Project Accountant Full-Time

CRS/Mozambique is looking for applicants to fill in the position of Project Accountant to provide financial support to the supported partners be based in Pemba.

About Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS reestablished programming in Mozambique in 2017 and has been implementing both development and emergency programs, strengthening livelihoods, and supporting disaster and conflict-affected communities from response through recovery. A significant part of the CRS Mozambique portfolio is to respond to the conflict in Cabo Delgado province, in northern Mozambique. With funding from USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Latter-Day Saints Charities, the country program is partnering with Caritas Pemba to support conflict-affected families and IDPs in Cabo Delgado through the provision of emergency and transitional shelters, shelter repair kits, emergency latrine structures, borehole construction/rehabilitation, and WASH NFI kit distributions, emergency food rations and agriculture inputs.

Job Summary

The Project Accountant will provide accounting support with regards to grants management policies and procedures in compliance with CRS’ established accounting standards, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), donors’ rules and regulations, and legal requirements to support high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. You will efficiently perform accounting services through documenting the project/grant financial transactions by compiling, analyzing, and verifying account information, preparing account entries, and delivering financial reporting services throughout the project/grant life cycle.

Note: Depending on the project/grant portfolio (scope and complexity), the Project/Grant Accountant can be assigned responsibility for delivery of accounting and financial reporting services for either payable or receivable transactions.

Job Responsibilities

• Set and monitor sound accounting and financial reporting procedures for project/grant subrecipients and partners following established standards. Ensure setup and maintenance of all data required for processing financial transactions for assigned project/grant accounts in Insight financial accounting package;
• Review and validate supporting documentation before processing of financial transactions to ensure all required documents are accurate and complete and authorizations are in place;
• Record financial transactions following appropriate authorizations. Review and analyze various accounts to detect irregularities. Advise on corrective actions and prepare correcting entries and adjustments, as necessary;
• Assess, evaluate, and monitor subrecipient financial management processes in accordance with policy and strengthen capacity of partner in financial accounting and transactions;
• Monitor disbursement/receipt schedules, alert relevant project/grant staff of due payments/liquidations and maintain appropriate communication and follow-up to facilitate timeliness of financial resource management and compliance with set deadlines;
• Prepare various periodic and ad hoc financial reports and perform variance analysis to assist project/grant staff with decision-making. Assist with budget maintenance for proper management of financial resources;
• Provide information to project/grant staff, subrecipients, and partners on financial accounting policies and procedural compliance issues and deliver training and other capacity building activities;
• Prepare cash forecast on a quarterly basis for planning purposes. He/she will attend budget review meetings every month to highlight issues noted and for information sharing;
• Regularly follow up with Project Administration. Managers and Procurement on project procurements to ensure early payment of vendors.

PARTNER Financial Assessments, Monitoring and Support

• Lead implementation of CRS’ sub-recipient financial management policy for the BHA/SNV program; ensure that staff understand and are correctly implementing the policy;
• Ensure that the BHA/SNV program has in place and adheres to a schedule of planned Partner monitoring visits; the basis for the selection, timing and frequency of its monitoring visits should be properly documented;
• Ensure that assessments and monitoring visits are being carried out in accordance with CRS policies about timeliness, comprehensiveness, professionalism, and documentation;
• Ensure corrective action plans are prepared within sixty calendar days of the assessment or monitoring visit, and that program staff are supporting the Partner to address the identified issues within agreed timelines as needed;
• Ensure financial and programming staff participate in the financial monitoring of the Partner (including site visits); trip reports must indicate the monitoring steps performed, the processes reviewed, and the result of the testing and reviews;
• Review and analyze assessment, monitoring, trip reports and monthly updates on a timely manner and to inform follow-up actions;
• Ensure that the Partner receives support from CRS to correct weaknesses detected by internal and external auditors, BHA/SNV program staff and partners directly address issues that are escalated;
• Ensure Partner internal control systems are reviewed and monitored to verify that financial duties are adequately segregated;
• Ensure that the project Partner evaluates and effectively monitors any Partner and/or partners to achieve efficient use of Donor resources;
• Proactively track spending against the budget for the Partners budget line;
• Approve all liquidations and ensure there is adequate support documentation for the implemented milestones;
• Scope: (Number of employees supervised or revenues responsible for. If appropriate and available, then include them, otherwise state “Not Applicable”).

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements

Education and Experience

• B.A. degree in Accounting, Finance, or a Professional qualification in accounting;
• Minimum of two-three years’ experience in a position with similar responsibilities, preferably with an international or local NGO, or a financial/banking institution;
• Knowledge of the relevant public donors’ regulations preferred;
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications. Knowledge of Oracle ERP financial accounting package or similar financial reporting software preferred.

Personal Skills

• Excellent analytical skills with ability to detect and report inconsistencies;
• Conscientious, accurate and thorough with great attention to detail;
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics;
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented;
• Ability to work collaboratively.

Required/Desired Foreign Language

• Portuguese and English;
• Travel Required (include percentage of required travel, if applicable);
• 70%.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity;
• Models Stewardship;
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships;
• Promotes Learning;
• Agency-wide Competencies: These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results;
• Trusting Relationships;
• Professional Growth;
• Partnership;
• Accountability.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Note: By applying for this job, you understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, you understand that if you are a successful candidate, you will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and your personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate your behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

Applicant Instructions: Please email a cover letter, and curriculum vitae which should include three references to: Mozambiquejobs@crs.org. Please include the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Department: Finance

Band: 8

Reports To: Senior Finance Officer

Country/Location: Pemba