Grants and Finance Officer

Job Description

Job Title: Grants and Finance Officer

Grade: TBA

Incumbent Reports to: Chief Operations Officer

Department: Finance and Operations

Location: Lusaka

Context of the Role

The Finance Officer is responsible for transactional processing and reporting of finance transactions. S/he provides services in recording and reporting financial information for FSD Zambia, reporting to the Head of Finance.

Job Purpose
The objective of this role is to ensure full compliance, accurate and timely financial recording, and reconciliations, and the keeping of accurate, timely, complete, and accessible financial records.

Key Competencies:
Communication
Strong communicator with excellent written, oral and presentation skills
Comfortable communicating via software including regular email
Comfortable working with colleagues in shared office arrangements, and constructive collegial daily engagement with operations and technical teams

Financial acumen
High level knowledge of transactional finance, payroll, cashflows, budgeting and forecasting
Knowledge of donor financial reporting
Expertise in financial statement analysis
Ability to develop, monitor and closely manage budgets and forecasts at organizational and thematic area levels

Organisation
Highly organised work style, able to respond quickly to daily demands of the position and ensure smooth functioning of project administration
Able to maintain excellent records and accurate, timely files
Great attention to detail and accuracy in work

Administration
Excellent hard copy and electronic record keeping skills
Highly organised and computer literate
Process driven

Computer Skills
Experience and skilled at data entry; superb Excel skills and good Word skills
Confident in Microsoft Office

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

Minimum Qualification
ACCA/ CIMA PART II or CA Zambia and bachelor’s degree in Accountancy.

Years of Experience
At least 4 years of work experience

Professional Registration Body
Member of ZICA

Scope of Work
The Grant and Finance Officer supports the Organization’s financial management, in processing and reconciling a wide variety of accounting documents such as invoices, billings, employee reimbursements, cash receipts, vendor statements, and journal vouchers; review and code financial information; preparation and processing of documents to disburse funds, make deposits and prepare reports; compile and review information for accuracy; and maintain records.The Grant and Finance Officer plays a key role in the financial management process, handling verification, processing, and documentation of financial transactions in FSD Zambia. Specific roles are as follows:

Financial Management
Ensure that finance transactions are processed in a timely and accurate manner for all programme and operational expenses in accordance with finance manual and operations manuals and according to funding partner grants and contractual obligations:
Update and maintain all relevant cash books, ledgers in Sun Systems software.
Conduct monthly bank reconciliations in a timely manner.
Ensure monthly statutory compliance as required by Zambian financial authorities, submitting returns and payments in a timely manner.
Set up online payments for approval.
Prepare monthly payroll, ensuring payroll and statutory returns are submitted on time.
Work in collaboration with the procurement team to ensure that settlements of all invoices/statements are processed in a timely manner.
Process and follow up on all staff cash advances, reconciliations and reimbursements.
Manage account receivables and payables.
Complete general ledger processing/maintenance as instructed by the Head of Finance, including journal entries and reconciliations.
Maintain/file all financial records in an easily retrievable manner.
Ensure financial information is recorded accurately, including that appropriate aggregations to budget lines and monthly spending reports are accurate and prepared in a timely manner.
Assist the Head of Finance in the preparation of budgets.
Assist the Head of Finance in providing staff with financial information and reports they need to help them monitor their budgets.
Assist in the implementation of finance systems and controls, to ensure policies and procedures are complied with.
Assist the Head of Finance in preparation of year-end audits, compliance reporting, engagement with the fiduciary services provider, and reviews of policies and procedures for necessary updates.

Grants and Programme Implementation

Provides monthly management reports to the Head Finance in a timely and accurate manner.
Participates in developing of budgets with the Finance Team and implements grant budgeting and forecasting systems with Partners
Ensures that sub grantees financial operations are in compliance with the Organization’s policies and procedures
Ensures that monthly transactions are reviewed and captured in the General Ledger accurately and on timely basis
Conduct monthly review and reconciliations of balance sheet accounts (receivables, payables, advances, bank & cash reconciliations, etc.) and all related expenditures.
Oversees and coordinates management of sub-grant agreements and financial management of sub-grants
Reviews and track expenses and proper documentation as per companie’s procedures and donor requirements for record keeping
Ensures consistency across sub-grantees on basic provisions and highlights issues that could be viewed as bias or discrepancies.
Provides regular review of field operations to ensure cost-effectiveness and provides guidance on improved operational practices for value-for-money.

General office operations
Provide operational support to management and staff as required.
Prepare reports, and relevant data in prescribed formats.
Lead the effort on sub grants closures (financially) and systematically coordinates and reports to the Head Finance
Conducts evaluation of sub grantees in comparison to the burn rate
Any other duties as assigned

Additional activities as required in support of FSD Zambia’s programme
The FSD Zambia team members need to be able to adopt a flexible approach. No terms of reference will be able to fully cover what may be needed in the course of work with FSD Zambia. This Job Description therefore includes:
Any other tasks as requested by management, consistent with this role; and
Cover for colleagues who are absent, as assigned.

Conduct of the Work
FSD Zambia has a very flat management structure with a high degree of delegation. Everyone across the FSD Zambia team needs to be able to take the initiative to get things done without being told precisely what to do or how to do it. The responsibility to deliver on objectives starts with the individual member of staff. This does not mean that people operate independently; it is vital to be able to judge when and where to look across the team and to leadership for support, advice, ideas, or simple validation of an approach.

Key Relationships

Stakeholder Interactions

Internal Relationships
Chief Operations Officer
Director Gender, Youth and Financial Education
All other FSD Zambia technical and operational staff

External Relationships
Banks in use by FSD Zambia
ZRA, NAPSA, NIHMA, Workers Compensation Board and other key external parties
Contract partners

Major challenges, work complexities

Major Challenges, Work Complexities (State any extreme work difficulties and conditions)

Should meet reporting work deadlines, produce reports free from errors and compliance to accounting standards.

2. Comply with all mandatory statutory and donor reporting deadlines

How to apply