Project Accountant (PA) at Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers
Job Type: Contract (1 year)
Unit/Office: Project Coordination

Main Responsibilities

• The Project Accountant is responsible for supporting the Project Financial Controller (PFC) in the effective discharge of his/her functions. He reports to the Project Coordinator.

Specific Duties

• Master IFAD key documents such as, the disbursement handbook, procurement guidelines and handbook, IFAD guidelines for project audits, the Financing Agreement (FA) and the Letter to the Borrower (LTB) as well as the Project Financial Procedures Manual.
• Assist the PFC in the implementation of a sound financial management system as described in the Project Financial Procedures Manual.
• Prepare transaction vouchers, input all transactions into the RPCO accounting system before submission to the PFC for approval and make sure all necessary supporting documentation is made available and filed in a systematic way.
• Process all payments, ensuring that project financial procedures are strictly adhered to.
• Process monthly payroll, payment of salaries to staff and project contributions.
• Assist the PFC in the preparation of withdrawal applications. e.g Prepare cash flow forecasts as required.
• Monitor financial returns from implementing partners and State Project Coordination Offices (SPCOs), including periodic visits to their offices.
• Assist in the preparation and monitoring of annual operational budgets.
• Prepare quarterly and annual financial reports in agreed format including:
  • Sources and uses of funds statement, including incurred expenditures by component, expenditure category and financier,
  • Variance report (actual vs budgeted expenditures),
  • Designated account reconciliation statement,
  • Withdrawal application-statement of expenditure,
  • Fixed asset register,
  • Contract register for submission to the Technical Support Committee, Lead Project Agency and IFAD.
• Maintain a well-organized and up-to-date filing system for Accounting and Financial records as well as a fixed asset tagging system.
• Perform physical inventory of project assets each year.
• Assist the PFC in the preparation of the accounting manual of the RPCO.
• Provide assistance to the external auditors as required, and facilitate that the project auditors have access to all necessary files.
• Make sure all expenditure items:
  • Meet the eligibility criteria as defined in the IFAD financing agreement,
  • Are supported by adequate documentation (invoice, contracts, evidence of payments etc.).
• Ensure all project records are properly filed in a systematic way and maintain proper back up.
• Prepare monthly bank account reconciliations are prepared in a timely manner and reconciliation items are promptly followed upon.
• Liaise with the SPCOs to ensure timely delivery of justification of advances, reporting of expenditures, and financial reports, as well as follow-up on audit process and audit findings.
• Undertake any other activities assigned by the RPC and the PFC.

Reporting and Location

• The position will be in the RPCO located in Port Harcourt. The PA will report to the FC.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ post-professional experience.
• A professional qualification (FCA, ACA, FCNA, CNA) with at least 15 years of post- qualification experience, at least 8 of which must be in management.
• A minimum of 8 years’ experience in management team of IEAD- assisted or donor funded projects.
• Good interpersonal relationship, transparently honest, team worker and possess ability to train counterparts; and must be healthy and fit to undertake extensive filed visits.
• Member of Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, with strong working knowledge of both national and international accounting procedures.
• Strong computer skills, spread-sheets, and other relevant accounting packages.
• Working knowledge of banking and financial control procedures.
• Excellent written and spoken English.