Regional Programme Accountant East Africa

ABOUT IDLO

The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) enables governments and empowers people to reform laws and strengthen institutions to promote peace, justice, sustainable development, and economic opportunity. We contribute to creating stable and inclusive societies where every person can live free from fear and want, in dignity and under the rule of law.

To learn more about IDLO, please visit our website, www.idlo.int or follow us on Twitter @IDLO.

THE POSITION

Under the direct supervision of the Finance and Grants Manager, the Regional Programme Accountant East Africa supports the implementation of programmes, in the East Africa countries. The Regional Programme Accountant is responsible for overall financial program cycle support, ensuring that the country offices’ financial management for the regional countries (Kenya, Uganda, and Somalia) is performed following IDLO policies and procedures and respective donors’ rules and regulations. The incumbent interacts with internal as well as external functions to also ensure that there is proper management of donor grants and contract agreements by ensuring that financial data correctly represents approved program activities and that coding of expenses is done in line with approved budgets. S/he will ensure there is adequate availability of funds within the country offices at any one time and that appropriate procedures are in place to minimize risk of foreign exchange exposures.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for:

Accounting & Compliance

• Review monthly country office financial management reports; Ensure revenue and expenditure are booked correctly into the accounting system.
• Ensure timely month-end close, reports package is accurate, and all data are reconciling with the accounting system (MS Navision)
• Review and check country office financial reports and transactions in line with IDLO policies and procedures; ensure that all reports comply with respective donor rules and regulations.
• Perform compliance checks to verify that costs recorded are program-related and that necessary documentation is available as proof of receipt of services or goods.
• Monitor distribution and allocation of costs between projects, ensuring compliance with grant documents and the IDLO chart of accounts. Identify misallocations and recommend corrective actions.
• Support assigned country offices during the month-end closing procedures, facilitating the incorporation of accurate and verified data into the HQ financial system (MS Navision).
• Prepare monthly consolidated financial management reports documenting the outcome of the financial review, highlighting findings and recommendations proposed. Work closely with the country offices’ finance team to implement corrective action.

Budgets & Reporting

• Prepare budgets incorporating relevant qualitative information; provide recommendations for cost allocations between direct and indirect costs and assist with budget re-alignment.
• Monitor expenditures against budgets and cash flows monthly; identify issues as they arise and propose appropriate preventative interventions and solutions in a timely fashion, in collaboration with budget holders.
• Prepare financial reports for donors, analyzing budget vs. actual and ensuring that expenditures are complying with donor regulations and agreed on framework.

Grants and Sub-grants

• Support the country offices to Coordinate the sub-granting processes, monitoring, and management systems to ensure effective and timely issuance, reporting, and oversight of all sub-grants.
• Review country offices’ periodical findings reports of subgrants monitoring and support the Finance Managers and Country Managers for timely corrective actions (including audit action plan).
• Monitor donor grants and issue invoices to facilitate drawdown of funds; administer wire fund requests to donors in a timely manner and ensure that necessary funds are available to implement program activities.

Treasury & forex management

• Review and approve consolidated monthly wire cash requests from the country office for processing; ensure that all funds required are properly allocated in line with planned program activities.
• Monitor country office exposure to foreign currency fluctuation and advise appropriate actions to minimize any risk.

Staff guidance and training

• Coach country office finance team providing necessary technical guidance on accounting issues.
• Provide expert advice and training on various donor rules and regulations.
• Guide team members, as the focal point for Programme Finance, on IDLO financial policies and procedures.

Audit

• Focal point for program audit activities and liaise with internal/external auditors providing the technical input and all necessary documentation required during audits.
• Undertake regular country office visits for monitoring and compliance checks; follow up on audit recommendations and propose improvements to ensure accountability.

Country office training and support

• Act as the primary liaison for the country offices in advising the staff regarding applicable finance IDLO policies and procedures.
• Assist in the implementation of various finance policies and procedures as part of the Continuous Improvement Process – CIP.
• Regularly visit the country offices for monitoring and compliance checks and follow up on audit recommendations and propose ways of improving on compliance & accountability.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or business is required.
• Qualified professional accountant – ACCA or CPA and a member of a relevant accounting body.

Experience

• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive experience ideally within an international intergovernmental/international non-governmental organization; specific regional experiences will be an advantage.
• Substantial professional experience with all aspects of financial accounting, including application of international accounting standards – IPSAS. Audit experience will be an added advantage.
• Hands-on experience in improving the effectiveness of finance functions and processes.

Language

• Fluent oral and writing skills in English are required.

Specific knowledge, skills, and competencies

• Demonstrated work experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (preferably with MS NAVISION) and business intelligent reporting tools like Power BI.
• Strong client service ethics; solid team-oriented interpersonal skills, including facilitation.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• High degree of accuracy to ensure correctness of financial information.
• Ability to effectively interact with a wide variety of people, including senior managers, on complex issues.
• Ability and willingness to travel to field offices, including unstable contexts.
• Good team player, positive attitude, and comfortable in working in multi-cultural settings.
• Keen sense of ethics, integrity, and commitment to IDLO’s mandate.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

For this internationally professional recruited position, IDLO shall offer the selected candidate an Affiliate contract of 12 months, with the possibility of extension subject to performance and availability of funding.

IDLO shall also offer a yearly basic salary of EUR 48,000 and a benefits package including provident fund contribution, medical insurance, leave entitlements in accordance with IDLO Employee Regulations and Rules. Relocation and installation support are also available for internationally recruited employees.

Salaries and benefits paid by IDLO to employees are exempt from taxation in Italy. IDLO employees are responsible for compliance with income tax laws of their country of nationality or residence and/or of any other relevant fiscal jurisdiction.

Applications will be screened on regular basis; a qualified applicant might be recruited before the deadline. In the interest of making most effective use of resources, only the short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process.

IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome applications of qualified and diverse candidates.

IDLO is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance at all levels within its workforce. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for IDLO vacancies.

IDLO does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse, any kind of harassment, including harassment of a sexual nature, or discrimination. As such, IDLO will conduct careful reference and background checks of all selected candidates as part of its selection process.

The Application Deadline is 13 February 2024