Accountant Senior II at Management Sciences For Health - MSH

Job ID: 13-10163
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Reports To: Director of Finance & Operations – Multi-country Portfolio

Overview

• The Accountant is part of the regional finance and operations team responsible for working closely with country accountants and the HQ GL accountants in ensuring timely and accurate financial accounting records are maintained.
• The Accountant will be fully knowledgeable on the MSH finance & accounting policies and procedures and key donor regulations i.e. U.S government, Global Fund, Key US foundations, DFID and others.
• The Accountant will provide mostly remote back stopping, capacity building & oversight to country accountants based in MSH country offices across the world.
• The specific scope of countries to support will be provided by the supervisor and may change as the context and need arises.

Specific Responsibilities
MSH business systems support:

• Maintain the QBO helpdesk platform ensuring timely quality response to users
• Maintain the MSH Quickbooks Online administrative rights for MSH countries.
• Create new chart of accounts in line with MSH standards for countries.
• Create and setup QBO companies for new countries and projects.
• Integration of QBO and Cost Point Financials ensuring timely update of financial data in the cost point system.
• Manage access controls of Cost Point financials for country offices and conduct the necessary spot checks and trainings as necessary.

Financial Accounting:

• Ensure that payments are processed accurately, timely, and safely (to minimize MSH’s risk exposure).
• Ensure that treasury practices in country minimize MSH’s cash exposure.
• Ensure that entries are entered into financial system accurately and timely.
• Ensure that month and year-end accounting activities are done accurately and in compliance with MSH policies and procedures.
• Upload financial data accurately & timely on online payment platforms for onward approval and payment.
• Conduct bank reconciliations and ensure that outstanding items are addressed.
• Ensure quality of financial data is consistently improving across countries.
• Ensure that financial data between QBO and Cost Point Financials is reconciled weekly/monthly.

Capacity BuildingSupport:

• Develop training materials for key accounting processes.
• Set up regular and adhoc training sessions with country accountants on key financial accounting concepts.
• Identify training needs for finance and accounts staff in country offices and develop a training plan

Oversight and Monitoring:

• Conduct regular spot checks of country transactions for compliance with MSH regulations and rules but also look out for suspicious transactions that may need investigation.
• Provide regular feedback to the country teams on meeting key performance indicators.
• Develop and maintain regular KPI rating for country performance.

Support Internal and External Audits:

• Provide timely and complete financial information to internal and external auditors.
• Support the country to put in place controls that ensure compliance with donor regulations and hence a significant reduction in questioned costs and disallowances.
• Provide support (participate) in country internal audits as needed by the Internal audit team.

Financial Reporting :

• Provide consolidate exception reporting for MSH country offices on a quarterly basis based on quarterly performance of the country teams. 
• Ensure timely actions

Qualifications and Experience

• University Degree in Accounting or equivalent certification from a Business Technical School. Masters Degree in accounting will be an added advantage. A professional qualification is appreciated.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience as an Accountant
• Knowledge of & Experience with U.S. government projects
• IT Proficiency i.e. comfortable using computer software i.e. Microsoft Office programs like Word & Excel.
• Experience with working with large data points and applying excel pivot tables, SUMIF, Vlookup, Concatenate etc.
• Fairly advanced use of financial accounting software i.e. administrator or super user level. (I.e. QuickBooks, Sun Systems, PeopleSoft, Cost Point etc.)
• Good Presentation skills i.e. experience conducting trainings and capacity building sessions both remotely and in
• workshop environment.
• Demonstrate good judgment and sound financial "common sense"
• Experience coordinating/actively supporting both internal and external audits in an organization.
• Good knowledge of a company’s key business processes i.e. procurement to pay, inventory management, treasury management, GL journal adjustments and key steps, and understanding key supporting documents needed to ensure good audit trail.
• Knowledge of key accounting concepts and treatments in line with FAS, GAAP.
• Written and verbal proficiency in English including business terminology. Knowledge in another international language French, Spanish, Portuguese is an added advantage.