Accountant – Regional Office West
Title: Accountant
Functional Area: Finance
Reports to: Finance Specialist
Location: Regional Office – West (Surkhet)
Travel required: Yes
Grade: B
Type: Fixed-Term Employment of 2 years from date of employment; based in Regional Office West Surkhet
ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL
Plan International is a development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners in over 75 countries. Our programs are underpinned by a core of defined values, including transparency and accountability, team collaboration, inclusion and integration, as well as the overall ambition to empower girls and young women as legacy. Plan International has been working in Nepal since 1978 and developed a strong reputation as a respected development and humanitarian actor helping marginalised children, their families and communities to access their rights to health, education, economic security and protection. Through the support of local partners, Plan International works in 24 districts in Nepal. Plan International Nepal has a vision for 2030 as “an inclusive, just and safe society where all girls and young women enjoy their rights and live in freedom”. This is coupled with the ambition of taking action so that 100 million girls learn, lead, decide and thrive as “Girls and young women in all of their diversity reach their full potential as equal and active citizens” by 2023. The country strategy is put into action through the implementation of three interrelated program areas defined as follows:
LEARN: the “Education and Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (SOYEE)” program aims to assist vulnerable and excluded girls and young women in adapting and thriving in a changing climate;
LEAD AND DECIDE: the “Youth as Active Drivers of Change and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR)” program aims to empower girls and young women in leading change, having control over their bodies and making informed decisions; and
THRIVE: the “Early Childhood Development (ECD), Child Protection and Child Poverty” program enhances vulnerable and excluded children, especially girls, to be valued and cared for without discrimination, fear and any forms of violence.
Plan international Nepal seeks candidates who practice feminist leadership, promote diversity, actively seek innovative solutions for problems, courageously and respectfully share their opinions and ideas, break down barriers and engender cross-department collaboration, practice active listening, maintain confidentiality, build trust and are passionate about children’s rights and equality for girls.
ROLE PURPOSE
Under the guidance of the Finance Specialist, the Accountant performs regular and recurring accounting functions, including maintaining and reviewing accounting records and maintaining the general accounting documentation in a timely, reliable and reasonable manner. S/he is also responsible for reviewing and ensuring all documents comply with Plan Nepal Operational Manual, Polices and procedure designed by management, FOB and the applicable Tax legislation.
Description
DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE
Internal and External interfaces
ACCOUNTABILITIES
Budget development and submission
- Provide support to Finance Specialist in the timely preparation and submission of the Regional Office annual budget ensuring it complies with all project requirements;
- Perform an accurate monthly reconciliation of budget (including the weekly grant budget received from the Country Office); and
- Assist in the administration of the quarterly budget.
Management of financial/cash transaction
- Provide bi-weekly fund request statement in coordination with other department as per GH deadline and CO’s requests;
- Monitor and ensure invoices are raised in SAP pursuant to the approved payment requests; Provide general administrative accounting support:
- Prepare cheque/online transfer instruction as per SAP Invoice and affix paid stamp in payment documents before forwarding to cheque signatories;
- Handover signed cheques to operation department for distribution (including cheque details);
- Ensure acknowledgement of payment receipts are adequately documented in payment vouchers; and
- Review Monthly/Quarterly financial report of partners and process for settlement in SAP/ERP system.
Providing accounting support to the Finance Specialist
- Maintain records of expenditures in accordance with WBSE and GL code in the SAP system;
- Perform control checks of the internal expenditures control system (vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and all claims are duly processed);
- Prepare provision for accruals and prepaid in accordance with the accrual policy prior to month end closure;
- Prepare timely and reliable Financial reports;
- Perform monthly control checks reviewing country recharges, balance sheet, income and expenditure accounts;
- Assist the Finance Specialist in:
- reviewing financial compliance with global financial report;
- analysing exceptional report of general ledger and SAP prior to closure of next month;
- identifying any GL problem and initiate adequate actions to resolve the problem;
- Maintain partner advance settlement in SAP system; and
- Prepare year end schedule for SAP site based on SAP data.
Prepare and support in reviewing financial reports and records
- Prepare and submit monthly financial reports (travel data, Bank reconciliation);
- Prepare and submit quarterly reports (FFMR, Travel data, Quarterly Pack Reports);
- Prepare and submit weekly reconciliation of cross charges;
- Sort and file documents according to Agreement numbers, Voucher Transaction number and nature of document at all times and ensure its safety and accessibility; and
- Prepare Withholding Tax Certificates of Suppliers and Contractors in coordination with CO finance.
Complies with corporate mandates
- Comply with corporate policies and standards- Child Protection Policy, IT Policy, Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy, Confidentiality Policy, Code of Conduct, whistle Blowing Policy, HR Policies and Procedures;
- Provide requested documents to auditors and support in dealing with auditors (SWC audit, grant audit and GA audit); and
- Ensure cost effective measure in coordination with other Field Office staffs.
Undertake Corporate Responsibility
- Respect organizational values and comply with Plan Nepal Code of Conduct, Policies and Standards;
- Maintain confidentiality of all critical and sensitive information of the organisation;
- Assist with the establishment, revisions and maintenance of Plan Nepal’s procedures and policies; and
- Undertake any assigned responsibility when delegate.
Ensure Plan International’s CPP and GEI policies
Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in Management or any related subject and 2 years relevant work experience;
- Demonstrated experience in dealing with audit, tax related matters and issues and foreign exchange;
- Good understanding of the development and NGO sector in Nepal (INGO work experience preferred); and
- Sound understanding of the socio/political economic and cultural issues of Nepal.
Skills:
- Book keeping knowledge
- Sound knowledge of accountancy and book keeping;
- Sound knowledge of income Tax Act and VAT legislation in relation to TDS and remuneration tax and tax return files;
- Demonstrated analytical, strategic thinking and problem- solving abilities;
- Demonstrated ability to build positive and trustworthy relations with diverse stakeholders;
- Strong management and prioritization skills;
- Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in English and Nepali in order to communicate complex and technical information to technical and general audiences; and
- Proficient IT skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, MS Access and General ledger Finance system, etc.
PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people.
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
- We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace.
- We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
This role is based in Regional Office-West (Surkhet) and might involve travel as per need.
LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction
“Say Yes ! To Keeping Children and Young people safe and Protected”
NOTE: Applications are solely accepted through People2People online application procedures. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further selection process. Canvassing at any stage of processes shall lead to automatic disqualification.
Due to urgent priority to fill in the positions, recruitment can be held on a rolling basis and Plan International reserves the right to select a candidate prior to the deadline. Plan International Nepal invites all the applications including female candidates with priority from minority and youth groups for this position.
In recognition of the various needs of People with Disability (PWD), please reach out to People 2 People for direct application submission process.
Application Deadline: Monday, 13th May 2024
And press “APPLY“ that appears on the selected job page.
