Friday, August 19, 2011

CHIEF ACCOUNTANT JOB IN KENYA


Kenya Water for Health Organization (KWAHO) seeks to recruit for the positions of the Chief
Accountant and the Administration Officer/ Executive Secretary.
KWAHO is a registered national NGO facilitating various communities and institutions in Kenya to
have access to safe water, sanitation and Hygiene promotion for improved health and economic
well-being. Currently KWAHO is implementing a wide array of projects that cut across various
counties traversing from Nairobi’s informal settlements, to Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley, Eastern
and Coast counties.
CHIEF ACCOUNTANT
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Chief Accountant’s specific duties and responsibilities will
include;

Accounting Management
He/she will be responsible for co-ordinating the management of all bank and cash transactions
from and to the bank accounts in order that programme activities can be carried out efficiently.
This involves the following tasks:
Cash flow & Bank reconciliation Management
To ensure that both bank and cash records are updated daily, closely and ensure all cheques and
cash received are banked immediately, following up and acting on discrepancies and any
problems that may arise.

Management of Advances, Assets Register, per diems and Floats
• Ensure that laid down procedures are followed in respect of travel floats, per diems, etc.
• To ensure that all recoveries in respect of advances, floats, mileage etc owed by staff
members are appropriately accounted for and recovered.
• To ensure that all organizational assets are recorded in an asset register that is kept up to
date at all times.

Petty Cash Management
• To ensure that a complete and accurate record of all petty cash transactions is maintained
at all times; that expenditure of petty cash is fully monitored; and that requests for
replenishment are made in a timely manner, when required.
• Ensure that all financial documents including vouchers and invoices are appropriately
reviewed, approved and filed in a safe place for at least 7 years.
• Ensure that any cash received is banked immediately
• Ensure a reasonable amount of petty cash commensurate with the level of transactions of
KWAHO is maintained and accurately recorded

Cheque payments and invoices management
• To process cheque payments ensuring that invoices are thoroughly checked and cheques
together with payment vouchers raised are appropriately approved and filed in a safe
place for at least 7 years.
• The payments are to be recorded accurately reflecting the correct information and
amount paid.
• Maintain a log of all cheque payments made including names of suppliers.
Discrepancies in bank balances
Inform the ED of any major discrepancies or problems involving cheques overdue, cash count,
assets and returns and assist in resolving relevant issues/ problems.
KWAHOs core standards
• Ensure that Financial, HR and Administration manuals in place are maintained, updated
and brought to the attention of all staff.
• To ensure that KWAHO core standards of ethics, safety, accountability and procedures
are met and/or adhered to in accordance with KWAHO manuals, policies and systems.

Budget & expenditure monitoring
• To manage and monitor the expenditure and budgets of KWAHO, especially in relation
to donor-funded programmes.
• Provide general support to the Programme team including helping them in preparing and

monitoring programme budgets
• Attend Programme Management meetings to provide professional advice and support for
a prudent financial management of programmes.
Financial Management Information Systems & Procedures
The Chief Accountant will be responsible for maintaining computerised financial systems including
SAGE PASTEL accounting and Payroll packages designed for KWAHO.
This will include the following responsibilities:
• Maintaining up to date financial records
• Manage donor funding and programme budgets
• Ensure that all financial information is accurately uploaded into the finance system in a
manner that allows reports to be produced to the Board and other stakeholders.
• Proposing and implementing agreed improvements of financial and administration systems
and procedures.
Donor Contract Management
The Chief Accountant is required to have a thorough knowledge of UN Financial reporting
systems. He/she will also be required to provide specialised financial support in relation to the
effective attainment of programme objectives and to work with Project Managers in the
compilation of timely, quality financial reports for a range of donors. This will involve:
• Compiling and reviewing with the relevant Programme personnel all donor financial
reports as required, ensuring that they are accurate, of high quality and meet donor
requirements
• Monitoring donor reporting schedules to ensure financial reports are prepared in a timely
manner and synchronised with programme reports.
• Supporting programme personnel in any discussions with donors requiring financial inputs
and/or contract amendment
• Providing support to programme personnel in the preparation of donor budgets and
reports in appropriate formats as required
• Liaising with external auditors for donor reports, following up and resolving audit queries
and issues.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
• A Bachelors degree in Finance or Commerce with an Accounting Option from a recognised
university
• Be a Certified Public Accountant – CPA K
• At least 5 years experience in an NGO handling donor funded projects-budgeting and
reporting
• Excellent knowledge and ability to use modern, advanced and computerized accounting
systems especially SAGE PASTEL
• Ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, statements, and
projections.
• Ability to monitor cash flows and trends.
If you feel you meet the above criteria, please send your application indicating the position you
are applying for on the subject line with detailed curriculum vitae, names, addresses of three
work-related referees including emails and a telephone contact to:

The Executive Director,
Kenya Water for Health Organization,
Off Dunga Road,
National Water Corporation Compound,
Industrial Area,
P O Box 61470 00200,
NAIROBI

or by email to jobs@kwaho.org
The closing date for applications is Friday, August 19th, 2011