Grants Accountant – KAZA ARISE – WWF Zambia

Position Title:   Grants Accountant

Reports to:  Project Finance Specialist

Supervises:  N/A

Job Grade: Professional Staff

Position Location:  TBC

Provide financial management support for projects implemented by the Zambia Country Office, including budget development and monitoring, producing timely and quality donor reports and reconciliation of projects and their close out. Ensure projects are implemented in compliance with both country and WWF regulations as well as specific donor requirements. Works closely with Project staff and Sub-Grantee finance staff to ensure that efficient accounting and finance systems exist that will accord maximum support to the project team as well as act as a platform for providing sound financial information to management and donors.

Major Duties and Responsibilities: 

Planning and budgeting

• Provides support to the development of budgets (proposals and projects), ensuring all required resources for project implementation are covered and ensuring appropriate cost recovery,
• Assists with preparation of incoming and outgoing contracts and monitors compliance with contractual terms,
• Ensure that all project budgets and work plans are developed on the basis of secured funding ONLY.
• Establishes quarterly forecasts in collaboration with Project Managers,
• Updates the proposal and contract database.

Project implementation

• Monitors and process with calling of funds for all projects,
• For projects in his/her portfolio, supports Project Managers in tracking their budgets to ensure there is no overspend or low burn rate, verifies budget availability for any commitment,
• Understands donor agreements details and verifies allocations and commitments comply with donor agreement.
• Reviews fund requests and programme work advances by field offices to ensure they are within approved work plans, previous transfers/advances are accounted for and works with AP Accountant to ensure timely transfers,
• Reviews project commitments and payments and ensure they are within budget and cash availability and charged to the appropriate budget lines,
• Supports Project Finance Specialist in developing partner/sub-grantee budgets and agreements, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and compliance,
• Maintains a schedule of payments to partners/Sub-grantees to ensure timely transfers to partners and maintains partners accounts reconciliation,
• Review partners’ reports, supports partners linked to projects to ensure compliance with donor regulations and timely reporting,
• Participates in project review meetings to highlight finance related matters and provides advice on financial management to project managers.

Financial Reporting

• Prepare transaction listings and verifies that posted transactions are in line with the budget.
• Prepares donor reports for his/her own portfolio of projects. Ensure the reports are timely, accurate, established as per donor requirements and reconciled with the accounts,
• Prepare the financial reports/imprest retirements from the sub-grantees and make necessary adjustments before inputting to the financial system.
• Provides timely and appropriate financial information to the Project Finance Specialist, management as well as all programme/projects managers.
• Reconciles all Project advances accounts and provides timely advice on actions necessary to Project Management, Sub-grantees and the Project Finance Specialist.  Develop and maintain a system of monitoring and reconciling all imprests issued from the Zambia Country Office.
• In collaboration with the Project Finance Specialist, organizes and direct project audits. Ensures that audits are properly organized and that there is proper and timely follow-up of audit recommendations (internal, external and field office audits as well as sub-grantee audits).

Oracle Responsibilities

• AP User responsibilities and serves as a back-up for Cash Management super-user
• In charge of ensuring partner reports are captured in AP module
• Ensures Income journal are prepared and uploaded on a timely basis

Others Duties

• Make regular projects financial review visits to ensure that adequate financial systems and procedures are in place and are being implemented.
• Assists in audit of programme/projects/Sub-grants if required.
• Any other duties that may be assigned from time to time by the Project Finance Specialist, or any senior manager in WWF ZCO.

Qualifications and Experience

• A university degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, Business Administration or related field;
• Full accounting qualification i.e. CA II, CPA II, ACCA II, CIMA II or equivalent.
• Over 3 years working experience preferably in a major international organisation/NGO.
• Demonstrable skills in the development and implementation of finance and accounting policies, procedures and systems in the context of an international NGO.
• Good knowledge of project fund accounting including reporting requirements of major bi-lateral Aid Agencies.
• Hands-on knowledge of Oracle accounting software would be a distinct advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Exceptionally strong analytical skills with ability to set priorities, complete work with minimal supervision, and meet deadlines.
• Advanced PC skills, particularly knowledge of MS Excel software.
• Knowledge of staff supervision and general administration/operations is required for in this job. Good understanding of the key principles and practices including knowledge of the relevant employment legislation in Zambia is desirable.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with fluency (spoken and written) in English.
• Ability to promote team synergy in a multi-cultural work environment.
• Experience managing grants of major donors including EU and USAID and understanding their rules is a plus
• Demonstrates WWF behaviours in way of working: Strive for Impact, Listen Deeply, Collaborate Openly, Innovate Fearlessly;
• Adheres to WWF’s brand values, which are: Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging.

How to apply?

All interested applications should send their applications (Cover Letters and CVs) to [email protected] by end of day, Tuesday 12th April, 2022.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

This job description identifies and aligns with the core values of the WWF organisation: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration