Finance Assistant

Program / Department Summary

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Nairobi, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures.  In its role as a support to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

General Position Summary

Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Finance Officer/Snr Finance Officer, the Finance Assistant will assist in the processing and recording of payment transactions in timely and accurate manner. 

Knowledge and Experience

• A degree in accounting or a relevant business field.
  
• Minimum CPA II or other relevant accounting qualification.
  
• At least one year experience in accounting, bookkeeping or cashiering, including experience with double-entry accounting preferably in an international NGO.
  
• Familiarity with major international donor rules and non-profit accounting.
  
• Familiarity with computerized, double-entry accounting software.
  
• Strong computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel
  
• Accuracy in the processing of cash transactions, mathematical aptitude and attention to detail.
  
• Excellent oral and written English skills.
  

Program / Department Summary

The Mercy Corps Finance Department is responsible for all financial functions in Nairobi, including accounting, payments and banking, payroll, budgeting, financial reporting, and grant financial management and compliance. The Mercy Corps Finance Department ensures compliance with donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures.  In its role as a support to the Program Department, the Finance Department provides timely reports and assistance to the Country Director and the Program team to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently and effectively.

General Position Summary

Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the Finance Officer/Snr Finance Officer, the Finance Assistant will assist in the processing and recording of payment transactions in timely and accurate manner. 

Knowledge and Experience

• A degree in accounting or a relevant business field.
  
• Minimum CPA II or other relevant accounting qualification.
  
• At least one year experience in accounting, bookkeeping or cashiering, including experience with double-entry accounting preferably in an international NGO.
  
• Familiarity with major international donor rules and non-profit accounting.
  
• Familiarity with computerized, double-entry accounting software.
  
• Strong computer skills in MS Office programs, particularly Excel
  
• Accuracy in the processing of cash transactions, mathematical aptitude and attention to detail.
  
• Excellent oral and written English skills.
  

Financial management

• Responsible for maintaining custody of the office cash fund and make daily payments of approved transactions.
  
• Prepare cash payment vouchers and ensure that all cash transactions are fully and properly documented in relation to batch assigned in the Finance System.
  
• Perform daily cash count with the Finance Officer, Snr Finance Officer or other person assigned.
  
• Record payment vouchers daily in the cash sub-journal for the batch assigned.
  
• Maintain the uncleared cash advance file and prepare past due advance report for the Finance officer or Snr Finance Officer on monthly basis.
  
• Support Finance Officer or Snr Finance Officer to check-signers or bank authorizers for review and signature.
  
• Support Finance officer/Snr Finance Officer to record payment vouchers daily in the bank and cash sub journal assigned.
  
• Support Finance Officer/Snr Finance Officer to prepare cheques or wire transfer requests based on fully approved documents and present to approved.
  
• Counter check expense reports (travel expense reports and operational expense reports) for accuracy and completeness and ensure that expense reports have been fully approved before payment.
  
• Responsible for gathering transaction documents required for donor reporting.
  
• Assist with audit related requirements (timely documents retrieval, filing after audit completion, proving additional assistance as necessary)
  
• Assist with scanning, copying, printing, and uploading of financial documents on relevant folders including monthly payments and vouchers for posting by the main office.
  
• Any other duty as may be assigned.
  

Filing & Archiving

• Responsible for filing all cash and bank vouchers and maintain voucher filing system such that files are updated, complete and safeguarded. Ensure all finance documents are properly labelled, filed and stored in a clear and easily accessible manner following Field Finance Manual
  
• Submission of all original vatable invoices to Nairobi for VAT claim on timely basis for VAT claim on weekly basis
  
• Ensure quality control of financial documents for completeness and proper referencing before archiving.
  
• Assist with Sub-grant management and organizing sub-grant files.
  

Tax

• Support Finance Officer/Snr Finance Officer with processing of withholding VAT and withholding tax as per KRA regulations including scanning copies to the main office on weekly basis.
  

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
  
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
  

Organizational Learning

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
  

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
  
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
  

Supervisory Responsibility

None.

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Finance Officer (Isiolo & Marsabit) and Senior Finance Officers(Wajir & Maralal)
  
• Works Directly With: Country Finance Team, Program teams and Regional Teams