Vacancy Announcement
About us
For over 90 years, Save the Children has been making a difference in children's lives in more than 120 countries. We are the world's largest independent child rights organisation, underpinned by a vision in a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Our mission to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.
Save the Children is an organization for talented people with different backgrounds and perspectives. We are proud that our people are representative of the children we work with and we thrive on our diversity. We are an equal opportunity organisation dedicated to our core values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration. Creativity and Integrity. Our culture is embedded in these values, along with a strong commitment to our Child Safeguarding Protocol, ensuring that all representatives of Save the Children demonstrate the highest standards of behaviour towards children both in their private and professional lives.
The East African Regional Office is responsible for 7 countries in East Africa, including Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia, with a current staff complement of approximately 3500 staff, and current expenditure of approximately $200 million each year.
Save the Children East Africa Regional Office (EARO) is looking to recruit for a position of Financial Accountant
LOCATION:30% Kenya (Nairobi) 70% South Sudan Juba
ROLE PURPOSE:
To support and strengthen the integrity of finance systems, ensure smooth financial operations for supporting programme work and responsibility for updating and generating timely financial information for use by country management
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Country Finance Manager
Dimensions:Dimension of Role:
South Sudan is one of the most challenging and exciting working environments that Save the Children currently works in. The newest country in the world, its legacy of thirty years of war has yet to be even partly addressed as its new government struggles to both mature and reach out to its people. Education rates remain extremely low with less than 10% of the population finishing primary school; and only 200 girls completing secondary school in 2011 (out of a total population of greater than 8 Million people). Infrastructure across the country remains virtually none-existent; with 80% of the country – including State capitals – only accessible for half of the year (the rainy season) by small aircraft. Even in the capital – Juba – there are no functioning public utilities, few tarmac roads and limited health services. Aid agencies rely on generators, water trucking and satellite internet to meet their basic needs. The agencies still provide some 75% of the basic services of the South Sudanese population. Parts of the country are still racked by insecurity – tribal militias, rebel militia groups and direct conflict with the North of Sudan all take their regular toll on the civilian population.
Save the Children has been active in South Sudan for over 20 years. In 2010 the three active field agencies – Save the Children Sweden, US and UK came together under a unified presence with Save the Children UK as the managing member. We reach and help the meet the rights of hundreds of thousands of children every year.
There are currently a total of 50 active grants that Save the Children is implementing across 12 field offices. The expected yearly expenditure of these grants is expected to reach over US$35 Million during the course of 2015. The grants vary from short term emergency response grants from CHF, UN agencies, ECHO etc… through to multi-year funding for longer term development programmes.
This is a challenging role in a complex environment. It requires a dedicated, experienced and highly motivated individual who can manage the difficulties of living and working in such an environment and still be fundamental in helping to drive forward our programmes and our ambitions. Equally, South Sudan today is a rewarding place to be – a new country that still needs much of its plans for the future to be laid out and put in place. Joining Save the Children here now is thus an immensely exciting opportunity to help shape the future of a country as we, one of the largest agencies in the country, help formulate the future direction of this country – helping to put its children first.
Staff directly reporting to this post: TBC
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
1.0 Recording Financial Transactions in Agresso:
• Ensuring that documentation is accurate, authorised and complete for all financial transactions.
• Maintaining easily accessible (physical and online) filing systems for all cash, bank and general ledger vouchers.
• Reviewing bank and cashbooks for all expenditure and income to ensure that they are correctly coded.
• Ensuring that all income and expenditure is adequately authorized prior to uploading in the system.
• Ensuring that the SCI financial procedures for Bank and Cash are always followed.
• Passing of correction journals in the system
• Uploading the field offline spread sheets into Agresso
• Checking all the transactions are entered correctly
• Ensure accounts and transactions are regularly allocated
2.0 Month end closure
• Carry out all month-end closures steps
• Ensure timely closure of monthly accounts
• Maintain month end closure check list and ensure that it is closely followed.
• Carrying out bank reconciliations in the system
• Ensuring all data is fully booked in the systems.
• Support field office locations in completing their month end requirements. Provide feedback and training on Agresso to these locations. Maintain a tracker to monitor field office submissions.
3.0 Monthly Control Checklist
• Support the Finance Manager in preparation of the Monthly Control Checklist (MCC) and the Monthly Financial Review (MFR) Reports
• Carry out account allocation
• Prepare and review all balance sheet control accounts with an emphasis on the monitoring of accounts; Intercompany, Accruals, Cash In Transit, Prepayments, Staff Advances and Programme Advances.
4.0 Agresso System
• Champion the use of Agresso in the Country Office
• Liaise with FMS Support to ensure codes for the Country Office are kept up to date (Staff, Projects, Partners, Suppliers, Assets, Property etc.)
• Ensure the uploaded information is correct
• Creation of new accounting codes as required for new Donor grants.
• Proposing and implementing agreed improvements & systems enhancements for financial administrative systems and procedures to ensure maximum efficiency in South Sudan programme
5.0 Training
• With the support from the finance manager organise training on the SC accounting systems to both financial and non-financial staff
• Train the field office finance staff on how to complete Agresso offline spread sheets
• Train field office finance staff on SCI’s financial polies and procedures
Performs any other duties and tasks, which are commensurate with the responsibilities and level of the post
The role will need the candidate to perform any other duties and tasks, which are commensurate with the responsibilities and level of the post.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
· Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
· Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
· Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
· Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
· Future orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
· Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
· Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
· Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
· Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
· Willing to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
· Honest, encourages openness and transparency
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
· Professional qualifications in Accounting or Degree in accounting. CPA, ACCA or CIMA will be an added advantage.
· At least three year’s INGOs experience especially in budget setting and financial accounting
· Knowledge of accounts receivable and accounts payable processes
· Highest standards of ethics and integrity
· Proven skills on managing changes, achieving results, ensuring quality, team building and capacity building.
· Strong computer skills, especially on Accounting packages
· Ability and willingness to work under pressure as part of a professional team.
· Excellent interpersonal skills, including cultural sensitivity, assertiveness and negotiating skills.
· Willingness to travel to field offices occasionally
HOW TO APPLY:
Please send a copy of your CV with a cover letter to EA.recruitment@savethechildren.org
Application closes 6th August 2015 at 5:00pm.
We work with children, communities and governments all over the world and we believe in the right person for the job regardless of where you come from and how you identify yourself. We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to ensuring that only those who are suitable to work with children are considered for these posts. All successful applicants will therefore be required to complete a Police Check and must sign onto our Child Safeguarding Policy and organizational Code of Conduct.
