Position Overview
The overall responsibility of the role is to comply with relevant accounting, tax and audit regulations in the Country when handling employees and external customers so to foster compliance of statutory implications. The right hire for this position has a passion for serving customers and has a strong work ethic on integrity matters and reports on a needs basis to the President & Chief Operating Officer.
Role and Responsibilities
Financial Accounting, Audit, Payroll and Reporting
Responsible for preparing of financial information including accounts, financial statements, tax returns and variance analysis reports as per set deadlines.
Provide professional expert advice and guidance to senior managers, President & COO, CEO and Board of Directors to help in the decision making process for both long and short term decisions.
Management of the financial accounting & reporting, general accounting policies and financial analyses of the organization. Reports, measures and interprets the results of operations
Ensures compliance with the general ledger and established procedures.
Evaluate, and examine policies, procedures and systems in place at all KickStart offices to ensure that these are operating to protect assets of the organization.
Evaluate and examine the reliability and integrity of financial information and the efficient and effective use of resources at all KickStart offices.
Review and ensure that offices are operating by complying with policies, procedures and international accounting and reporting standards and regulations.
Conduct periodic operational reviews or internal audits, report the results and make recommendations to management on areas that need improvement.
Follow up on the progress of implementation of recommendations and directions from the outcome of both the internal and annual audits and report to the President & Chief Operating Officer and Chief Finance Officer on the result of the reports.
Assist individuals who perform operational and financial activities with risk assessments and action plans in their responsibility areas to heighten awareness of major exposures, loss potential, and /or transactional anomalies and facilitate discussions of practical ways to manage or avoid them.
Maintain a working relationship with external auditors, manage the annual audit process and develop action plans on annual audit findings and response to management letter issues.
Demonstrate and help institute high standards of conduct and ethics as well as appropriate judgment, independence and discretion amongst finance and other key staff.
Maintain correspondence, reports, and other materials and projects and submit reports and documents as deemed necessary for projects such as Board Reports, Budget Reports, Donor Reports etc.
Prepare regular cash flow projection reports for management and the board of directors
Review and update systems and accounting software for financial purposes
Budgeting, Finance Forecasting & Cash Flow Management
Works closely with the management to prepare annual budgets, short/ long term financial forecasts and manages the cash flow and prepare cash flow forecasts in accordance with policy.
Monitor and review financial forecasts and ensure that plans are adequately implemented and monitored throughout the year.
Identify ways to reduce costs, enhance value and improve cash flow position of the organization
Take active role in working with senior managers in developing long term plans for efficiency savings and improvements in value for money – finding areas where there is a big bang for the buck!
Work with managers to develop and awareness of financial performance requirements and the need for budgetary control
To provide guidance to the costing, pricing and financial planning of the organization
Produce donor budgets for proposal writing, donor tracking and reporting.
Leadership and Team Management
Capacity building: Recruit, train, develop and induct financial management and accounting staff
Performance Management: Manage employee performance e.g. Weekly/monthly continuous performance discussions and provision of feedback. Translate strategy into executable plans while motivating your team with clear direction by setting clear goals and KPIs each quarter.
Succession Planning: Develop the next leadership bench in your team through identifying and working with the HR Team in developing your team’s talent potential e.g. coach, mentor and facilitate development of direct reports.
Behavioral Role Model: Emulate Kickstart’s values through rewarding the right behavior.
Team Engagement: Engage employees and manage diversity within the workplace by encouraging and personally participating in employee engagement activities.
Skills, Experiences, and Competencies
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent with major course work in Accounting or Finance.
Professional accounting qualification such as CPA, ACCA
Over eight years of progressively responsible accounting and auditing experience.
Knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS).
Ability to understand and apply some government laws, regulations and compliance requirements on issues such as taxes is mandatory.
Project Accounting or Knowledge in the NGO sector is mandatory.