Project Accountant at DAI

Project Title: Youth-powered Ecosystem to Advance Urban Adolescent Health and Well-being program

Reports to: Finance Lead
Programme End-date: May 2025

Programme Overview:
The Youth-powered Ecosystem to Advance Urban Adolescent Health and Well-being activity is a five-year USAID funded
programme in Nigeria, beginning in May 2020. The program, in partnership with select local NGOs will foster, develop and support an ecosystem of safe spaces for youth to gain life-skills, access sexual, reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information as well as referrals to local facilities. The primary goal of the programme is to improve the health and well-being of urban, poor adolescents; ages 15–19, by increasing voluntary family planning (FP) uptake and continued use—from a holistic, human capital perspective.
Job Summary:
The Accountant's primary responsibility is to review and evaluate the consistency and soundness of projects' financial transactions, and to interpret the financial data and create useful information that supports managerial decisions for both project offices (Lagos and Kano) when needed.
Other key responsibilities include;

• Ensure complete and accurate accounting records for all project transactions are maintained, accounting software is updated and reviewed in a timely manner.
• Support with the preparation of the office monthly, quarterly & annual budgets with the Finance Lead, ensuring that daily variances are monitored and reported promptly.
• Assist with year-end accounts preparation and any external audits
• Assist with the monthly cash flow forecast for program activities.
• Assist with banking operations, including setting up accounts, updating mandates/signatories, making payments, and reconciling accounts.
• Maintain an efficient and transparent financial filing system of all documents relating to Finance
• Manage the account payable ledger, and ensure prompt and correct payments to third parties
• Supervise and ensure proper recording of project assets, including proper tagging of same
• Maintain cost-share records with implementing partners
• Assist with detailed financial reporting, accounting, and budgeting of program funds through the full accounting cycle across both project offices
• Review payment terms for completeness and pay special attention in reviewing advance provisions.
• Follow-up and take actions on outstanding reconciliation items and advances until cleared and/or liquidated.
• Produce special project accounting reports to assist Project Team in monitoring budgetary needs of projects.

Requirements:

• A Bachelors’ degree or equivalent qualification in Accounting, Economics, Business Administration or similar discipline. Possession of an accounting certification; ACA, ACCA, CIMA is required
• 5 - 7 years of relevant experience in accounting & financial management on a donor-funded project. USAID experience involving accounting and budgeting duties is highly desirable
• Strong knowledge of accounting, budgeting techniques, financial control practices and reporting
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Excel and the ability to work with modern accounting software (e.g. SAGE, QuickBooks, Peachtree, etc)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to keep confidential accounting/financial information