Project Accountant

Job Description

Trócaire works in partnership with local and church organisations, supporting communities in developing countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East to bring about lasting change. Trócaire envisages a just and peaceful world where people’s dignity is ensured, and rights are respected; basic needs are met, and resources are shared equitably; people have control over their own lives; and those in power act for the common good. The Zimbabwe finance led by the Finance and Administration Manager.

Background to the role:

As part of its’ work in Zimbabwe, Trócaire seeks a full time Project Accountant for the donor-funded project focused on “Improved food security and coping strategies for vulnerable women and men affected by drought and long-term impacts of COVID-19 in Southern Zimbabwe.”

Working with a small project team and collaborating with the programmes and finance staff, this role will provide be responsible for all grant and partner management activities for the consortium.

Reporting to: Programme Accountant
Contract type: Fixed Term
Location: Harare, with frequent travel to the project areas.

Scope of the role:

The Project Accountant (PA), reporting to the Programme Accountant will assist in the delivering on grant management activities to Trocaire’s project focused on “Improved food security and coping strategies for vulnerable women and men affected by drought and long-term impacts of Covid-19 in Southern Zimbabwe”.

Specifically, the role covers the following broad responsibilities either as accountable, consulted, informed or responsible:

• Partner financial management
• Financial reporting
• Budget management

The Project Accountant will work in close collaboration with the Country Finance and Administration Team and with the rest of the Country Team to manage the project.

Safeguarding

Trócaire is committed to safeguarding people within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, consultants, and other organisational representatives. Any candidate offered a job with Trócaire will be expected to sign Trócaire’s Safeguarding Policies and Global Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. All offers of employment will be subject to pre-employment checks including satisfactory references and appropriate screening. Trócaire also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and all employees will be subject to this as part of contract of employment.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Partner Financial Management

• Review partner financial reports ensuring that the reports conform to Trócaire and donor requirements.
• Providing support to partner finance personnel to ensure that accurate financial reports are submitted to Trócaire.
• Carry out partner voucher reviews and capacity assessments of partners.
• Maintain a close dialogue with the programme team, appraising them of all partner issues as necessary.
• Following up on recommendations made to partners during voucher reviews and managing partner capacity building plans.
• Review partner budgets ensuring that they are presented in the correct templates and that the ratios for programme v admin expenditure are reasonable.
• Preparation of the partner financial management tracking tool.
• Monitor statutory compliance of partners.
• Ensure a quarterly partner and capacity building assessment report is submitted to the Finance and Administration Manager and to Finance in HQ in the form of a partner financial management tracking tool on sales force and other partner related updates on sales force.
• Prepare and submit consolidated donor financial reports in line with donor requirements.
• Coordinate the tracking and submission of project VAT claims as maybe required.
• Tracking of Match expenditure on the project
• Assist with investigations into alleged fraud or irregularities at partner organisations.
• Review adequacy of supporting documentations submitted to donors.
• Liaise with Trocaire or partner staff to address any queries raised by donors on financial reports or supporting documentation.

Budgeting

• Assist the Project Manager in preparation and revision of the project budget as may be required.
• Review project monthly budget comparison reports as available on Agresso Business World and facilitate with programme staff follow up of any issues/variances arising.
• Preparation of quarterly forecast for the project
• Assist in the preparation of costed workplans as required by the donor.
• Ensure that the project complies to the donor’s financial requirements.
• Coordinating Trocaire institutional audits, particularly on auditor’s visits to partners.
• Assist with donor, external and internal control audits as required.
• Any other related duties assigned by the Programme Accountant and Finance and Administration Manager.

Financial reporting

• Prepare and submit consolidated donor financial reports in line with donor requirements.
• Coordinate the tracking and submission of project VAT claims as maybe required.
• Tracking of Match expenditure on the project
• Assist with investigations into alleged fraud or irregularities at partner organisations.
• Review adequacy of supporting documentations submitted to donors.
• Liaise with Trocaire or partner staff to address any queries raised by donors on financial reports or supporting documentation.

Budgeting

• Assist the Project Manager in preparation and revision of the project budget as may be required.
• Review project monthly budget comparison reports as available on Agresso Business World and facilitate with programme staff follow up of any issues/variances arising.
• Preparation of quarterly forecast for the project
• Assist in the preparation of costed workplans as required by the donor.

Compliance

• Ensure that the project complies to the donor’s financial requirements.
• Coordinating Trocaire institutional audits, particularly on auditor’s visits to partners.
• Assist with donor, external and internal control audits as required.

Other

• Any other related duties assigned by the Programme Accountant and
• Finance and Administration Manager.

Requirements

• Second level qualification in Accounting or Business Administration and a professional qualification
• 3 years’ experience in an Accounting / Finance position, preferably in an NGO set up.
• Experience with grants management, partner management, capacity building.
• Experience in managing FCDO funded project
• Ability to develop budgets and budget notes and to conduct cost/ value for money analysis to ensure costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable
• Able to consistently demonstrate a high degree of accuracy and a very strong attention to detail in delivering work.
• Fluent in English and at least one of the local languages.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentational communications.
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel), Agresso, Salesforce.
• Empathy with the ethos of Trócaire as a Catholic organisation.

Benefits: Trocaire offers competitive remuneration in line with Trocaire Zimbabwe salary scale.

Closing date for applications is 10 February 2023.