment and jobs through increased private sector productivity and competitiveness. The theory of change is: “For the number of jobs to increase, businesses must grow; and for businesses to grow, constraints preventing growth must be removed.” Following this logic, Palladium will focus on removing obstacles to growth at the firm level and will work to develop skills identified by employers or develop entrepreneurial expertise. Additionally, Palladium will work to address legal and regulatory constraints if they are determined to be significant inhibitors of firm growth. These efforts will result in the creation of new firms, the growth of existing firms, and new job creation.

Work performed under the E4 IDIQ is divided into three components:

• Component 1: Enterprises – Fostering Competitive Industries
• Component 2: Employment – Developing a Capable Workforce and Entrepreneurship
• Component 3: Enabling Environments – Creating Conditions for Jobs and Investment

The E4 IDIQ regional office is located in Almaty, Kazakhstan and country offices are located in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

This Opportunity

The Future Growth Initiative (FGI) Task Order will increase the competitiveness of high-growth industries to provide jobs and incomes for Central Asia’s growing workforce, propelling the region toward self-reliance. FGI will transform market systems in ways that help high-potential firms and sectors grow, foster market linkages to match the demand for workforce skills with training offered to youth and women, link entrepreneurs to high-growth markets, and build more business- and worker-friendly policy environments and institutions to sustain private sector-driven growth.

Palladium seeks an Accountant and Administrative Support Specialist for the FGI Task Order under the USAID E4 Activity. Activities performed under this Task Order will cover Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The Accountant and Administrative Support Specialist is responsible for establishing and maintaining the project’s financial system, including accounting procedures for invoicing, payroll, and all project expenses as well as overall regional budget management of the project in coordination with the Manager of Finance, Grants, and Administration as well as other senior project staff.

Duration: The FGI Task Order under the USAID E4 Activity is projected for 5 years (October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2024)

Location – Almaty, Kazakhstan

Reporting and Supervision – This position reports to the Chief of Party.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

General Responsibilities:

• Reconcile project accounting and provide back-up documentation of all financial transactions twice a month to the home office
• Assist in producing field vouchers
• Maintain all accounting records in the 1c Accounting system
• Assist to prepare VAT refund procedure on a quarterly basis
• Monitor vendor invoices and disburse payments upon approval of the COP
• Prepare annual and quarterly tax reports
• Submit quarterly reports to the National bank of Kazakhstan, and statistical reports
• Assist in the review and update of the rolling forecast for the regional office
• Assist team members in preparing and formatting Travel Advance Request and Expense Reports

Administrative Support:

• Assist in the administration of human resource functions, such as recruitment of project staff, processing Independent Consultants agreements, performance appraisal, administration of employee benefits and allowances;
• Assist in the orientation of new staff, interns, and consultants by providing them with the necessary documents and materials for orientation;
• Update inventory records in the assets registry and issue and distribute property in accordance with policy and procedures;
• Administer and manage petty cash, and perform micro purchases;
• Assist in drafting solicitations and technical specifications to ensure completeness, accuracy, and competitive qualities, generate bid matrix, and compile procurement documentation;
• Office management, including arrangement of cleaning services, office supplies; assist in the development of Lease contract agreement, associated amendments, and other office-related activities;
• Assist other team members in submitting necessary documentation to the public service center, migration and tax departments; submit notifications to visa-migration portal;
• Other duties as assigned.

Procurement:

• Oversee the financial aspect of the procurement of goods and services for the project, ensuring compliance with Palladium and USAID policies
• Review invoices for local services for the project
• Manage and preserve hard-copy records of transactions, procurement documents; ensure fast and accurate retrieval

Key Competencies Required

• Three (3) years of experience in finance and accounting; administrative work
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or similar discipline
• Microsoft Office Suite proficiency and the ability to operate spreadsheet and word-processing programs at a highly proficient level
• Proactive problem-solving, decision-making, and good judgment skills
• Demonstrated ability and commitment to manage confidential information
• Attention to detail and ability to perform multiple tasks and balance competing priorities effectively and efficiently
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to communicate effectively with managers, colleagues, service providers and clients.

Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred

• Experience with USAID accounting/financial procedures
• Experience with 1C Accounting platform
• Knowledge of local legislation on taxation, labor relations, administration of HR
• Experience of providing financial report, tax report
• Experience of VAT refunding procedure
• Knowledge of office management systems and procedures

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success, and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce. All job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include (but are not limited to) socio-economic experience, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations due to a disability, or you are a neurodivergent individual, or for any other circumstance, please email our team at [email protected]. We will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients, and the communities we work with from harm.” We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process, including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.