Senior Finance Officer

Job Description

The role of Senior Finance Officer will sit within the “Programme Management Team’ which is responsible for ensuring that all financial, operational and administrative aspects of Shule Bora run effectively.

The Senior Finance Officer will assist the Finance Manager to monitor, report and make timely interventions in order to ensure the financial health and hygiene of the business and to support effective financial decision making within business streams in accordance with Mott MacDonald’s internal financial policies, national, international financial reporting standards, as well as meeting client requirements.

He/she will work in close coordination with the Project Manager, Admin Officers and Technical team, as well as liaising closely with the team in Dodoma and other locations. He/she will support the Finance Manager in recording and retrieving financial details of the company, including maintaining financial records, processing payments, cash handling and reconciliations. The principal duties and responsibilities will be as follows:

Project Monitoring & Reporting

• Provide support to the Finance Manager to produce forecasts and budgets for work activities based on the estimates on the Rolling Work Plan (RWP). This includes collating activity costing and providing support for preparation of the working estimates

• Review actuals spend against the RWP budget by producing monthly spend analytics and reporting financial performances to the Project Manager

• Ensure that timely, accurate, and appropriate information is available to the programme management team.

• Carry out any other duties as may be required for delivery of the programme.

Financial Accounting

• Assist with the preparation of bank reconciliation statements and ensure they are checked and approved for submission within deadline.

• Assist in carrying out timely bank transactions and, also to deposit cheques into vendors accounts.

• Responsible for petty cash management and ensuring regular reconciliation of cash balance for review. Accountable for cash count and reporting on cash count exercise to the management.

• Provide support for payment and disbursement of cash payments e.g., per diems. To produce reconciliation of payment and supporting document for appropriate retirement.

• Support the Finance manager in the preparation of the company’s financial accounts

• Support the Finance Manager in ensuring compliance with legislation, internal financial controls, and international financial reporting standards.

• Support the finance manager in computing taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payments, reporting and other tax requirements to external statutory entities such as the TRA and Pension funds.

Accounts Payable

• Assist in the preparation of all payment vouchers, and cheques and ensure the timely settlement of all undisputed invoices.

• Checking and ensuring that all payment vouchers meet the minimum audit requirement by checking for approvals and necessary supporting documentations.

• Ensuring tax compliance; more specifically with reference to the withholding tax as per the relevant provisions

Audits

• Assist the Project Accountant and Accounts Clerk in the preparation and the subsequent activities for external e.g., client, and internal audits, as and when required

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• Implement quarterly internal spot checks on regional office transactions and asset management as well as audit large intervention activities.

Other

• Operationalise the Mott MacDonald Business Management Systems (BMS) procedures, including health, safety and security as required by Cambridge Education/Mott MacDonald for the project.

• Contribute as required to programme reporting related to the areas above;

• Promote healthy work ethics, good governance and anti-corruption behaviour;

• Other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Programme Manager.

Candidate Specification

Skills 

• Excellent numeracy and accountancy skills  

• Experience of working for an international organisation, preferably in the development/humanitarian sector; 

• Experience in budget management 

• Strong IT skills and knowledge of MS Office systems.  

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; 

• Attention to detail and accuracy; 

• Ability to think ahead and produce accurate information;  

• Willingness to be flexible and respond in a timely manner to support colleagues in the Kampala office as required.  

• Experience in operating within environments with diverse cultures and practises; 

Qualifications 

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in Accounting/finance or related discipline  

• Significant relevant work experience in a related field.
  
  Shortlisted Candidate will be subjected to written practical test, only successful candidate will be called for oral interview. 

Job Profile

Shule Bora aims to improve the quality of pre-primary and primary schools in Tanzania. There are four main outcomes: improving learning outcomes for all children, improving transition rates to secondary schools for girls, ensuring children are safe in and around schools, and helping children with disabilities access quality education.  If successful, Cambridge Education will design and implement Shule Bora in Tanzania over 6 years –August 2021 – March 2027. 

Other Information

Equality, diversity and inclusion
We put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

Agile working
At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team and personal commitments. We embrace agility, flexibility and trust.

More about Mott MacDonald
We’re a global engineering, management and development consultancy.
Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities.
A fundamental part of this is respecting each person’s differences and striving to meet their needs.
Our values: progress, respect, integrity, drive, excellence