Project Accountant

Chemonics seeks a Project Accountant for the USAID Lishe Mtambuka (Crosscutting Nutrition) project. The five-year project aims to strengthen health and food market systems that promote the adoption of optimal nutrition-related behaviors across a range of stakeholders in targeted regions in Tanzania. We are seeking individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world. This position will be based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Responsibilities include:

Financial and Accounting Management

• With input from the Office Manager, preparing annual, quarterly, and monthly budgets and reforecasts for project operations expenses.
• Assisting the Senior Finance and Operations Director to accurate monthly budget reforecasts from each project technical lead and from the Subcontracts unit.
• Assisting the Senior Finance and Operations Director in implementing the policies and procedures set forth in Chemonics’ Field Office Guide to Field Accounting and Compliance.
• Guiding the Bookkeeper, when necessary, in classifying receipts and disbursements in accordance with the Chemonics Chart of Accounts, and report project transactions using the project accounting software Abacus.
• Assisting the Senior Finance and Operations Director with managing the project field cash position, ensuring that accurate month wire transfer requests to the home office are submitted timely to the Senior Finance and Operations Director.
• Ensuring that all required payroll taxes are remitted to the relevant authorities by statutory deadlines and that required corporate audits are undertaken and completed by same.
• Ensuring the Bookkeeper obtains all required paperwork for VAT refund submissions; making VAT refund submissions on a monthly basis and ensuring that each submission is complete in line with government requirements.
• Assisting the Senior Finance and Operations Director in ensuring that all proper documentation per the policy manual is in place for each transaction before issuing payments.
• Overseeing project inventory twice a year to ensure that the value of all items booked in Abacus under inventory accounts matches with the total value indicated in the inventory report.
• Monitoring vendor and staff balances and notifying staff of any accounts receivable not cleared after two weeks.
• Managing the timely preparation of payroll and electronic payments to staff of the same.
• Assisting the Senior Finance and Operations Director in ensuring that all procurements document the procurement process and selection according to USAID regulations and Chemonics/project policy.
• Overseeing a good working relationship with the project’s bank, ensuring that banking activities are processed in a timely and professional manner, and ensuring that the bank is providing all necessary services to the project at competitive prices.
• Producing work products in conformity with Chemonics’, Lishe Mtambuka’s, and USAID’s standards.
• Communicating information in a way that demonstrates a basic understanding of development assistance work, Chemonics culture, values, and practices, and the specific scope and nature of the Lishe Mtambuka project.
• Demonstrating maturity, dependability, integrity, and initiative to learn competencies and skills required for the job assignment.
• Contributing positively to a work environment that emphasizes teamwork, respect for differences, accepting and giving constructive feedback, and collaboration.
• Executing of other assignments as requested by the supervisor or Senior Finance and Operations Director.

Subcontract Management

• Providing the Subcontracts Unit with surge support when needed, especially around monthly invoice examination.

Supervision

• Directly supervising the Bookkeeper, overseeing their work product, and contributing substantively to their professional development in order to prepare them for greater professional opportunities at the conclusion of Lishe Mtambuka.
• Providing guidance to the Regional Administrative Officers on the bookkeeping aspect of their scopes of work.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in accounting, auditing, finance, business administration, or related field and an ACA/ACCA/CPA qualification.
• Four years post-qualification experience as an auditor, accountant, or finance personnel with a recognized public or private firm or as an accountant with a reputable NGO, development contractor, or donor agency.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of professional accounting principles, theories, practices, and terminology (private sector, governmental and non-profit) and an ability to understand accounting practices and procedures; to analyze data, narrative reports and workload flow charts, etc.
• Thorough understanding of financial regulatory requirements pertaining to Chemonics registration in Tanzania, such as annual corporate audit deadlines, payroll tax requirements, income tax requirements and the like.
• Two years of experience being responsible for quality control of processes up to, but not necessarily including an organization’s final approval level.
• Excellent communication skills, including interpersonal and in written and oral English.
• Proficiency in Microsoft programs (i.e. Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and the ability to use various commercially available accounting software programs.
• Ability to work in a professional and cordial manner with staff, implementing and cooperating partners, and relevant NGOs and government agencies often under demanding/busy circumstances.
• Must be able to work, with a focus on integrity, independently with minimal supervision, to meet deadlines, and to exercise professional judgment.