Finance Officer at WaterAid

Job purpose 

• This role will ensure compliance with WaterAid financial policies and procedures for payments, receipts and cash management, and ensure completeness and accuracy of WaterAid financial accounts as well as escalating issues to the State Programme Lead and the Head of Finance & IT as may be necessary. 
• This role provides all round financial and sub award administration / support to WaterAid Nigeria field operations to ensure effective and efficient management of donor funding.
• The post holder is responsible for supporting program managers in budgeting and tracking implementation burn rate, application of donor funding by WANG staff and partner organizations and their staff in line with GAAP; staff compliance with WaterAid and any donor specific financial policies & procedures requirement; the appropriate use of and application of grant funds and accurate and timely submission of financial reports in line with approved budgets. 
• The Finance Officer will also build capacity of WaterAid staff in Bauchi State Office on various aspects of financial reporting and grants management.

Key Responsibilities
Financial Reporting:

• Prepare monthly cost recovery analysis and reconcile cost recharges to the GAC – EmpowerHer project for compliance with Global Affairs Canada grant principles. 
• Prepare project financial reports, consistent with donor and WaterAid procedural and reporting requirements (monthly, quarterly, six monthly and annually). 
• Deal with request for transfers to staffs and partners in a timely manner whilst ensuring full compliance is achieved with financial regulations in reviewing request for fund transfers to staffs and partners. 
• Provide timely and accurate input into Month end and Year end processes. Preparing project / donor reconciliation of staff advances on a monthly basis confirming accuracy of balances and timely retirement of outstanding advances.

Internal Controls:

• Ensure accurate and adequate documentation and recording of WaterAid Nigeria expenditures in compliance with country programme and global policy and procedures. Provide support throughout external & other audits, including preparing relevant supporting evidence and records needed.

Grant Management:

• Prepare accurate and timely project financial reports using standard Global Affairs Canada grant reporting template. 
• Assist in budget preparation and support programme team to manage donor fund by providing accurate and timely financial report. 
• Work closely with the Partner Finance Officer with partner management in the State. 
• Build capacity of all project staffs on donor compliance requirements. Support project managers in reviewing budget vs actual monthly expenditure report for variance explanation.

Tax Management:

• Responsible for Statutory remittance in the State and follow up to ensure all tax matters are resolved. 
• Prepare the monthly statutory remittance of payroll deductions for the Bauchi State staffs for remittance to relevant tax authority. Prepare monthly and year end PAYE returns and to process tax clearance certificate. 
• Prepare and reconcile Withholding Tax and Stamp Duty on a monthly basis and to ensure timely remittance of deductions from vendors and suppliers. 
• File annual tax returns for Bauchi state within agreed timelines.

Programme Support:

• Support the State Programme Lead and Project Managers in processing payments to service providers and suppliers. 
• Ensure complete and valid supporting documentation for payment request before completing the digital app. Periodic review of. 
• Provide support to the Project team for activity costing, budgeting and preparation of annual costed work plan. 
• Mapping of work plan to donor budget and to assign activities to donor budget lines. 
• Provide relevant support to proposal development, including budget development, for new opportunities.

Policy and Procedure:

• Guide and provide support to staff in the application of WANG chart of account, budget code, annual planning, budgeting, activity costing, forecasting, financial policies and procedures. Conduct project specific finance induction for new staffs and partners.

Month & Year End:

• Provide timely and accurate input into Month end and Year end processes. 
• Take responsibility for reviewing & reconciling Balance Sheet accounts including bank accounts and making corrections as necessary following the approval of the Head of Finance and IT. Maintain proper filling of all financial and accounting records on Finance Shared Drive.

Risk Management:

• Regularly review assigned risk management roles, ensure data integrity and adequate controls are in place and report accordingly.

Cash Management:

• Prepare monthly cash request for the State office. Maintain office petty cash for adequacy and safety. Ensure weekly cash counts and timely reimbursement of office imprest.

Fixed Asset:

• Prepared and maintained project asset register in compliance with WaterAid and donor requirement. 

Person Specification
Essential Criteria:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance
• Professionally Qualified Accountant and a member of an internationally recognised accounting body i.e., Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), ACCA, CIMA, ACA or CPA 
• Minimum of 4 years post qualification experience, of which at least two must be in a finance transaction processing role 
• Experience with people management 
• Strong knowledge of fund accounting regulations for non-profit organisations 
• Experience of monitoring budgets and systems development. 
• Strong knowledge of financial management best practices 
• Experience of using an accounting package preferably SUN Accounting 
• Experience of cash flow management 
• Basic Knowledge of IT systems & packages 
• Excellent computer skills, particularly Excel & Word (MS Office in general) 
• A team player

Desirable Criteria:

• Master’s Degree in Business Administration or a related field 
• Membership of other relevant professional body e.g., the Chartered Institute of Taxation or Auditors.
• Knowledge of local finance and tax legislations.
• Experience of developing, monitoring and reporting systems.
• IT systems design.