ACCOUNTS OFFICER

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Plan International Ghana is looking for an Accounts Officer to effectively support the team to manage the finances for a project titled “Women’s Innovation for Sustainable Enterprises (WISE)”. The WISE Project seeks to leverage the enormous potential and agency of Ghanaian women entrepreneurs aged 19 to 55 years in rural and peri-urban areas by employing both demand- and supply-side interventions to contribute to increased realization of rights to economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive economic growth in 3 districts in Bono and Ahafo regions (Sunyani Municipal, Tano North and Techiman Municipal) and 2 districts in Northern region (Kumbungu and Tolon).

ABOUT YOU

The Accounts Officer will support the Project Accountant in the coordination of project financial and accountant related activities required for the implementation of the Team Up Project. Under the direction of the Project Accountant, the position holder would assist in the day-to-day activities of planning, managing, coordinating, and superintending operations, support, monitoring and reporting tasks. The post-holder will be based in the Tamale office and the role will involve travel to project communities where the project operates for approximately 40% of her/his time.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Account Officer will among many other tasks perform the following:

• Operation of the corporate accounting software to meet Plan’s spending and financial reporting requirements. To do this, the role will:
• Prepares journal, journal entries and receipt vouchers using the corporate accounting software
• Processes Payment Vouchers and Journal Vouchers through SAP on time and in accordance with the Operations Manual
• Ensures that transactions are complete and accurate with self-explanatory and understandable description.
• Maintains a record of vouchers borrowed by staff and ensures that they are returned and filed appropriately.
• Supports the monthly general ledger closure process.
• Ensures that the general ledger balances of the balance sheet accounts (ie, deposits, prepayment, advances, accruals, etc) agrees with the sub ledger balances.
• Files all Disbursement Vouchers/Journal Vouchers systematically no later than the following month, with all supporting documents attached and duly stamped with PAID, date and check number indicated and maintain good filing for all vouchers in a limited and restricted area

Support internal Financial Controls and process payments to ensure Plan attains value for money at all times. To do this, the role will:

• Ensures that the documentation for payment is acceptable and accurate with all arithmetic calculations being correct.
• Approved payment request should be processed within two working days upon receipt
• Prepares the Withholding tax and VAT schedule where relevant before payment is done.
• Cancels (stamped PAID) all vouchers (payment, journal and receipt) and its supporting documents to forestall re-use.
• ensures Cheques should be exact in both words and figures and match with the supporting documents.
• ensures online transactions/cheques are authorised by designated authorisers.
• Ensures that cheques issued and vouchers cancelled follow the requirements in the Operations Manual (OM).
• prepares monthly bank reconciliation by the 10th of the ensuing month.

Provides Support for Advance Management to ensure advances are properly accounted and liquidated as required. To do this, the role will:

• Prepares and maintains the sub ledger for all advances (travel, purchase etc.).
• Ensures timely liquidation of staff advances.
• Ensures that more than one advance is not be given to a staff at a time.
• Make available weekly to the Project Accountant a list of all un-liquidated advances and supports with the follow up of these advances.

Other:

• Ensure that Plan’s Child Protection Policy and related procedures are adhered to in all aspects of work.
• Perform others tasks assigned by the supervisor.
• Ensure that Plan’s gender policy is properly implemented especially through the day-to-day work.
• The holder of the position has no authorization and will liaise with Project Accountant for all related finance and administrative procedures under the leadership of the Specialist. Their pro-activeness will be key in planning and implementation of activities in the field.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, management, economics
• At least 2 years’ experience in a similar role
• Good experience in project reporting requirements
• Proficient in the use of excel and other data analyctic tools

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Excellent written and spoken skills in English
• Calm and positive under pressure and in difficult situations
• Sound problem-solving skills
• Good team player
• Good negotiating, facilitating, and influencing skills
• Proficient in Microsoft applications especially excel and pivot tables.
• Good communication skills both oral and written
• Good accounting, analytical, and judgment skills
• Good supervisory and coordination skills
• Ability to deliver to tight deadlines

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

This post holder will be stationed in the Tamale office with regular travel (approximately 40% of time) to project locations where the Project Team Up operates.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN:

Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction.

For the full Job Profile and Job Description for this role, please click on this link: Full Job Description - Accounts Officer -WISE.docx

Location: Tamale

Type of Role: Finance & Accounting

Reports to: Project Accountant

Job Type: Fixed Contract

Closing Date: 23rd October, 2023

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.