Summary
The Young African Leadership Initiative Legacy and Localization
(YALI L&L) project, led by Arizona State University, seeks
qualified candidates to serve as the Accountant on a USAID
project supporting the next generation expression of the
Regional Leadership Centers (RLC) component of the Young African
Leadership Initiative (YALI), the United States’ premier
investment in young African leaders. As the on continent
component of the YALI program, in 2015 USAID launched four YALI
RLCs at higher education institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal,
and South Africa. The RLCs have provided access to leadership
and functional training to 22,000 young leaders aged 18–35 from
49 sub-Saharan countries in three tracks: business and
entrepreneurship, public management, and civic leadership. YALI
2030 will build on the RLC foundation to create an expanded
pan-African youth development model that will harmonize training
curriculum, serve underrepresented/underserved youth, build
alumni network capacity and professional development
opportunities, and develop new program -related partnerships
with the private sector and other stakeholders, and donors. ASU
has hosted YALI Mandela Washington Fellows annually since 2014,
led public management cohorts at the East Africa Regional
Leadership Center, collaborates with the Mastercard Foundation
on an eLearning Initiative with African universities,
implemented higher education projects for USAID with multiple
universities on the continent, and maintains an African hub and
a network of alumni through ASU-Thunderbird School of Global
Management. Position location: This is a full- time position
will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Main Purpose of Job
Working in the Finance Department under the direction of the
Senior Finance and Administration Director, the Accountant
will support all accounting procedures of the YALI L&L
Initiatives including the recording and retrieval of financial
details of the project, maintaining financial records and
processing payments transactions in timely and accurate
manner. S/He will also support the program team with other
accounting roles.
Key Responsibilities
-
Review payment vouchers, employee’s expense reports, journal
entries and all financial documents to verify and check for
adequacy and accuracy before recording in QuickBooks.
-
Reconcile account receivables and payables and perform timely
account reconciliations for bank, on a monthly basis.
-
Support the project in meeting month end close process and
accounting deadlines.
-
Prepare project monthly and quarterly financial statements
-
Participate in the development of project work plans and
budgets, budget monitoring and monthly expense tracking.
-
Cash flow management - Ensure project bank accounts are
timely funded with due compliance to advance and
reimbursement management guidelines.
-
Process Payroll in compliance with statutory requirements
on a monthly basis
- Provide responses to accounting compliance issues and
support in resolution to compliance issues raised by the
Finance and Administration Senior Directors
-
Participate in preparation of routine and ad hoc status
reports and budget updates to ensure the regular flow of
accurate and relevant financial information for enhanced
project management and planning.
-
Audit support-prepare project audit schedules and project
financial statements, coordinate review by compliance and
audit teams of audit findings and administrative support to
teams in the implementation of the audit recommendations.
-
Maintain accurate project assets/ inventory register
-
Any other duty that may be assigned by the supervisor.
Key Competencies
- Demonstrated leadership and management skills
- Expertise delivering performance excellence
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
-
Excellent strategic planning skills, Strong judgement and
decision-making skills
-
Excellent verbal communication skills and excellent report
writing skills
-
Experience with the use of the internet, including social
media for fundraising purposes
- Ability to work in a team and be a self-starter
Required Qualifications and Experience
-
Degree in Finance, Business Administration, or a
business-related course and at least 3 years of
experience in a busy accounting environment or Master’s
degree and 2 years of experience.
-
Previous experience working on USAID-funded programs
strongly preferred
-
CPA (K) or equivalent required.
- Good understanding of Book Keeping
-
Advanced computer skills including knowledge of Microsoft
Office and QuickBooks;
- Excellent oral and written English skills
-
Demonstrable planning and organizational skills and
ability to meet tight deadlines
-
Flexibility and initiative, as well as the ability to work
independently, combined with the skills for thriving in a
team environment to achieve institutional goals
-
High professional and ethical standards for handling
confidential information
-
Willingness to be flexible in working hours and adapt to
changing priorities and deadlines
-
Experience of working within a busy finance department.
Good communication and listening skills
-
Ability to work under pressure and meet targets and
deadlines
- Problem solving ability
How to Apply
Interested qualified candidates are invited tosubmit their
application and Curriculum Vitae indicating full contact
details of three professional referees to
YALI@asu.edu by
24th October, 2023.
Applicants
must include the
POSITION TITLE in the subject line of their
email. Please do not attach copies of certificates.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
YALI LL is an equal opportunity employer.
