Senior Finance & Accounting Officer at Lifewater

Position Title: Senior Finance & Accounting Officer

Manager Position: Country Director

Direct Reporting Positions: Accounts Assistant

Position Location: Shinyanga, Tanzania (with regular travel to the project areas)

Lifewater International (Lifewater) is a Christian water development organization dedicated to effectively serving children and families by partnering with underserved communities to overcome water poverty. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve vulnerable populations as a demonstration of God’s gracious love for all people. Lifewater serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

Essential Job Duties/Scope of Work:

This position is necessary to ensure that Lifewater Shinyanga Program can deliver the required level of budgeting, internal control and reporting to country office, Lifewater headquarters and pertinent local government stakeholders. 

The Senior Finance & Accounting Officer will work closely with the Country Director to ensure that Shinyanga program budgeting, reporting, and all other requirements are met within a timely manner and provide detail and rigorous analysis of financial matters to HQ.

 Also, will ensure close coordination with program manager to ensure quality of budgetary information at the time of proposal development as well as monthly and quarterly reviews. When required, provide financial training for program and partner staff. 

The Senior Finance & Accounting Officer will oversee proper stock management, fulfilment of property and personnel insurances, and action on feedback from HQ and external audit of Shinyanga program under Lifewater International Tanzania.

Key Job Responsibilities:

Responsible for the timeliness and accuracy of the financial information being provided for each of the cost centers within the program .

Examine financial data for accuracy and compliance with policies and procedures and ensure financial integrity and build financial and resource management capacity.

Ensure that monthly close process is happening in a timely manner.

Submit Monthly Financial Packet for each cost center to Finance & Accounting Manager (HQ) by 10th of the month or sooner if possible.

Coordinate internal and external audits for the different sites and prepare books of accounts.

Directly liaison with HQ for cash flow, process improvements, financial statements, etc.

Perform regular site visits to visit field teams for ongoing training and capacity building.

Ensure timely and correct payment of taxes, salaries, and staff benefits.

Manage all travel and business advance issued to staff

Handle petty cash float of the program

Provide all relevant financial data to country office management team on a monthly basis.

Work with program offices and LI finance unit to ensure that accurate reports are in place in order to enable a thorough understanding of the current position and support forward planning and decision making.

 These will include activity versus budget line reporting system by project, a country budget and funding gap analysis by project.

Work with HQ finance unit to ensure that direct activity and administration costs are accurate and expenditures are in line with the agreed project budget.

Ensure that all budgets are utilized according to the approved project document.

Provide acknowledgment receipts for wires from LI HQ to country account.

Assist project manager in compiling data for financial planning and reporting.

Support fixed assets documentation, inventory and reporting.

Qualifications:

University Degree in any of the following fields: Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), BA in accounting, BBA from recognized school; relevant training in Excel and accounting software (ACCA/CPA/QuickBooks preferred).

Minimum of 3 years in an NGO, preferably with an international NGO.

Excellent practical knowledge of financial accounting and of report development.

Experience with data analysis and commenting on variances between actual and budgeted expenditures.

Excellent understanding of the reporting requirements plus ability to convey financial concepts to non-financial staff.

Experience in managing staff health insurance schemes, PAYE, NSSF, GPA, provident fund.

Knowledge of office management processes.

Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Strong ICT skills especially Microsoft Office applications.

Personal Attributes:

Must be able to support Lifewater’s mission, vision, and core values; able to cope with cross-cultural and denominational diversities.

An energetic, flexible and proactive approach with the ability to work both independently and cooperatively within a team setting.

Well organized and efficient in time management whenever there is task pressure.

Strong teamwork skills and ability to develop and maintain effective working relations at all levels both within and outside the team.

Punctual, honest, dependable, servant leader, trustworthy, encourager, peacekeeper, multi-tasker, and self-starter.

Zero tolerance of corruption (all forms of interest conflicts, bribes, fraud, all kinds of corruptions, etc. are not acceptable).

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