Senior Accountant

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under- served populations. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Project Description

The USAID Let’s Read Project is a 5-year, $48.9 million project in the five target provinces of Eastern, Muchinga, Southern, Northwestern and Western Zambia that works to improve reading outcomes for approximately 1.4 million children attending pre-primary (kindergarten) through to Grade 3 and provide professional development for teachers to support reading interventions in Zambian public and community schools. EDC is seeking applications for a Senior Accountant position for the USAID Let’s Read Project to be based in Lusaka.

Position Description

Under the supervision of the Finance & Compliance Director, the Senior Accountant is a key member of USAID Let’s Read Project finance team. S/he will play a pivotal role in assuring adherence to EDC & USAID financial policies, project policies and procedures, regulations, controls, and reporting systems. The Senior Accountant will lead the accounting of the Let’s Read Lusaka office, and ensure compliance of all relevant accounting and financial reporting functions and local statutory requirements. S/he will be responsible for recording costs and day to day general accounting, accounts receivables/payables, payroll and assuring all backup documentation is audit ready. The Senior Accountant may perform any other related duties in support and as assigned by the Finance and Compliance Director.

Essential Functions, but are not limited to:

• Posting of all financial data into QuickBooks and participate in monthly and yearly accounts closure of QuickBooks.
• Ensure that all payments adhere to EDC Policies and Procedures manual.
• Prepares and submits monthly reconciliation and all month end reports for review by Finance and Compliance Director.
• Monitors and reports on vendor payment schedules and obligations – inclusive of tracking leases for all EDC offices in Zambia
• Review the work of the Provincial Accountant using the finance checklists to ensure completeness, accuracy, and full compliance with EDC policies and procedures.
• Prepare weekly cash needs forecasts for review by Finance and Compliance Director and approval by CoP. and follow up with HO for wire transfer.
• Provide first level review of all invoices, advances and reimbursements, cheques, wire transfer payments and VAT Local Purchase Orders for approval and processing (prepared by the Accountant) ensuring accuracy and timely execution.
• Review all Provincial office supporting documentation uploaded in Box monthly.
• Work with payroll vendor, ensuring leave balances, taxes, NAPSA etc. are accurately recorded, and paid, and escalate to Finance and Compliance Director all unresolved matters.
• Ensure the safeguard of cheques and all-important office documents such as vehicle licenses, contracts, and leases in conjunction with Office Manager.
• Work with Procurement Manager to ensure that invoices are paid in a timely manner and escalate any delays of vendor payments/other issues to the Finance and Compliance Director immediately.
• Maintain and closely monitor accurate cashbooks for all the bank accounts ensuring that the project is liquid all the time, and before payments are released. Forecast weekly payment and submit to Finance and Compliance Director to negotiate exchange rate for transfers from Dollar account.
• Ensure adherence to systems and controls, make recommendations for improvements/adjustments.
• Work with the Finance and Compliance Director to support expenditure tracking, forecasts.
• Assist Finance and Compliance Director in preparing for all internal and external audits and participate in the audit process.
• Prepare reports for monthly journal entries to be performed by Finance and Compliance Director.
• Monitors and reviews technical staff level of effort in line with the USAID cost categories to ensure proper time allocation technical staff timesheets.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by Finance and Compliance Director.

Reporting and Organizational Relationships:

This position reports to the Finance and Compliance Director

The candidate for the position of Senior Accountant shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• Additional accounting certification preferred, e.g. Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA); Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Expert Excel user, including pivot tables and advanced functions.

Skills and Experience Requirements:

• A minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible accounting experience working on large, complex, donor funded international development projects.
• Extensive experience in financial management of USAID funded projects of a similar scope and size (contracts), strong understanding of USG compliance rules and regulations (including FAR and AIDAR acquisition regulations).
• Extensive experience in reviewing financial reports.
• Knowledge of and experience with financial accounting software including QuickBooks accounting system. High degree of proficiency in relevant software packages such as Adobe, MS Word, Excel etc.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, versatility, integrity, high level of ethics, excellent organizational, analytical, interpersonal, and oral and written communication skills, and ability to work well independently, as a team member and within a fast-paced work environment.
• Professional level fluency in English, both written and oral.

Application Instructions:

To apply, send your application letter and resume to: [email protected], no later than April 13, 2021, listing “Senior Accountant” in the Subject Line. Note: Emails submitted without a resume and/or Job Code in the Subject Line will not be reviewed.

EDC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

This announcement is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this notice are the sole responsibility of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.