Finance & Admin Assistant : KickStart, Dar es Salaam Office

KickStart International prides itself in being an award-winning, global nonprofit social enterprise that develops and mass- markets low-cost irrigation solutions that are bought by thousands of small-holder farmers in developing countries and used to increase their income by up to a factor of ten, enabling them to lift themselves sustainably out of poverty. (See www.KickStart.org for more information).

Job Description

Position: Finance & Admin Assistant
Station: KickStart, Dar es Salaam Office
Responsible to: Office Manager – Tanzania Country Program

Reporting to the Office Manager, the Finance & Admin Assistant will be responsible for maintaining the financial and accounting records of the Tanzania Country Program at the Dar es Salaam Office.

Purpose of Job

In general terms the Finance & Admin Assistant will be responsible for supporting the Office Manager in:
• Enhancing accountability for the resources of the organization

• Providing vital financial information that will help other departments in effective and efficient running of their activities.

• Overall inventory management; distribution channel (dealers Regional Managers and Sales Officer) warehouse management and all other related Supplies functions are performed in line with the organization laid down procedures

• Enforcing the control measures put in place to protect the resources of the organization.
• Ensure IT systems are working effectively in coordination with the HQ support team

In specific terms, the Accounts Assistant will be responsible for the following:

FINANCE

• Processing all income and expenditure (writing cheques and sending out payments; paying cheques and cash into the bank etc). Process payment runs to suppliers based on invoices approved for payment by the Office Manager and/or by the Country Manager.

• Inputting all transactions into the ERP accounting system. Ensure invoices are raised/posted accurately and in a timely manner in the ERP accounting system.

• Day to day management of office petty cash; production of monthly spreadsheets and entering into the ERP accounting system. Responsibility for petty cash including maintenance of petty cash records and completion of cash reconciliation at each month end.

• Processing of supplier invoices for payment and preparation of payment authorization vouchers and forwarding the same to the Office Manager for verification.

• Ensure that all payments are made only on approved vouchers that are well supported with invoices, delivery notes, and LPOs (Local Purchase orders

• Ensure that all responsible officers required for approval approve all payment authorization vouchers before a payment is prepared.

• Ensure the Trial Balance is up to date at each month end and prepare relevant reports for review by the Office Manager and/or the Country Manager.

• Preparing the monthly reconciliations for review by the Office Manager. These include all bank reconciliations, vendor account reconciliations, debtor account reconciliations and staff account reconciliations.

• Assist the Office Manager in preparing the Year-end audit file to ensure that all information is ready and available in time for the statutory audit.

• Regularly review debtors and liaise with the Office Manager to ensure credit control procedures are implemented.

• Check field expenses and receipts to ensure they are accurately recorded and the supporting documentation is adequate.

• Ensure that field expenses comply with KickStart policies on business advances and raise any queries with the Office Manager in a timely manner.

• Analyse field expenses ensuring accurately allocated to projects, and pass to the Office Manager for review prior to processing.

• Enter all guarantee forms in the GF database and assist with completion of necessary reports as requested

• Ensure that all records and security documents relating to finance are properly filed and kept safely for ease of access of information.

• Assist the Office Manager and the Country Manager with any other duties as required.

Administration

Establish and maintain office systems for the sound operation of the organization, including:
• General Management  of Office- safety, cleanliness, front office and equipment

• Manage Warehouse and procurement activities – order processing, inventory management, import clearing management, export administration and logistic movement.

• Ensure that proper and accurate administration of records are maintained, including Asset register, Official Correspondence, Customer, Vendor data base and adequate and effective filling.
• Maintain inventory of all items in the office and report on monthly basis to the Office Manager
 Provide   a professional standard reception function during office hours

• Attend all incoming & outgoing calls and ensure that the phone register is updated at all times
• Ensure asset Management- Inspection, safety, maintenance and location management
• Establish a central filing system and maintain it
• Manage Airport Transfers and Accommodation

• Maintain insurance coverage’s Arrange for repair, maintenance, and improvements to the facility and office equipment

• Ensure contracts, insurance requirements and government regulations and safety standards are followed properly

• Issuing and tracking all keys to the office and ensuring that the office is open on time each day and locked at the end of each day

• Scheduling and coordinating meetings, interviews, events and other similar activities

• Provide administrative support to other staff and to the organization using sound judgment, initiative, confidentiality and sensitivity.

• Other duties as deemed necessary by Office Manager

Qualifications

• Be holder of CPA or its equivalent in Accounting & Finance. Those with Bachelor degree in Accounting/Finance, will have an added advantage;

• Have a minimum of 3 years similar working experience in an institution handling donor projects;
• Strong computer skills (spreadsheets, word and other accounting packages);
• Ability to prepare financial statements as per International Accounting Standards;

• Technical writing experience. Must have excellent report writing, communication skills and demonstrate a high level of integrity; and

• Excellent technical knowledge of computing and related IT tools including PCs, networks and peripherals;

• Experience with Microsoft products like Exchange, Active  Directory, and Server platforms.

 Comprehend and apply technical information and present technical information to the general public in a non-technical manner.

• Deal effectively and tactfully with upset end users.

• Good troubleshooting skills using logic and common sense.
• Be a team player

How to Apply

If you feel you are the right candidate to fill this position, please send your CV and Cover letter to hrtz@kickstart.org quoting the position title on the subject line by COB 9th January, 2015