Management Accountant Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI)

USAID SCALING UP NUTRITION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (SUN TA)

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT

DAI works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients’ most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, health and nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS, avian influenza control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments.

Project Background:

The Scaling Up Nutrition Program is a cross-ministry and multi-donor program to reduce stunting in Zambia through implementation of the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) 1,000 Most Critical Days Program.  SUN TA provides support and direct technical assistance to sub-national local government departments in target districts to plan, implement, coordinate, and monitor integrated nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific activities to reduce the rate of stunting among Zambian children under two and improve the nutritional status of pregnant and lactating mothers. USAID has identified two main objectives that address stunting, including (1) Adequate Quantity and Quality of Dietary Intake among Target Groups; and (2) Adequate Health Conditions for Biological Utilization of Nutrients. SUN TA interventions increase access and availability of safe, diverse, nutritious food; adoption of better child feeding and household hygiene practices; and access to improved health, water and sanitation services. The project prioritizes sustainability by improving intra-household joint decision making and building the capacity of local government and their stakeholders to ensure coordination, accountability, and learning, following the Scaling Up Nutrition model.

3. Objective:

Reporting to the Finance Manager, the Management Accountant is part of the SUN TA Finance department and actively oversees to ensure that financial transaction documentation is complete and accurate before uploading into FAS.. The Management will support the Senior Management Team in tracking spending per activity and expenditure type according to the approved workplans in order to produce detailed financial reports on the various aspects of the project on a monthly basis.   The Management Accountant is based in Lusaka.

4. Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Create and communicate processes, workflows and templates for the seamless forecasting and reporting of project spending.
• Work on financial modeling related to predicting future outcomes.
• Works with project management to analyze and explain variances to actual spending on a monthly basis
• Participates in the annual work planning process in the districts by providing historical estimates of various program expenses and assist with the budgeting process.
• Creates spreadsheets and tools to aid in financial analysis and forecasting.
• Tracks spending per activity and district according to approved workplan and produces monthly and quarterly reports on spending against budget.
• Interprets financial data and relate to potential trends, patterns, issues, and their meaning related to key performance indicators
• Provide financial support advice to the project technical leads and activity managers
• Assists in preparing information for any financial reporting requirements, or internal reports as necessary
• Uses insights discovered to communicate important themes and discoveries to project leadership
• Ensure payment requests are within budget and correctly coded and charged to the correct cost center
• Maintains knowledge and understanding of all policies and procedures as set forth in the SUN TA Field Operations Manual.
• Review TAMIS travel requests and expense reports for accuracy and compliance and follow procedures to ensure accurate and timely payment and reconciliation of travel advances, reimbursements for Lusaka staff. Reconciliation of general ledger accounts including advance account, expenditure accounts, cashbook and other general ledge accounts.
• Submit extracts on TAMIS for Finance Manager review
• Performs other financial tasks assigned by the Finance Manager which are consistent with his/her qualifications, this Scope of work and the general requirements of the project.
• Preparation of monthly expenditure management reports to management and budget holders
• Input budget into the database/FAS and updated budget revisions
• Assist the Finance department with annual Audit preparation
• Annual review of all project costs
• Any other tasks assigned by the Finance Manager, DFA or the COP

5. Qualifications:

• B.A. or B.Com Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or equivalent or Completed ACCA Professional or full CIMA, required
• Associate Member of the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA) required
• At least five (5) years prior financial analysis and budgeting experience.
• Demonstrated budget development experience.
• Sound general accounting knowledge with budgeting and financial analysis skills.
• Experience working with international NGOs or donor such as USAID-­funded projects (preferred).
• Advanced Excel skills and working knowledge of other MS Office Suite programs.
• Ability to work independently and adjust quickly to change in a fast-paced working environment
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and comfort developing and analyzing financial models
• Experience using accounting software.
• Demonstrated honesty, trustworthiness initiative and self-motivation in handling all assigned tasks