Finance Assistant

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. NDI has supported democratic institutions and practices in every region of the world for more than two decades. Since its founding in 1983, NDI and its local partners have worked to establish and strengthen political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and promote citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. NDI works in Kenya to support democratic institutions, including political parties, better able to engage with stakeholders and citizens on national policy, legislation development and citizen concerns and priorities.

NDI invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced persons to fill the vacant post in Kenya detailed below. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Job Description

NDI seeks a Finance Assistant to support with the general implementation of NDI’s Financial Accounting Policies to ensure financial reports are produced in an accurate and timely manner in compliance with NDI policies, relevant Government and Donor Agency regulations. The Finance Assistant will report to the Finance Officer. This is a one-year fixed-term contract.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the Finance Officer to ensure timely recording and reconciliation of transactions ensuring a high degree of accuracy, completeness and sufficiency of all accounting documentation including authenticity of signatures, cross-checking attendance sheets and verifying payments made to participants.
• Assist with the coding and posting of transactions as required on NDI’s accounting software.
• Assist to prepare and process payments and forwarding for approvals and disbursement.
• Follow up on all outstanding vendor payments to ensure timely settlements.
• Collect all financial transaction documentation for record keeping i.e payment invoices and receipts, contracts, vouchers and NDI payment support documentation.
• ‘Paid’ stamping of all the invoices and related documents before filing.
• In line with NDI policy on storage of financial & other sensitive organizational documents, prepare scans of all original accounting documents and store them in relevant online NDI drives.
• Assist the Finance Officer to ensure petty cash floats are replenished in time and undertake supervised disbursement of payments.
• Assist to prepare and submit in a timely manner all statutory and tax related returns.
• Assist in training staff and sub grant partners on application of NDI's financial accounting policies and procedures.
• Assist in sub award site audits and prepare site visits reports.
• Assist with audit related requirements (timely documents retrieval, filing after audit completion, proving additional assistance as necessary)
• Assist in other general accounting duties as may be required within the office.

Experience and Skills Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in finance, accounting, business administration.
• CPA Part II or ACCA Level II Qualification
• Minimum of two (2) years in financial management, accounting, and/or administration, preferably for an international NGO supported through donor funding.
• High level of attention to details in all aspects of work responsibilities.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills combined with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups.
• Experience with word processing and spreadsheet software (Microsoft Word and Excel preferred).
• Ability to analyze and interpret governmental and organizational rules and regulations.
• Capacity to identify essential elements of complex accounting issues.
• Working knowledge of PC-based software; proficiency in Windows and Microsoft Suite.
• Working knowledge of Quicken or other accounting software and Excel.
• Strong ethics, with an ability to manage confidential data.
• Experience working at a non-profit is preferred.
• Capacity to work both independently and as a member of a team.