Position Title: Accountant – General Accounting, Church World Service (CWS)

Published May 10, 2022 · Updated May 10, 2022

Job Description

Reports To: Senior Accountant

Division: Immigration & Refugee Program+ (IRP+)

Department: Administration, Finance

Job Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Grade Level: Grade 6, Senior Officer, National

Introduction: Church World Service (CWS) is a not-for-profit, faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable solutions to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. CWS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, genetic information, age, disability or veteran status in employment or in the provision of services.

Primary Purpose:

This position is responsible for the daily expenditure, management and maintenance of the RSC Africa financial records, in accordance with the guidelines of DOS/PRM and RSC Africa policies and procedures. The position also acts as a back up to the Senior Accountant and works closely with the Regional Deputy Director for Administration, Human Resources staff, General Services staff and other staff in the Administration and Operations Departments.

Essential Duties:

Administer, disbursements and replenish the Shilling and Dollar petty cash funds.
Enter check and petty cash payments into ERP accounting system.
Enter data into the accounts receivable module and distribute quarterly debtors’ statements to staff/Bill staff with any owed amounts.
Assist and organizes relevant documents for the annual audit both internal and external.
Receives refunds of unused travel cash advances and any other cash and check refunds, issue receipts for any refunds received and ensure regular and timely banking of all refunds received.
Performs quarterly stock-take of Inventory, prepare and submits a report on variances to the Regional Deputy Director for Administration and General Services Manager (Administration Coordinator) for follow up.
Assist in budget preparation by providing requested data.
Follow sound accounting procedures and practices in conformity with payment documents SOPs, GAAP, IAS and OMB circulars to ensure accuracy and transparency on the use of US Government’s funds.
Review purchase requests before they are turned into purchase orders.
Prepare bank reconciliations on monthly basis and do a follow-up of outstanding checks to ensure they are cleared in time. Reverse long outstanding checks so that they do not keep on appearing on the reconciliation.
Reconcile and disburse monthly, quarterly and annual statutory deductions and returns, including pension, withholding tax, NHIF, NSSF, PAYE within the statutory period.
Prepare and disburse accounts payable for approved purchases and contracts according to procedures and policies in place.
Undertake all duties as may be assigned by supervisor in order to improve on internal controls and financial operations for the overall achievement of RSC Africa’s goals and objectives
Offer general support to other country offices.
Archiving: all finance documents should be filed in sequence based on document numbers either manually or digitally to ensure we have a proper data management system and as well, in preparation for future audits.
Mpesa disbursement, posting and reconciliations
Conduct GL Reconciliation and Journals on a monthly basis.
Prepare staff telephone bill report and any other receivable and send to payroll section on monthly basis.
Review and ensure that trip(Travel) Expense Reports are reviewed and duly signed by the relevant staff supervisors and filed appropriately.
Other duties as may be assign

Qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting, Finance or other Business Degree or four (4) years of experience in lieu of a degree required.
CPA/ACCA/CIMA finalist with minimum 4 years of relevant experience
Advanced MS skills to include (advanced Excel)

Experience:

5 years of paid work experience is required.
2 years directly related specialized experience performing the essential duties in finance is required.
Experience in the Non-Governmental sector preferred.

Skills:

Knowledge of Excel spreadsheets and Sage 300 or similar accounting software required.
Knowledge of fund and accrual accounting principles is required.

Education & Certifications:

Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting, Finance or other Business Degree or four (4) years of experience in lieu of a degree required.
Computer Literacy and CPA qualification necessary for the position is preferred.

Abilities:

Manage large and diverse workload under pressure with competing priorities.
Maintain the integrity of official records;
Analyze and solve complex problems and make sound decisions;
Work with minimal supervision
Maintain a high performance standard with attention to detail;
Work independently and contribute to overall operations of RSC Africa;
Actively participate in the implementation of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

Important Requirements:

Strong English communication skills, both written and oral.
Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment required.
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and willingness to support CWS’ Platform on Racial Justice as a CWS employee required.

Special Requirements:

COVID Vaccination is strongly recommended for all successful candidates
The candidate should be of good health, willing and able to travel extensively in often difficult conditions, and have a high degree of flexibility. Must have proof of Yellow Fever vaccination before traveling for RSC Africa.
This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya
This position requires use of laptops at all time, competence in Microsoft office packages is required.
This position may require travel in sub-Saharan Africa on short notice and under sometimes difficult conditions to meet demands of a dynamic operational program
Background check which includes references and an educational and criminal check is required before the start of employment for International applicants.
A valid passport and the ability to maintain a valid passport throughout the entire appointment is required, which includes having enough passport pages for travel.
Physical: This position requires bending, squatting, crawling, climbing, kneeling, sitting, standing, walking, pushing/pulling, handling objects (manual dexterity), reaching above shoulder level, using fine finger movements and lifting/carrying heavy loads.
Environmental: Incumbents in this position will be exposed to excessive noise, marked changes in temperature and/or humidity, dust and infectious diseases, harsh weather climates, long work hours, bumpy roads, extended travel, excessive sun exposure, and non-ventilated spaces.
Full time
All employees should be prepared to work from the CWS office within their location of hire. Remote work arrangements may vary depending on location and the governing rulings regarding the COVID-19 pandemic