Senior Accountant Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)

Reports to Head of Finance. The incumbent is responsible for scheduling and tracking of tasks within the Financial Control section to achieve efficiency and effectiveness and in a manner upholding sound internal controls.

Main duties

• Responsible for the overall management of a huge portfolio of Cash and Bank General Ledger Accounts (around 100 Cashbooks/Bank Accounts, multi-currency: ZMK, USD, GBP, Euro).
• Responsible for the accuracy and completeness of Cash/Bank accounts balances for management and financial reporting purposes.
• Daily review, reconciliation and clearance of the inter-bank transfers suspense accounts.
• Tracks details of outstanding transactions and amounts making up running balances in the inter-bank transfers suspense accounts.
• Oversee daily reviews, reconciliation and validation of balances sitting in all the cash-at-hand suspense accounts.
• Maintains up-to-date and accurate details of transactions making up balances in all the cash-at-hand suspense accounts.
• Continuously reviews the general suspense accounts, reconcile and cause to be cleared any pending entries to avoid carrying unsupported balances.
• Reconcile the account balance in the cash investments control account (GL) to the investments portfolio and assets type (e.g. cash-at-bank, fixed deposits, treasury bills/bonds, etc.).
• Maintains detailed breakdown of inter-company entries from Head Office and reconcile with counter-parties and obtain their sign-offs on account balances at reporting cut-off dates.
• Makes recommendations for clearing of inter-company balances through account settlement or swapping arrangements (e.g. balances between group companies).
• Tracks and validates balances in the staff debt recovery control accounts.
  Ensures completeness of accounting entries on surcharges/invoices/debit notes raised on staff and credits for recoveries effected through payroll.
• Reconciles the account balances in the GL to outstanding balances on the payroll recovery schedules.
• Ensure availability of detailed schedules on closing balances in provisions/accruals accounts.
• Plans and executes reconciliation of all types of receivables falling under head office (e.g. subaward debtors, operations debtors, etc.).
• Reconciliation of GL control accounts totals to related Sub-ledger combined balances.
• Reviews and tracks the running balance on the staff float portfolio through the GL control account and reconcile the totals to related Sub-ledger combined balances.
• Reviews and tracks the running balance on the various Accounts Payable GL control accounts (ZMK, USD, GBP, Euro, etc.) and reconcile the totals to related Sub-ledger combined balances.
• Assumes responsibility for handling audit reviews pertaining to financial controls within the scope of this role.

Qualifications

• Full Grade Twelve (12) Certificate
• Degree in Accountancy or equivalent
• Full professional qualification such as CA Zambia/CIMA/ ACCA
• Must be a registered member of the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA)
• Minimum of five (5) years’ relevant post qualification experience, working in a busy finance and accounting environment
• Must possess practical skills in management and financial reporting
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Planning and organizational skills
• Teamwork and interpersonal communication skills
• Risk management skills
• Proven results-oriented attitude

Suitably qualified candidates are invited to apply. However, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.