Senior Accountant - UNITID (ENGAGE Project)

Role Overview

This is a full-time position based in Nairobi for the ENGAGE Project at UNITID. Reporting to the Senior Project Accountant, the successful candidate will oversee project budgets, monitor expenditures, manage costing, prepare financial reports, support audits, and ensure financial accountability and transparency. The role is critical in ensuring the project's financial operations meet effective management standards, reporting requirements, and compliance while upholding the University of Nairobi’s professional standards.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Financial Management: Manage project finances, including budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.
• Compliance: Ensure adherence to donor and organizational financial policies and regulations.
• Reporting: Prepare accurate and timely financial reports for donors and internal stakeholders.
• Budget Monitoring: Track expenditures and analyze variances against project budgets.
• Fund Disbursement: Oversee the disbursement of funds and review all payment documentation.
• Audit Support: Coordinate and support both internal and external audits.
• Internal Controls: Implement and monitor internal controls to safeguard project resources.
• Training: Train and mentor project staff on financial management and donor compliance.
• Collaboration: Partner with program and procurement teams to align financial operations with project goals.
• Stakeholder Liaison: Act as a point of contact for donors and stakeholders regarding financial matters.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Commerce with a major in either Finance or Accounting.
• Professional Certifications: Professional accountancy qualification (ACCA Affiliate or equivalent) and a Certificate in grants management training programme.
• Experience:
  • At least five (5) years of experience in an accounting role.
  • Minimum of three (3) years working in a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) or a research-based institution collaborating with local and international universities.
  • Mandatory experience working with Japanese funded programs is a requirement.
• Knowledge: Advanced skills in finance/accounting information systems and a good understanding of Public Sector Procurement/Finance processes.

Required Skills

• Analytical & Communication: Result-driven, confident, and capable of influencing and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
• Organization: Efficient, well-organized, and skilled in analyzing financial risks.
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead teams, build relationships, and ensure compliance with donor and project requirements.

Desirable Skills

• Proven expertise in fund accounting, budget management, financial analysis, audit coordination, donor financial reporting, and compliance.
• Hands-on experience using Sage and Fluxx grants management systems.

Important Notes for Applicants

• Applicants should email their application letters, certified copies of certificates, and a resume of maximum two pages, giving details of their qualifications, experience, and three (3) referees indicating their telephone and e-mail contacts.
• Applications and related documents should be forwarded addressed to the Director, Human Resource, University of Nairobi.
• Applicants should state their current designations, salaries, and other benefits attached to those designations.
• The application letter must bear the reference code: AD/2/215/26.
• Late applications will not be considered.
• Applications should be emailed as one file in PDF to: recruit-saunitid@uonbi.ac.ke.