Vacancy at WaterAid

Position: Finance Officer

Location:  Lilongwe, Malawi

Pay band:  Grade D

Salary:  Grade D Salary range

Contract type:  3 years Fixed-term contract

Reports to:  Finance Manager

Manages:  N/A

Budget responsibility:  None

Travel:  Regular in-country travels and may at times involve international travels

WaterAid is an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent

toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation.

Since we started in 1981, we’ve remained resolutely focused on tackling these three

essentials that transform people’s lives

Without all three, people can’t live dignified, healthy lives. With all three, they can unlock

their potential, break free from poverty, and change their lives for good. Children grow

up healthy and strong, women and men get to earn a living, whole communities start to

thrive.

WaterAid is fully committed to protecting those with whom it comes into contact.

WaterAid is committed to ensuring that wherever we work in the world there is no

tolerance for the abuse of power, privilege or trust. WaterAid reinforces a culture of zero

tolerance towards any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying,

harassment, or exploitation of any kind. The safeguarding of the communities in which

we work, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf, is our top priority, and

we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. We are passionately committed to

WaterAid being an organisation where everyone is welcome, respected, included and

empowered to be their best. We represent and celebrate the diversity of our

staff, partners and everyone with whom we work to create a culture where everyone can

reach their full potential. All staff and volunteers are required to share in this

commitment through our Global Code of Conduct.

We will conduct the most appropriate pre-employment references and checks to ensure

high standards are maintained.

WaterAid will carry out disclosure checks for roles that involve direct contact with

children and vulnerable adults. Applicants are required to provide details of convictions

that, in other circumstances, would be considered spent. For more information about

safeguarding at WaterAid, please visit our safeguarding webpage at:

https://www.wateraid.org/uk/safeguarding-at-wateraid

Job purpose

The role supports the Finance Manager in all accounting activities relating to WaterAid

Malawi operations. This role will ensure compliance with WaterAid financial policies and procedures, as well as ensure completeness and accuracy of WaterAid financial accounts, escalating issues to the Finance Manager or Head of Finance & ICT as may be necessary.

Team description

The role reports to the Finance Manager. The incumbent is part of the finance team and works closely with program teams, funding teams, administration/procurement teams and key staff for prime and sub-grant partner organisations.

Accountabilities

Financial Planning

1. Supporting the Finance Manager on annual financial planning and project proposal development processes for the CP. This includes providing reliable financial information (historical and current) necessary for planning.
2. Supporting other CP teams on financial planning processes including demonstrating to the teams on how financial planning tools and guidelines are to be used/interpreted.
3. Supporting the Finance Manager on preparation and capturing of departmental budgets for Finance & IT.
4. Supporting the Finance Manager by working in collaboration with the HR & Administration teams on updating of financial planning tools with relevant up to date prices/costs for delivering project activities.
5. Supporting the Finance Manager on budget performance review processes for the CP. This includes working on sub analyses necessary for financial performance review including preparation of non-routine reports that can support ad hoc decision making by budget holders or other staff as appropriate.

Financial reporting

1. Supporting the Finance Manager in producing relevant financial reports (statutory, donor & management/operational) for all appropriate stakeholders. This includes working on sub-schedules necessary to support financial reports.
2. Supporting budget holders with more detailed relevant financial information and documentation necessary for them to understand and explain sections of reports relating to their respective cost centres better.
3. Supervising all daily and weekly accounting processes to ensure that complete and accurate information is timely processed to support effective reporting in line with policies, procedures and WaterAid global calendar.
4. Supporting the Finance Manager on carrying out of reviews on balance sheet accounts including bank, debtors and creditors accounts. This includes implementing resolutions emanating from previous observations including making any other corrections based on recommendations from the Finance Manager as necessary.
5. Producing aged analysis reports and schedules to support financial reports including management accounts.
6. Running the monthly staff time and overhead allocation procedures and reporting to the Finance Manager as necessary. Supporting the Finance Manager on preparation of year-end pack as well as final accounts for statutory audit. This includes working on specific schedules necessary for audit and year end pack requirements Internal controls, Policies and Procedures
7. Providing inputs to the review processes of CP financial policies and procedures .
8. Assisting CP staff on interpretation of policies, procedures and internal controls. This includes orientation of staff on use of financial forms.
9. Guiding and providing support to CP staff on the application of CP chart of accounts and budget codes as necessary.
10. Supporting the Finance Manager on implementation and monitoring of CP financial policies, procedures and internal controls. This includes raising flags to budget holders or if necessary escalating issues to the Finance Manager where some policies/procedures/internal controls have been or are likely to be flouted.
11. Ensuring that appropriate and adequate documentation and recording of CP financial transactions (incomes and expenditures) is compliance with CP policies and procedures and best accounting practices. This includes adequacy of supporting procurement documentation.
12. Ensuring that staff loans and advances are taken and retired in line with policies and procedures.
13. Ensuring that all payments including remittances are made in compliance with statutory and donor requirements (taxation, pensions and grant provisions)

Finance systems

1. Supporting the Finance Manager on set-up/update processes of the financial systems (chart of accounts and analysis codes) in liaison with support teams in UK.
2. Performing appropriate accounting reconciliations in GAS (bank, debtors, control accounts, creditors, intercompany accounts, etc). This includes making appropriate adjustments to GAS and recommending to the Finance Manager further actions based on the outcome of the reconciliations.
3. Participating actively at all finance clinics on systems and procedures organized by UK Finance team from time to time.
4. Supporting the Finance Manager on maintenance of system support based tools as necessary. This includes Timesheet Templates, Timesheet databases, Operational Recovery Journal Templates, General Journal Templates, Payment processing templates, etc.

