Senior Accountant – Emerging Public Leaders Malawi

Job Description

Contract length: 2 years (renewable subject to availability of funding)

Start Date: As soon as possible

Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) exists to accelerate good governance and equitable prosperity in Africa. Achieving that vision requires talented, ethical, energetic government professionals. With our in-country partners, we rigorously and meritocratically select diverse cohorts of Public Service Fellows from graduates of accredited universities and place them in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who are committed to practicing and promoting good governance throughout Africa. With EPL’s support throughout their career journeys, these leaders influence and strengthen their country’s infrastructure for delivering government services with care, innovation, and integrity.

EPL’s competitive recruitment process, continuous and responsive training, professional development, and mentorship motivates highly qualified, University – educated young professionals to pursue careers in the civil service.

By injecting government institutions with new innovative, diverse, and ethical talent, EPL aims to improve government capacity and performance, strengthen countries’ democratic governance and accelerate sustainable growth in the countries where we operate. We bring an inclusive and accessible approach across lines of class, ethnicity, ability and geography because we believe that governments who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, better meet the needs of those citizens. Additionally, EPL ensures that the recruitment, retention, and promotion of young women in public service is prioritized; women and men are equally represented in the Fellowship program.

EPL has built strong partnerships with funders, government partners and local implementing partners in Liberia, Ghana Kenya, and most recently Malawi. The organization’s business model involves managing a significant amount of restricted funding and targeted international grant-making, which underlines its need for a strong and strategic operational infrastructure.

Position Description

The senior Accountant, reporting to the Country Director, will support the daily financial activities and functions required for successful implementation and functioning of the Malawi program. The senior Accountant position holder will provide overall leadership for the Financial Accounts function within the EPL Malawi program, leading the budgeting and Reporting function. He/she will be responsible for ensuring financial controls and management as prescribed by IFRS and GAAP Standards for EPL Malawi program-including capacity building; implementing efficient & effective processes; improving and ensuring compliance with internal control systems. S/he will ensure that EPL Malawi Financial Policies, requirements and procedures comply with the EPL policies, donor requirements as well and the Government of Malawi laws and policies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Timely provision of financial information for reporting to EPL Malawi Board of Directors, Management, EPL Global and donors. These include;
   • Monthly country reports
   • Annual budgets including program budgets, forecasts, and audits monthly and quarterly management accounts
   • Preparation and presentation of annual financial statements and year end reports
   • Other financial reports as may be requested from time to time either by the EPL Malawi Management or by the EPL Global Finance Unit
2. Partner with the Executive Director on planning, developing, and recommending annual budgets to the Board of Directors
3. Working closely with the Board of Directors Finance Committee to coordinate and lead the annual audit process by preparing annual financial statements and audit files for internal and external auditors;
4. Design and manage financial systems and processes for budget management, forecasting, and financial controls
5. Ensuring the EPL Malawi is compliant with EPL’s financial procedures and appropriate accounting standards and also with the local regulatory system, with particular emphasis on payroll taxes, withholding taxes, pension liabilities and VAT
6. Implement and establish financial internal controls
7. Prudent cash and bank management and monitoring of bank and cash balances on an ongoing basis
8. Provide the required support during proposal development and ensure that the developed budgets meet the prevailing needs in EPL Malawi in collaboration with program teams.
9. Overseeing implementation of Operations, logistics and procurement, IT and communication systems, structures and policies
10. Any and all such reasonable additional tasks that the Country Director may assign.

Key Qualifications and skills required:

• University Degree in Accounting or other relevant Business Degree. ACCA/CPA certification is preferred but not mandatory.
• Must have demonstrable experience with financial systems such as QuickBooks Online and advanced knowledge of MS Excel and MS office packages.
• 5 and above years’ experience in a senior accounting role, including experience in managing, reconciling budgets for large donor-funded programs and reporting
• Knowledge of Malawi local law in taxation and local regulatory reporting procedures. Knowledge of Malawi 2063 vision and goals will be of added advantage
• Knowledge of the relevant donors’ reporting and regulations
• Demonstrated ability to work with international and/or remote teams.
• Strong organization and prioritization skills.
• Accuracy in working with large amounts of data.
• Excellent communication skills both written and spoken
• Teamwork
• Strong interpersonal skills
• High degree of integrity and trust.
• Leadership skills with big-picture thinking and vision.

Application Instructions

If you are interested and meet the key qualifications and skills required, please send your cover letter and resume in one PDF document to infoeplmalawi@emergingpublicleaders.org with “EPL Malawi Senior Accountant” as the subject line.

Please submit your application by 7th October, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview.

Emerging Public Leaders is an Equal Opportunity Employer where an applicant’s qualifications are considered without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by law.