Project Accountant Job Vacancy at CRS

Reports to:  Deputy Finance Manager
Location: Mbeya
Salary Grade: 8

CRS background

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, Wash, microfinance and peacebuilding. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Country Background

CRS in Tanzania works in very close collaboration with the Catholic Church and implements programs through both Churches and secular local partners. CRS has been helping poor, vulnerable families improve their lives through orphans and vulnerable children, agriculture, health, microfinance and WASH programming in Tanzania since 1962.

Job Summary:

You will help coordinate and contribute to the implementation of donor policies and procedures in compliance with CRS’ established accounting standards, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), donors’ rules and regulations, and legal requirements to support high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. You will efficiently perform accounting services through documenting the grant financial transactions by compiling, analyzing, and verifying account information, preparing account entries, and delivering financial reporting services throughout the project life cycles.

Job Responsibilities:

• Set and monitor sound accounting and financial reporting procedures for sub-recipients and partners following established standards. Ensure setup and maintenance of all data required for processing financial transactions for assigned accounts in financial accounting systems.
• Review and validate supporting documentation before processing of financial transactions to ensure all required documents are accurate and complete and authorizations are in place.
• Record financial transactions following appropriate authorizations. Review and analyze various accounts to detect irregularities. Advise on corrective actions and prepare correcting entries and adjustments, as necessary.
• Assess, evaluate, and monitor sub-recipient financial management processes in accordance with policy and strengthen capacity of partner in financial accounting and transactions.
• Monitor disbursement/receipt schedules, alert relevant project staff of due payments/liquidations, and maintain appropriate communication and follow-up to facilitate timeliness of financial resource management and compliance with set deadlines.
• Prepare various periodic and ad hoc financial reports and perform variance analysis to assist project staff with decision-making. Assist with budget maintenance for proper management of financial resources.
• Provide information to project staff, sub-recipients, and partners on financial accounting policies and procedural compliance issues and deliver training and other capacity building activities.
• Financial management of awards and projects, including importing costs from various sources; reviewing imported costs; checking available funds for expenditures; creating manual expenditures; reviewing and adjusting expenditures; testing, applying, and creating and reviewing accounting
• Evaluate supply chain cost and monitor inventory valuation, adjust cost, and transfer cost to finance subledger.
• Supply chain month end period close.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• A. degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration with courses in accounting, or a qualification in accounting (CPA/ACCA or equivalent).
• Minimum of two years’ experience in a position with similar responsibilities, preferably with an international or local NGO, or a financial/banking institution.
• Knowledge of the relevant public donor regulations preferred.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications. Knowledge of Oracle financial accounting system or similar financial reporting software preferred.

Personal Skills 

• Excellent analytical skills with ability to detect and report inconsistencies.
• Conscientious, accurate and thorough with great attention to detail
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented.
• Ability to work collaboratively.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Proficiency in English

Travel Required: Willingness and ability to travel at least 50% of the time to project sites.

Key Working Relationships: 

Supervisory: Nil
Internal: Finance Staff, Chief of Party, and Program Officers-LEAD
External: Local partners, field auditors, partner banks and other local as well international bodies (e.g. donors)

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff): 

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

HOW TO APPLY:

• Interested qualified candidates should submit their letter of application together with their CV in PDF or Word format in a single attachment which outlines their experience and sustainability of the position applied to email address TZ_HR@crs.org not later than 15^th May 2024.
• The applicants should clearly state the Job title applied for in the subject line of the email.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Female candidates, people with disability and people from other recognized marginalized backgrounds, are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.  CRS Tanzania recognizes many people do not have access to university education, limited capacity to travel, women take career breaks to care for family, and physical access for people with disability is limited in some workplaces including in the field.  In all recruitments, CRS Tanzania uses a competency-based selection process.  This ensures that if a candidate does not have a university degree or many years of experience, their competencies and existing expertise is assessed and valued.