Donor Contracts Management

1. Carrying out checks on payments and expenses to ensure that right grants and appropriate funding packages are charged before they are booked in GAS. This includes raising issues with relevant budget holders where inappropriate codes are suspected to have been used.
2. Supporting Finance Manager of fixed asset management for donor funded projects in line with grant agreements. This includes maintaining grant specific fixed asset registers and carrying out regular physical inspections of assets as necessary.
3. Supporting Finance Manager on donor reporting including assisting on appropriate expenditure verification exercises necessary to confirm the authenticity of expenditure charged to grants. This includes supporting on grant specific audits.Asset and Payments Management
4. Supporting Finance Manager on cash forecasts and preparation of cash transfer requests in line with WaterAid calendar and cash buffer policies.
5. Supervising Assistant Finance Officer on receipts and banking processes.
6. Supervising Assistant Finance Officer on all payment processes in the CP. This includes ensuring that cheques/payment instructions are only signed by appropriate signatories in line with policies.
7. Ensuring that payments are made only through payment run processes and only on designated days in line with policies.
8. Ensuring that payments on behalf of other WaterAid offices (NPEs) are properly made with adequate supporting documentation and that they are booked in GAS before the set deadlines for NPEs.
9. Supervising Assistant Finance Officer on proper filing and safe custody of finance documents.
10. Carrying out regular and surprise checks on the work of the Assistant Finance Officer and HR & Admin Assistant on cash management processes. This includes reconciling receipts and deposits, performing regular physical checks on cash including petty cash, performing physical checks on fuel stock, carrying out checks on payment run processes, etc.
11. Maintaining fixed asset register for the CP and carrying out physical spot checks on fixed assets.
12. Performing follow-ups on staff debtors to ensure that they are properly retired in time in line with policies. This is includes recommending for recovery of any overdue advances from staff through payroll.
13. Attending to follow-ups from creditors on any claims for unsettled balances. This includes resolving with creditors any differences arising from their claims and escalating the issues to Finance Manager and relevant Budget Holders as necessary.
14. Advising the Finance Manager on calling for supporting documentation of off-shore payments (including invoices, receipts, contracts etc) from other WaterAid offices.
15. Supporting the Finance Manager on any asset and payment related risk management processes.

Payroll Management

1. Preparing monthly payroll in liaison with Finance Managerbased on instructions from Head of People, Organisational Development and Administration.
2. Ensuring that all statutory deductions (tax and pensions) and other CP agreed deductions are accurately made in line with policies and relevant legislations.
3. Arranging the payroll for necessary approvals and authorizations in line with policies.
4. Ensuring that all payroll deductions are properly remitted to authorities and organizations.
5. Carrying out payroll reconciliations across months and against GAS.
6. Posting monthly payroll and head count journals on a timely basis.

Safeguarding

1. Ensure communities, partners, and stakeholders are oriented on safeguarding policies.
2. Maintain proper documentation on safeguarding for all project activities.
3. Monitor, report, and respond to safeguarding malpractices or breaches according to WaterAid guidelines

Essential skills

1. Bachelor of Accountancy Degree or equivalent accounting qualifications from recognized institutions.
2. Professional accounting qualifications (such as ACCA, ICAM or CIMA) desirable.
3. Must be a member of an IFAC recognized local professional accounting body such as ICAM.
4. Minimum of 5 years post qualification experience in a busy accounting environment, of which at least 2 years must be at supervisory level.
5. In-depth experience of financial transactions processing.
6. Strong knowledge of accounting for non-profit organizations and financial management best practices.
7. Experience in monitoring budgets and cash management processes.
8. Experience of using an accounting packages preferably Sun System.

Desirable skills

1. Excellent computer skills, particularly Excel & Word (MS Office in general).
2. Excellent task planning and prioritization skills.
3. Strong knowledge of relevant tax laws and regulations.
4. Team player and must have ability to coach or train others.
5. Ability to work with little supervision.
6. Ability to work under pressure.
7. Ability to deliver tasks according to deadlines.
8. Good communication skills (oral and written).

Person specification

Everything we do is guided by our values. We want everyone to be treated with dignity and respect, and we champion people’s rights and contributions to achieve a fairer world. We are passionately committed to being an organisation where everyone is welcome, respected, included and empowered to be their best.

We represent and celebrate the diversity of our staff, partners and everyone that we work with to create a culture where everyone can reach their full potential.

Equal opportunities

We are an equal opportunity, disability-confident employer and are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of diversity, equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions and ways of life. This includes, but is not limited to, race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, national or social origin, health status, and economic or social situation.

Safeguarding

We are also committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously.

Wherever you work in WaterAid and whatever job you do, you’ll be joining a global network helping people change their own lives with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.