Senior Accountant - ACDI/VOCA

The USAID-funded Ghana Market Systems and Resilience Activity (MSR) is a five-year, $35.9M follow-on project to USAID/Ghana ADVANCE II. MSR will leverage over a decade of experience linking smallholders to markets, inputs, and services in Ghana. The project will strengthen commercial relationships between market actors, improve the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem to enable greater market participation, particularly for women and youth, expand the availability of agribusiness services, and link targeted policy initiatives to improved local economic governance.

These activities will result in competitive, stronger, and more resilient markets, thus increasing inclusive agriculture-led economic growth in northern Ghana.

Pursuant to its mission, ACDI/VOCA is seeking experienced and talented professionals for the Senior Accountant position. The position will be based in Tamale and reports to the Director of Finance, as well as works in close collaboration with the headquarters accounting team.

The Senior Accountant is responsible for maintaining accounting systems and records, maintaining internal controls over receipts and disbursements, managing all financial resources of the field office, enforcing policies and procedures and mentoring the Junior Accountant. This position coordinates with the accountant in HQ office to ensure that the field office’s financial and administrative matters are executed efficiently.

Responsibilities:

Maintains the financial records of the field office including day-to-day field office operating expenditures, financial and accounting transactions, and bank accounts.

• Responsible for monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close process, preparing journal entries, and validating general ledger accounts balances.
• Assist in preparation of monthly financial statements, project variance analysis reports, and all other financial report requested by program team. 
• Review and validate vendors financial records, ensuring all vendors records on file are accurate.
• Perform timely bank accounts reconciliations to ensure cash disbursements and receipts are properly captured in general ledger, any discrepancies are communicated and resolved on time. 
• Perform weekly financial transactions reviews in accounting system, validate supporting documents physical filling and upload to SharePoint. 
• Assisting project team compiling special financial reports and analysis requested by client or external users.
• Assist project team developing work plan budgets and forecasts.
• Oversee daily finance and accounting activities at FO, by ensuring all financial transactions recorded in general ledger by Jr Accountant are accurate per organization policy.
• Ensures all payments are allowable, allocable and in compliance with USG, local government, donor and ACDI/VOCA regulations.
• Ensures general ledgers balances are accurate and in compliance with applicable cost principles.
• Prepares statutory monthly and annual tax return reports for local tax authorities, as applicable.
• Perform onboarding training to new accounting and finance staff, as well as refresh training to existing A&F team as needed. 
• Verifies employees’ travel advances prepared by the Accounting Assistant and ensures that advances are liquidated timely.
• Reconcile accurately all balance sheet accounts monthly.
• Oversees per diem payments to trainees, training/workshop participants and facilitators.
• Follows VAT guidelines and requirements regarding payment of VAT in-country. Prepares regular VAT claims for submission to the donor. Assists in preparing statutory monthly and annual tax return reports for local tax authorities.

Prepares regular and ad hoc financial documents and reports as requested.

• Prepares and submits field office financial reports, supporting documentation, field cash reconciliations, and cash projections for the month.
• Reviews contract and grant budgets and related financial reports and documentation.
• Assists with preparation of project budgets, financial tracking sheets, summaries and other financial documents.
• Assists with preparation of financial information for the Quarterly and Annual reports as required.

Ensures that proper accounting and internal controls are maintained.

• Maintains systems and procedures to accomplish internal auditing tasks and ensure financial files are audit ready. Creates and maintains an audit ready, well-organized filing system for financial reports and accounting documents.
• Maintains proper internal controls over the receipt, disbursement, and management of all financial resources
• Identifies issues and risks in a timely manner and discuss proposed changes with HQ Accounting. 
• Ensures that all accounting documents such as check booklets, requisition, official receipts, stamps, local purchase order are secure.
• Keeps confidential all financial and sensitive information.
• Ensures effective filing of accounting documents to facilitate easy access and retrieval.
• Maintains accurate financial records in the manual accounting ledgers and in the electronic accounting system.
• Ensures the submission and processing of finance-related implementation documentation.
• Participates in regular Finance staff meetings and other Finance conferences, workshops and meetings as assigned.
• Travels to participate in audits and budget modification meetings as required.
• Verify the office petty cash fund and the monthly report.

Prepares monthly payroll

• Reviews timesheets.
• Prepares the payroll payments including calculating, withholding and recording all applicable income taxes and other social payments based on country tax rules and other A/V discretionary benefits.

Process sub-recipient invoices in accordance with RAMP guidelines.

Review petty cash reconciliation prepared by the operations/admin staff.

Manages the work of assigned employee(s).

• Prioritizes, organizes, distributes, and monitors the flow of work.
• Trains, guides, and advises staff.
• Ensures adherence to Standards of Conduct, policy manual, and other corporate and applicable policies, procedures, and schedules.
• Resolves routine operating problems as they arise.

Performs other duties and undertakes other projects as may be assigned from time to time.