FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICER – OPEN ONLY TO TANZANIA CITIZENS, MAY 2019

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICER – OPEN ONLY TO TANZANIA CITIZENS, MAY 2019
Deadline Date: Friday, 24 May 2019
Organization: Solidaridad
Country: United Republic of Tanzania
City: Arusha
Solidaridad
Solidaridad is a global civil society organization (CSO) that provides market driven solutions for sustainable production practices across different supply chains. We envision a world in which all we produce, and all we consume, can sustain us while respecting the planet, each other and the next generations. Our mission is to bring together supply chain players and engage them with innovative solutions to improve production, ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes the benefit for all stakeholders.
Position Title: Finance and Administration Officer
Duration: 1 year contract (extension based on performance and avaiailability of funding)
Reporting line: Regional Senior Finance Manager / Country Projects Representative-Tanzania
Duty Station: Tanzania Country Office in Arusha, with occasional upcountry travel
Position Overview
Solidaridad Eastern & Central Africa seeks to recruit a dynamic and self-driven individual to fill the position of Finance and Administration Officer, tenable in Arusha-Tanzania. The successful candidate shall provide accounting and financial compliance support to Solidaridad Tanzania’s country project teams, and is expected to conduct accounting analyses, development and maintenance of various accounting reports, ensure accuracy of general ledger transactions, and other accounting matters. S/he shall be accountable for monitoring the progress of projects, investigating variances, approving expenses, and ensuring that project funds issued to contracted parties are prudently utilized, duly and fully accounted for.
Tasks and Responsibilities
Accounting and Financial Compliance Support

1. Monitoring field and country office transactions and operations to ensure that they are compliant with internal control procedures adopted by Solidaridad East and Central African Regional Expertise Center’s financial reporting requirements;
2. Review general ledger transactions received from field and country offices to identify deviations from procedures described in the Field Financial Manual/Process Guidelines, and work with field/country office accounting staff on corrections;
3. Ensure financial documents are uploaded on PLAZA; monitor project prepaid transactions to ensure timely reallocation of costs; review, analyze and follow up with field/country offices on all balance sheet account reconciliations and outstanding accounts receivable (employee, consultants, sub-recipients / partners);
4. Review and/or approve project related cash advance, travel expense reports, and procurement invoices; and prepare project specific monthly field expense variance analysis.
5. Reconcile and close out project balance sheet accounts upon project completion, assist with the annual audit process, coordinate with field offices compilations of field office audit samples, and assist with donor audits by preparing audit samples and schedules.
6. Managing financial and operational risk by executing fiduciary responsibilities as delegated by the Solidaridad Secretariat.
7. Funding daily cash flows and maintaining appropriate levels of liquidity;

Project Accounting

1. Create project accounts in the accounting system, maintain project-related records, including contracts and authorize access to project accounts;
2. Authorize the transfer of expenses into and out of project-related accounts, and approve project activities based on available budgets;
3. Review and approve overhead charges to be applied to a project, and determine account totals related to project assets and expenses;
4. Investigate project variances and submit variance reports to management; report to management on any opportunities for additional expenses, and any remaining funding available for projects.
5. Create or approve all project-related expenses to contracted parties, and investigate all project expenses not billed.
6. Approve the write-off of any project-related expenses that cannot be billed to or collected from contracted parties, and close-out project accounts upon project completion / termination;
7. Create and submit government reports and tax returns related to projects, and compile information for external auditors as required;
8. File all financial and Field activity records according to the existing filing system;
9. Ensure reconciliations of staff field travel cash floats and banking of any cash returns;
10. Maintain petty cash account in QuickBooks and make surprise office petty cash counts;
11. Support partner organizations in financial training, reporting and ensure their reports have adequate supporting documents.
12. Prepare, code, total and batch payment requisitions for subsequent checks by the Regional Finance & Administration Manager.

Resource Management and Control

1. Ensure that the day-to-day accounting operations and financial management functions in field office are performed in accordance with internal policy and procedures.
2. Assist Program / Project Managers in developing and seeking approvals for activity budgets and expenditure.
3. Maintain budget control and monitor cash flows for all projects activities.
4. Coordinate and facilitate the procurement requirements of the project office on the basis of the procurement policy guidelines.
5. Review and account for procurement transactions to ensure adequate supporting documentation, accuracy of amounts and control over payments.
6. Maintain accurate records of financial transactions in order to monitor financial status of project activities, ensuring all accounting data are updated, reconciled and fully supported.
7. Maintain a bank monitoring report and ensure there are sufficient funds before payments are released.
8. Ensure safe custody of cash during working hours, and that cash limits approved are observed.
9. Ensure that invoices received reconcile to purchase orders and matching receipts to purchase orders and expenses.
10. Perform other work duties assigned by the Regional Finance & Administration Manager, and top management.

A. Skills and Competencies

1. Detail-oriented and ability to multi-task.
2. Strong interpersonal and time management skills.
3. Strong financial accounting skills
4. Leadership skills in motivating teams, resolving conflicts, and decision making;
5. Excellent client-facing and internal communication skills;
6. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
7. Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multitasking skills
8. Time management and prioritization;
9. Skilled in cost-estimation, developing, tracking budgets and ensuring prudent use of project resources
10. Analytical skills in problem solving, data analysis, and decision making;
11. Inventory control, supervision and project management skills;
12. Proficient in project management
13. Ability to assemble, inspire and motivate a great team;
14. Action oriented strategic thinker;
15. Effective communicator with strong relationship building skills and abilities;
16. Capacity to understand embrace new technology and strategic ideas;
17. Passion to empower teams through capacity development;
18. Integrity and objectivity.

B. Qualifications

1. NBAA- Intermediate stage or professional level III with at least two years field experience or
2. Degree in Accounting with at least three-years’ of work experience
3. Computer literate, Proficient in Quick-books and comfortable with e-accounting packages.

Core Competencies and Personal Attributes

1. Quality-oriented, problem-solver, and ethical professional
2. Accountable, dependable team-player;
3. Self-driven, good communicator able to work under pressure and deliver desired results;
4. Pleasant disposition

Interested?
Send a one-page motivation statement outlining your suitability for this position, your salary expectations and availability, and your Curriculum Vitae to:
recruitment.secaec@solidaridadnetwork.org
This position is open only to Tanzania Citizens. Solidaridad is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.