Program / Department Summary

USAID’s Office of Food For Peace (FFP) awarded a Mercy Corps-led consortium of Kenyan and international partners with a five-year Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) in Turkana and Samburu Counties. The Mercy Corps’ NAWIRI consortium brings together the global leadership, research capacity, technical expertise, and implementation experience necessary to partner with local institutions to test, adapt, and scale evidence-based solutions. The program requires a robust county-centered design with government leadership, active engagement from communities, the private sector, and civil society. Together we will sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition for vulnerable populations in Turkana and Samburu counties.

General Position Summary

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Nairobi and Maralal. This includes, but is not limited to, accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures. In its role as a support to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Chief of Party and the Field Team to ensure that financial resources are utilized appropriately, efficiently, and effectively.

The Finance Assistant will work under the direction of the Finance and Grants Officer and be responsible for the processing and recording of payment transactions in timely and accurate manner to support the program team activities. The Finance Assistant is expected to work collaboratively with program and operations departments, be a custodian of all financial resources and report on any concerns regarding financial irregularities.

Essential Job Responsibilities

     FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• • Prepare cash payment vouchers and ensure that all cash transactions are fully and properly documented.
  • Supports field connection transaction entry with the assigned batch.

• Responsible for gathering transaction documents required for donor reporting.
• Responsible for compiling monthly inter company vouchers and assist with preparations of documents for month end package.
• Maintain the uncleared cash advance file and prepare past due advance report for the Senior Finance and Grants officer.
• Assist with audit related requirements (timely documents retrieval, filing after audit completion, proving additional assistance as necessary.
• Assist with scanning, copying, printing and uploading of financial documents on relevant folders.
• Assist Senior Finance and Grants officer with field cash reimbursements.
• Perform daily, weekly and monthly cash counts together with Senior Finance Officer.
• Ensure all finance documents are properly labelled, filed and stored in a clear and easily accessible manner following Field Finance Manual.
• Submission of all original vatable invoices to Nairobi for VAT claim on timely basis for VAT claim.
• Ensure quality control of financial documents for completeness and proper referencing before archiving.
• Responsible for cash and bank vouchers filing, statutory audit reports and other financial documents filing and maintenance of filing system (Hard copy and electronic) according to MC Procedures; manage finance archives and ensure monthly update of the Finance archiving index.
• Any other duty as may be assigned.

GRANTS MANAGEMENT

• Assist with follow up on subaward compliance issues and audits and document resolutions.
• Ensure proper organization of subaward files.
• Assist in sub award site audits and prepare site visit reports.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Finance and Grants Officer.

Works Directly With: Field Director, Country Finance/Grants Teams, Program Teams, Implementing Partners.

Knowledge and Experience

• A Diploma or degree in accounting or a relevant business field.
• Minimum CPA II or other relevant accounting qualification.
• At least one year experience in accounting, bookkeeping or cashiering, including experience with double-entry accounting preferably in an international NGO.
• Familiarity with major international donor rules and non-profit accounting.
• Familiarity with computerized, double-entry accounting software.
• Strong computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel.
• Accuracy in the processing of cash transactions, mathematical aptitude and attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written English skills.

Success Factors

A successful Finance Assistant will be a strong team player, with good communication and interpersonal skills. S/he will have knowledge on the application of best practices in basic financial management and knowledge of financial management software. S/he will have a high professional standard of both finance and procurement ethics and the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures. S/he will be flexible, thorough have the ability to pay attention to details, proactively solve problems, follow procedures, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members and above all of high integrity.

Applications should be submitted on or before 27th April, 2020 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

Samburus are highly encouraged to apply.

Mercy Corps does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.