Position: Accounting Unit Lead

Reports to: Head of Finance

Supervises: Programme Accountants

Location: Dar es Salaam

Grade: B1

Major functions:

Under the directives of the Finance Manager, the Accounting Unit Lead’s responsibilities will be as follows:

• Provide overall financial management duties to the TCO Accounting Unit
• Provide hands of support to the Head of Finance on all financial and operational issues to ensure effective management of the TCO Programs and projects.
• Oversee implementation of donor and WWF’s operational policies, procedures standards and systems including budget management, financial reporting, audits.
• Support and coordinate development of program’s operational, strategic and business plans and ensure effective implementation of the same
• Provide hands of support to Contract Management Unit in managing incoming and outgoing program contracts.
• Work closely with Project Finance Unit to support management of budgets for all programs and landscapes in the country
• Support project Project Finance Unit in preparation, review and submission of financial report to all the stakeholders/ Donors.
• Monthly preparation of financial results for management and regional office.
• Work with the team to ensure monthly preparation of balance sheet schedules. Perform other functions as may be directed by the Head of Finance.

Major duties and responsibilities:

Program budgets management

• Provide information/support to the Project Finance team during preparation and review of all project budgets/ Forecast before submission to donors.
• Provide information/support to the Project Finance team during preparation of TCO core budget
• Manage program expenditure by ensuring that all program activities are fully funded and expended appropriately (Ensuring no-cash no-spending rule is applied for all the programs in WWF Tanzania)
• Conduct monthly program financial reviews and reporting (Cash received vs. expenditure).
• Preparation of Monthly analysis on program spending and TCO core performance for management review and decision.
• Follow up of cash calls for all TCO programs and ensure adequate fund is available for activity implementation.
• Coordinate regular program team financial reviews based on work plans and expenditures.
• Update and facilitate technical staff’s comprehension of the respective financial management issues.

Financial management and accounting

• Playing a leading role in preparation and ensure timely submission of all financial reports for review and approval to Head of Finance for further submission to the regional office
• Manage key program documents including filing of invoices, contracts, vouchers and other related documents in line with Field Accounting Manual and donor requirements.
• Ensure that accounting transactions are entered in the financial systems in a timely manner
• Ensure that accounting transactions are entered in the financial systems are accurate and complete
• Verification and release of all the payments entered in the WWF Citi bank online system.
• Ensure all procurements are done in accordance to respective laws and standard procedures including the field accounting manual and donor requirements.
• Provide the Logistics Officer with a list of program assets given to partners and/or government; follow up on proper disposal during program period and at end of program as per donor requirements.
• Issue, track and reconcile approved travel advances to programme staff; review advance expense reports, review advance reconciliation and claims for completeness and accuracy.
• Ensure timely preparation, review and approval of subledger to GL reconciliations
• Ensure timely preparation, review and approval of bank accounts reconciliations
• Ensure timely and accurate payments are made to vendors and staff and monthly preparation, review and approval of supplier reconciliations.
• Follow up with staff to ensure timely liquidation of imprests
• Monitor and analyze all balance sheet, income and expenditure accounts in the TCO accounting records.

Contracts & Grants management

• Support the establishment and maintenance of contracts database for the assigned programs
• Support managing program incoming and outgoing contracts/grants
• Support Grants Management Unity to ensure that all contracts & grants are timely and properly developed
• Support all program components fulfil their contractual obligations including timely delivery of results/outputs and reporting.
• Update the Program teams of contractual deliverables
• Support reconciliation of the TCO consolidated budget against what is in the C2G database
• Follow up with donors on cash calls and other contractual obligations to ensure smooth running of the programs

Program audits

• Organize Program audits including preparation of documents for internal, external and donor audits.
• Liaise with internal and external auditors on audit related issues Facilitate auditors in performing on-site visits.
• Assist in providing management responses to audit reports and implement recommendations.
• Ensuring the external auditors are assisted and all the requested information are provided on time
• Playing a leading role on ensuring that the audit issues from previous audits do not repeat.
• Provide timely balances confirmation from the external auditor for our implementing partners and stakeholders

Partnership management

• Maintain a record of key program partners and oversee respective program partnership obligations and maintain records of financial transactions and decisions including those originating from WWF-US to the partners
• Receive and analyse all financial related reports from in country based partners including partner financial capacity assessments, trainings, partner audit working papers
• Analyse records and financial/operational risks and advice on corrective measures including capacity building as deemed appropriate.
• Follow up and review of financial reports and other contractual deliverables from other country offices which are implementing projects funded by WWF Tanzania.
• Consolidation of financial reports submitted by the implementing partners (local and International) before sharing the same with the primary donors.

Monitoring

• Provide regular support to program sites through visit and review of accounting and operational systems
• Provide support on systems update including new activities and programme integration and/or consolidation.
• Prepare, review and analyse financial reports and submit it to the Head of Finance.
• Assisting program evaluation on financial related matters both for mid-term and final evaluation of the projects.
• Oversee data capture for WWF TCO performance to the INSIGHT database for monitoring reports of the office and respond to any questions relating to the data.

General Responsibility:

• Undertake any other official duties as assigned by the Head of Finance and the WWF Country Director or his/her assignee as would be required.

III.   Profile:

• A university degree in Accounting, Commerce, Business Administration or related field; Full accounting qualification i.e. CPA, ACCA or equivalent will be an added advantage;
• Three to five years of working with financial/accounting systems experience in a major international organisation/NGO i.e. USAID accounting;
• Demonstrable skills in the development of finance and accounting policies, procedures and systems in the context of an international NGO but private sector experience will be equally considered;
• Good knowledge of fund accounting (including reporting requirements of major Bi- lateral Aid Agencies);
• Hands-on knowledge of the major ERP softwares would be a distinct advantage; Excellent English and knowledge of local languages an asset.

Working Relationships

Internal: Interacts and works closely and on a regular basis with the Finance Manager, Senior Accountant, project and Tanzania Country Office staff.

External: Interacts as required with other stakeholders, in collaboration with the Finance Manager as appropriate.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs

Applications must include a complete Cover Letter & CV with full contact details of three referees and should be addressed to the Head of People & Culture, via email to: hresources@wwftz.org by Tuesday, 05th September 2023 at 3:30 pm. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Female applicants are encouraged to apply.

WWF is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce

WWF has a principle of zero tolerance to fraud and corruption, if you encounter
such an incident, then report by sending an email to fcci@wwftz.org