Senior Finance Officer

Job Description

CRS has been supporting program activities in Zimbabwe since 1989 and has long-standing relationships with Church and non-Church partners and communities throughout the country. Zimbabwe program implements projects through 14 partner organizations in 30 districts in the areas of health, OVC, education, food security and agricultural livelihoods, and peacebuilding.

You will help coordinate and contribute to the implementation of the Country Program’s (CP’s) accounting systems, policies and procedures in compliance with CRS’ established accounting standards, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), donors’ rules and regulations, and legal requirements to support high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. You will efficiently perform accounting services through documenting financial transactions by compiling, analyzing, and verifying account information; preparing account entries; and delivering financial reporting services.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensures that tasks are performed in accordance with CRS policies and procedures, with emphasis on accurate understanding of project budget and project cost centers.
• Review and validate supporting documentation before processing of financial transactions to ensure all required documents are accurate and complete and authorizations are in place.
• Ensure setup and maintenance of all data required for processing financial transactions for assigned accounts in Insight financial accounting package.
• Record financial transactions following appropriate authorizations. Review and analyze various accounts to detect irregularities. Advise on corrective actions and prepare correcting entries and adjustments, as necessary.
• Monitor disbursement/receipt schedules, alert relevant staff of due payments/liquidations, and maintain appropriate communication and follow-up to facilitate timeliness of financial resource management.
• Review the employee expense module on daily basis and audit all pending staff advances and employee expenses. Prepare aging reports on a monthly basis and ensure all balances are within the liquidation time frames as per CRS policies.
• Track all receivables, follow up and ensure that are settled within policy timelines. Invoice staff for personal expenses paid on their behalf by the country program.
• Review payroll reports and run the Field Labor Cost Allocation (FLCAT) process, and prepare Fringe benefits invoices every month, making sure that the salaries clearing account is zero and that correct POET is used.
• Ensure up to date and accurate records of financial status of CRS’ projects, including budget spending trends, pipeline projections and balances.
• Reconcile partner financial records with Insight
• Prepare various, periodic and ad hoc financial reports, as needed, and perform variance analyses to assist with decision-making and proper management of financial resources.
• Ensure that the CR’s checklist is supported by the following reports; Aging reports for all staff receivables accounts and advance to vendors, bank reconciliations, petty cash counts every month and the fixed assets report on quarterly basis.
• Provide information to subrecipients and staff on financial accounting policies and procedural compliance issues and contribute to capacity strengthening.
• Perform assigned treasury (cash payment/receipt, cash forecast, etc.) duties, as long as segregation of duties is ensured.
• In collaboration with the Accounts Payable specialist, keep track of the bank balances and ensure that all cash receipts and bank charges are recorded on time
• Ensure availability of enough, but not excessive, cash in the country program operating account and prepare monthly bank reconciliations by tracking bank accounts and the cash management subledger.
• Ensure that cash call downs from HQ are done on time through preparing daily reconciliations and prepare journals for the cash received in General accounting subledger.
• • Facilitate the conversions of USD to local currency transactions to fund the CP local accounts whenever there is need. Record the conversion in cash management subledger and in the General accounting on the same day of the conversion.
• Prepare foreign exchange reports and submit them to HQ by the 2nd of every month.
• Ensure that fuel is available by replenishing when reorder quantity level is reached and perform fuel top ups for all CRS vehicles.
• Oversee, perform daily counts and review petty cash
• Prepare Financial Statements for internal and external audits using Trial balance and other statements and posting and setting up information in the company accounting system.
• Ensure that Facilities and Mileage reports are prepared monthly, approved and uploaded on Sharepoint.
• Prepare and submit all needed year end packages by the stated due dates.
• Set up bank accounts, set up signatories and facilitates the use of online banking platforms.
• Print and file company documents.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor of Accounting Degree, CIMA, ACCA or CIS.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar position, preferably in the NGO sector.
• Experience working with implementing partners desirable.
• Knowledge of relevant public donors’ regulations preferred.
• Ability to meet deadlines under pressure.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications. Knowledge of Insight financial accounting package or similar financial reporting software preferred.

Other

How to Apply

Those who meet the above criteria are invited to submit their applications together with a cover letter and detailed Curriculum Vitae that includes names and email addresses of three traceable references. Applications should be clearly marked with the position applied for, i.e., “Livestock Specialist” in the email subject line.