Accounting Supervisor (Maternity Cover)

Internal Advert:

Do your skills and experience not precisely match the requirements? MSF is an organization committed to promoting diversity and equity by providing equal access to professional opportunities. We understand that women, people of color, indigenous individuals, members of the LGTB+ community, and other underrepresented groups often hesitate to apply for employment if they don't meet all the requirements. At MSF EA, we strive to create a diverse, inclusive, and genuine workplace. Therefore, if you're interested in this position but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the selection criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the ideal candidate for this or other positions. 

Introduction

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian organisation that provides assistance to people affected by conflicts, epidemics, and natural or human-made disasters and excluded from healthcare. We provide this assistance without discrimination, irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. 

About MSF Eastern Africa

MSF Eastern Africa is the regional institutional office of MSF. It focuses on representation and networking, recruiting and supporting staff from the region, communications and fundraising, as well as working on other dossiers of importance to MSF such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Data Protection, mutualization, training, medical operational support and environmental health.  

Rationale/Objective for Position

The Accounting Supervisor is responsible for coordinating and supervising accounting for MSF EA in compliance with legal obligations and MSF standards and protocols in order to provide quality, reliable and transparent information to the organization on the use and allocation of resources.

This position will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to the Director of Finance, IT and Facilities.

Tasks & Responsibilities

Technical and Operational Responsibilities

Ensure quality and timely accounting for overall MSF EA accounting processes in strict respect of deadlines and strict compliance to MSF guidelines, financial standards, and procedures.

• Coordinate and oversee the monthly and yearly closing of accounts and balance sheet and reporting the mission's accounting statement through monthly and weekly reports.
• Coordinate and oversee the payment of tax liabilities to comply with legal obligations.
• Support the conduct of local audits relating to accounting, tax, labor, stock, and asset management.
• Act as the technical reference for any accounting-related issue including compliance with MSF accounting standards and procedures, training and support on the MSF accounting software / system.
• Ensure data is available on cost centers of all staff hosted and inform Accountant and Finance Assistant.

Cash and bank management

• Review and check all cash transactions and ensure they well encoded in the system with proper supporting documents and authorization signatures as per the validation table and give timely feedback to the Accountant and Finance Assistant.
• Authorize all advance requests via Share Point, including per diems and procurements for hosted sections in accordance with the needs of the section.
• Oversee all refunds to staff have proper supporting documents and approvals and are well encoded in the system.
• Ensure proper follow up and settlement of advances in accordance with set policies and procedures.
• Review and approve M-pesa payment requests.
• Administer Cash flow planning to ensure compliance to the set cash limits.
• Oversee the weekly and month end cash counts with the Accountant and Finance Assistant and investigate/report on any discrepancies to the Director of Finance and Services.
• Validate all supplier invoices in SAP accounting system before payment is processed and ensure completeness of documentation.
• Review bank registers for completeness of documentation, accuracy of transactions and approvals according to the authorization table.
• Ensure timely reconciliation of all bank registers.
• Validate Cash/Bank reconciliations to determine liquidity position and prepare monthly money request to MSF OCBA.

Month end closure and reporting

• Conduct bi-weekly reviews of transactions of all registers to check for completeness and accuracy and provide timely feedback to the Accountant and Finance Assistant.
• Review and sign off on the bank and cash reconciliation reports and share with Director of Finance and Services to include in the M-package finance reports.
• Ensure corrections are documented, approved, and updated in the system.
• Reconcile Accounts Payables and Receivables.
• Review payroll file and oversee the upload in the system.
• Validate and close all journal entries in the cash and bank registers.
• Finalize month end closure in SAP and generation of reports comprising.

Budgeting

• Contribute to the improvement of the budgeting tool and propose changes for implementation by MSF EA.
• In close collaboration with the Finance Manager, provide guidance and support on budgeting to the Heads of Department as directed by the Director of Finance and Services.
• Support with the review of guidelines and collection of information for budget and collection of information for monthly forecast preparation as guided by the Director of Finance and Services.
• Interpret and communicate monthly expenditure reports and analysis to departmental Heads.
• Monitor the expenditure and report on risks relating to financial ethics in spending for MSF EA and advise the Director of Finance and Services.
• Review and scrutinize expenses while conducting cost/benefit analyses to find ways to minimize costs and maximize value for money.
• Analyze and report on actual and planned monthly expenditure, advise of variance against approved budgets and make recommendations for corrective action.

Internal and external Audits

• Generate annual financial statements, trial balance for external audit.
• Interface with external auditors.
• Ensure the audited financial statements are filed within the statutory deadlines.

Compliance and risk mitigation

• Design and oversee the implementation of accounting policies for MSF EA Section.
• Take annual inventory on all policy documents in finance and discuss with Director of Finance and Services on the updates.
• Contribute to the review and update of the compliance overview framework for MSF EA.
• Assess and evaluate current tools and systems and aim automating recurrent processes and workflows (IT dependent).
• Regularly update and sensitize all staff on the MSF anti-corruption guidelines and measures.

Training

• Organize regular refresher trainings for other departments on authorization table and relevant policies and procedures.
• Perform relevant technical training for finance staff in accounting.
• Brief new staff on the relevant topics (per diem, advances, travelling, salaries)

Cross departmental/sections relations and external communications.

• Technical referent of accounting at HQ level, for any question related to accounting.
• Coordinate with HR to ensure tax laws and social security system of country is adhered to and update on any changes to the laws.
• Work closely with all departments in order to safeguard a robust financial administration; also, to provide advice and solutions on accounting and finance issues raised by colleagues from other departments.
• In close collaboration with the Finance Manager ensure timely and accurate quarterly re-invoicing to other sections.
• Focal person for financial services providers (e.g., banks) to ensure seamless cash operations, in close cooperation with the Finance Manager and Accountant.

Other Responsibilities

• Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of the accounting staff.
• Mentor and coach accounting staff.
• Prepare and oversee implementation of finance RACI table (Responsible, Accountable, Consult, Inform), regularly update it with changes and share with finance team.
• Perform any other task upon request from the Director of Finance and Services.
• Gap fill for Finance Manager when absent.

Qualifications

Education

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
• Essential solid accountancy training and professional accounting qualification.
• Knowledge in local/international accounting standards.
• Knowledge of MS Office Tools (PPT, Excel).
• Fluency in English is required, and knowledge of French and a third language is an added advantage.

Experience

• At least five (5) years of relevant experience in accounting preferably in the non-profit making sector, international organization.
• Experience in accounting software (SAP, others is essential) and ERP system knowledge, additional knowledge of MSF accounting software is a plus.
• Experience managing relationships with external partners and vendors.
• Experience working in humanitarian organizations, and MSF is a plus.

Competencies

• Technical Competencies
• • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Behavioral/General Competencies
• • Proven leadership skills
  • Commitment to MSF’s Principles
  • Cross-cultural Awareness
  • Strategic Vision
  • Results and Quality Orientation
  • Service Orientation
  • Planning and Organizing
  • Initiative and Innovation
  • Teamwork and Cooperation
  • People Management and Development